DIY: Brake rotor replacement (front)

370z1 · 01-13-2016, 01:24 PM

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

370z1 · 01-13-2016, 01:43 PM

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)

nabenson · 01-13-2016, 05:20 PM

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.

LennyK · 02-10-2017, 08:19 AM

GREAT INFO - THANKS

01-13-2016, 01:43 PM	#62 (permalink)
370z1 Base Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 105 Drives: 2011 370Z Stillen SC Rep Power: 73	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) Last edited by 370z1; 01-13-2016 at 10:46 PM. Reason: changed the word "rotor" to "caliper" as it was used in the wrong place.

02-10-2017, 08:19 AM	#64 (permalink)
LennyK Enthusiast Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Mountain Top Posts: 268 Drives: 370Z Roadster 2010 Rep Power: 207	DIY Brake Change GREAT INFO - THANKS __________________ *** ROADSTER * TOURING * 2010 * PLATINUM * GRAPHITE * * Z * NISSAN * 370Z * NISSAN * Z ***

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01-13-2016, 01:24 PM	#61 (permalink)
370z1 Base Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 105 Drives: 2011 370Z Stillen SC Rep Power: 73	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

01-13-2016, 05:20 PM	#63 (permalink)
nabenson Base Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 103 Drives: 10 370z Nismo PW M6 Rep Power: 14	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.