DIY: Brake rotor replacement (front)

ChrisSlicks

If it is rust on the edge just leave it. Rust on the hub face, just leave it and apply a very thin smear of grease to prevent it rusting to the hub. Rust on the braking surface will be gone with a few minutes of driving.

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Hotchkis ARB | Stillen CAI | Art Pipes | Berk CBE | Stillen AP Racing Brakes | AE Performance Oil Cooler | BC Racing ER Coilovers | Doran Control Arms

cavemancan

I mean rust on the Hub face and studs. I got brand new DBA 2 piece 5000 series rotors for the front and 1 piece 4000 series for the rear. They recommend sanding down or using a wire brush to promote even wear on the rotor. They even go as far as to recommend use of a Dial indicator to see if there is any run-out of the rotors once installed. If there is it is recommended to rotate the rotor 1 lug at a time until you get the lowest run out.

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Mazda Rx8 MT Titanium - SOLD!
2009 370Z T-Sport MT Black - Takeda Intake, Swift springs, Rear Camber kit, SS B Lines, FI Exhaust, Z Speed CMAK Flywheel/Clutch Kit, Stillen Brake Cooling.

Ni9TFiVE

So by removing the two 22mm bolts and this one 12mm bolt I should be able to move the caliper without breaking the brake line?

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370z1

Hey Ni9TFiVE,
I am posting per your request my friend. Yes you are correct you don't have to touch the break line. I replaced my factory rotors with slotted cross drilled rotors and added longer stud bolts for the addition of spacers on both front and rear plus changed break pads all without ever touching the break line. It is a little difficult because the caliper needs to be removed and rested on something so you don't stress the break line. You may want to consider steel braided break lines while you are in there but if not it's ok just to leave the factory lines as is.

Hope this helps, contact me if you have any questions, I will send you my phone number via private message.

Good luck!

370z1
James

LennyK

GREAT INFO - THANKS

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nabenson

Yes, the replacement is very straightforward. It's really as easy as it seems. Remove the bracket holding the brake line to the suspension (shown in your picture). Remove the caliper (I usually just stuck a bucket or block tall enough to sit it on). Sometimes you do have to smack the rotor a couple of times with a rubber mallet to break it free. It will come right off and you put the new one on and reverse the process.

Once the wheel is off it shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes to do the swap. Also, if you ever need to replace your wheel studs this is the same process. Once the rotor is removed you take a hammer and hit the outside end of the stud (the threaded portion that the lug nut screws on to). Smack it a few times and it pops out. You then insert the new stud from the back of the hub, and use one of those wheel stud tools (it's a cheap little thing you can get at any auto parts tool) to use a lug nut to pull ("press") the stud into place.

Vichtz

Just for yall who have base brakes. My rotor did not have the "anti seize pop off" screw. But the hole is still there. Coincidentally, the bolts from the bracket are the perfect size. So rather than beating your rotor, just screw that bolt into the hole in your rotor and it pops right off.

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YamahaR6

Just some pictures to add to this DYI.



Additional Tip:

1. Instead of fiddling around with a coat hanger or zip ties; I used a jack stands which is leveled to the original position.

2. The pop-off screw works great. Take it off, removed the spacer, spray a little WD40 and slowly screw it back to the hub. (Warning, it made a mark on the inside hub. Don't think it will cause any issues.)

3. Aligned the new rotors where you made the mark; so that your new rotors has the same weight distribution. (Not sure how much it matters but might as well).

The setup I went with DBA5000 and Project Mu 800.

Lots of brake dust compared to stock. Stopping power seems to be "slightly" better on initial bite.

Bananaz

Just changed my front rotors and pads this weekend. Surprisingly verrryyyyy easy if you have any experience working on a car.

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carlitos_370z

subscribed nice DIY dude!

sunkist350z

I thought removing the brake pads was not necessary to install rotors?

Kabestro

Has anybody taken the dust shields off to replace with the sport ones for the Sport BBK? Is it easy? I'll be doing this in a couple of weeks but haven't seen anybody do it yet. Don't want to trim or bend the base ones.

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Stillen Gen 3 CAI / Fast Intentions HFC and CBE 12" Res. (#730) / Swift Springs / 20mm H&R Spacers / Clutch Helper Spring / UpRev Tune 322whp.

Kabestro

So I upgraded my base brakes with the Akebono Calipers and Z1 2 piece rotors front and back. Didn't want to trim or bend the dust shields so I bought the OEM sport ones. Front of the car real easy, remove wheel, caliper, rotor and four bolts for the hub assembly. Rear of the car you have to remove wheel, caliper, rotor, e-brake assembly, rear axel bolt and hub assembly. Pretty straight forward but some work for just dust shields. My OCD didn't allow me to bend or trim them
Here are some pictures of the rear.

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Stillen Gen 3 CAI / Fast Intentions HFC and CBE 12" Res. (#730) / Swift Springs / 20mm H&R Spacers / Clutch Helper Spring / UpRev Tune 322whp.

370z1

To djpathfinder,
Am very sorry about the very late reply as I never got notified you asked a question. As to the question about the Nissan sticker on my calipers it is not a sticker. It is the factory logo came on the caliper when i bought the car new. All I did was tape over the original Nissan Logo which is in white lettering and the factory color of the caliper was that metallic grey behind the white lettering. All I did was tape over the important stuff and used red heat treated caliper spray to paint them red. The sport package break calipers come with the Nissan logo on them, no stickers

As far as those sticky rotors yes mine was also very hard to budge but fury and a rubber mallet busted those mtherfckers off after beating them. Also a couple leg kicks too. Make sure when doing the rear the e-brake is all the way down.

I have enough miles now on those stoptech rotors it is time for them to be turned because now when braking i get vibration in wheel which i believe it is just the rotors being warn and are no longer true, BUT I never owned slotted cross drilled rotors before so I don't know if they can even be cut to get them true again? Anybody know if I can have them cut?

Thanks guys.....

James (370Z1)