Brake Rotor
Most virgin vehicles capitalization some fashion of CD brakes, which rely on a caliper that clamps a rotor, when the brakes are applied, in form to slow the vehicle. Over interval the rotors (further as the brake pads) begin to wear out and need to be replaced in order for the brakes to continue to function properly. Replacing brake rotors can be done by a shop or a reasonably competent home mechanic.
Instructions
1. Loosen the lug nuts for the wheels at all four corners of the vehicle. Raise the vehicle with a floor jack and lower it securely onto jack stands. Finish removing the wheels and set them aside.
2. Remove the caliper bolts that hold the caliper to the suspension or the caliper carrier. This will vary depending on the vehicle. Consult your vehicle's shop manual for specific directions. Slide the caliper off of the rotor. Support the caliper by tying it to a piece of wire attached to a nearby suspension piece or place it on a box or platform.
3. Remove the caliper carrier if there is one. This will be a metal bracket that the caliper bolts onto that is held on with two bolts, one at the top and one at the bottom. Set the carrier aside.
4. Remove the set screw that holds the rotor onto the hub. Open the lid for the brake fluid reservoir. Remove some of the fluid with a syringe to prevent the fluid from overflowing. Remove the brake pads from the caliper. Place one pad of the C-clamp on the piston and the other on the outside of the caliper and tighten it on the caliper so that the piston retracts.
You may need to tap it from behind with a rubber mallet if it is frozen to the hub from dirt and moisture.
6. Spray brake cleaner where the rotor mounts to the hub and wipe it down with a clean rag. Apply some anti-seize compound to the hub surface. Slide the new brake rotor onto the hub. Reinstall the set screw if so equipped.
7. Reinstall the caliper carrier with the two bolts. Tighten the bolts to the specifications given in the shop manual. Slide the caliper and brake pads over the new rotor. If the rotor is too thick for the caliper and pads to slide over, you will need to compress the piston in the caliper with a C-clamp. Not all vehicles use set screws to hold the rotors on. The set screw will be either a flat head screw, a Phillips or possibly a star-shaped screw.5. Pull the rotor straight off of the hub. Top off the reservoir and replace the lid.
8. Place the pads back in the caliper. Slide the caliper over the rotor. Tighten the caliper mounting bolts. Repeat the above steps for the other four corners of the vehicle. Reinstall the wheels and lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts in a criss-cross pattern. Pump the brake pedal until the pedal feels firm.
