DIY: Brake rotor replacement (front)
 

This article describes how to replace the front brake rotors, the procedure to do the rear is basically the same but I'll only be describing the front.

Tools required:
22mm socket or box wrench (7/8 is a close fit as well if you don't have 22mm)
21mm deep socket
12mm socket
Torque wrench
Needle nose pliers



Start by jacking up the front of the car by the frame, and place a jack stand in a secure location. Lower the car onto the stand.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2867-a.jpg



Remove the front wheel using a 21mm deep socket with impact wrench or tire iron, you should then see this.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2866-a.jpg



Grab the rotor and turn it out for better access.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2865-a.jpg



Remove the brake pads from the caliper by removing the lock pins. Use needle nose pliers to encourage the pads out.



Remove the 12mm nut securing the brake line to the vertical control arm and remove.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2863-a.jpg



Locate the two 22mm bolts on the vertical control arm that secure the caliper, remove these with a 22mm box wrench.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...4-img-7541.jpg



Secure the caliper to the upper control arm temporarily with wire.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2862-a.jpg



The rotor is now loose, kind of. As it is probably rusted in place, encourage it loose with a rubber mallet.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2861-a.jpg



Check the hub for rust that might cause the new rotor to not sit flush.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2860-a.jpg



Install the new rotor, hold it in place with 2 wheel nuts temporarily.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2859-a.jpg



Remount the caliper with the two 22mm bolts, torque to 98ft/lbs. Reattach the brake line to the vertical control arm.
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2858-a.jpg



Reinstall the brake pads, and you're done!
http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...ture2857-a.jpg


If you're new brake rotors are coated like these, drive normally for about 20 miles to remove the coating in the swept area. After that you can follow standard brake bed-in procedure.

http://www.the370z.com/members/chris...k-together.jpg

DIY is always a welcome, + rep. :D

Thanks Chris, well written and great shots!

are you sure you have them on the right side? the last two BBK's i had with slotted rotors, the vanes pointed forward, not backward like you show. the easiest way to tell is look at the top of the rotor and see what direction the cooling vanes go........

They were marked left and right, so it was pretty obvious :)

Some manufacturers have the slots going in the other direction.

makes it easy. just thought i would point it out just in case. what brand are they? price?

They are the Stoptech. $260 for the front axle if you have to sport package, a little less if you don't.

heavier than stock?

1lb lighter according to my scale. Stock was 30.5 lbs, Stoptech was 29 lbs. A 2-piece rotor should save a few pounds per corner.

Can you take a pic with the wheel on & the finish rubbed off from the pad?

Sure, I'll grab one tonight or tomorrow.

Ok, added a pic. Sorry for the delay.

Hey Chris, just curious, my StopTechs came with an illustration showing the slots going forward. Is it b/c I have the drilled and slotted? they were marked left and right as well, but mine are going the opposite direction of yours.

A lot of rotors have the slots going forwards so I wouldn't worry about that. Just go by the markings or look down the cooling veins with a flashlight to see which way they are going.

Where did you get the rotor / cost?

http://www.the370z.com/suspension-br...ake-lines.html

Good service.

Have you noticed any improvement in braking performance with the change? I did a track day earlier this year and a dealer had a demo 370 that a pro driver was giving hot lap rides in. The rotors were scored beyond recognition. I'm curious if it's a brake pad issue or a $hitty stock sport package rotor issue.

What do you think?

I think its the pads, not the rotors. I did the same to my rears with stock pads and had HP+ on the fronts and the front rotors looked brand new, rears were garbage. I have the rotora slotted ones from Z1 motorsports now.

I think the slotted rotors help resist scoring, any material they gets stuck between the pad and the rotor gets swept away by the slots. There was no improvement in braking performance. To improve track braking performance you need high-temperature pads. The think the stock pads are about right for the street, not too much dust and good grip without being grabby.

Really well done write-up - I'll be using this soon. +1 rep.

I didn't find it necessary to remove the brake pads.

I am getting ready to replace my rotors. Is it necessary to remove the brake pads or not? Thanks

If the replacement rotors have an identical or fractionally thinner thickness then it shouldn't be necessary to remove the pads, however it will be a tight fit.

great, thanks for the quick response

Ok, I'm to the point of taking the rotor off and its not budging - was wondering what exactly the bolt is that is circled in red in this picture:

http://www.the370z.com/members/linpa...ircled-red.jpg

Does that need to be removed to get the rotor off?

Thanks!

That bolt is just a spacer and is screwed into the rotor. It does not need to be removed or replaced, it is just there to prevent someone from installing a rear wheel on the front.

If it is not budging just try and get a little more aggressive with the rubber mallet. Spray some penetrating spray in between the hub and the rotor.

I worked on an old Ford a few years ago where the rotor had basically welded itself to the hub. I was hitting it with a 20lb sledge hammer (didn't care at that point) and there was no way it was coming off. I tried drilling and tapping the rotor and using bolts to try and push it off, no joy, they just snapped. In the end I had to remove the wheel hub from the spindle (another joy) and throw them both away together.

Yours isn't that old so a few good whacks should do it. Add some high temp anti-seize to the hub face for the new rotor.

I'm actually using this write-up to install H&R 15mm spacers on the front - both ModShack and wheee refer to it in their write-ups for spacer installs - that bolt now has me worried because the spacers won't go in with that piece still in place. Are guys just removing that thing completely when they install the new spacers?

I'll hit the rotor with the penetrating spray and let it sit overnight.

Thanks!

Yes, just take that thing off, it is useless. I also use the H&R 15mm spacers for the stock wheels.

Yup, what he said about the screw and mallet. Really smack the crap out of the rotor, no joke.

Hello ChrisSlicks,
Just wanted to say thanks for your DIY thread, it was very helpful to me when replacing my stock rotors with the stoptech ones. I got the zinc plated because several folks complained about the rust in the rotor vents. Just in case anybody is debating on doing this the only thing I can say it that when you remove the rear rotors don't forget to release the e-brake. I forgot I had it engaged and pulled on the rear rotor and it caused the ABS sensor to move which in turn caused my ABS and stability control lights to come on after I got it all put back together. I have since fixed it but figured others may want to avoid a simple issue like that.

Is that a Nissan sticker you have on your painted calipers?

What's up with the Nissan sticker?

Another question...do you just allow the hard tubing part of the brake line to flex and bend as you remove the caliper and hang it out of the way, or did I miss a step?

You missed a step :p

You need to disconnect the bolt securing the brake line to the steering knuckle assembly (picture 4). Once you've done that you'll have lots of flex from the rubber hose.

Backside of what? The bolts on the backside of the steering knuckle are for the wheel bearing hub assembly, do you already have the caliper out of the way?

The rotor should come off freely once the caliper is out of the way, however corrosion can cause it to become bonded to the hub. You'll have to give it a good hard whack with a rubber mallet to break it loose (picture #7).

Been beating the **** out of my rotor with a rubber mallet for like an hour, still won't budge. Sprayed some PB Blaster on it as well. Ugh.

That sucks. I had one old car that I was working on with a friend that wouldn't come off for anything. We tried torches, drills, 10lb sledge hammer, you name it. In the end the wheel bearing was toast so we just removed the wheel bearing and brake rotor as one unit.

You can try applying some heat from a torch (if you have it) around the face of the rotor but that only really works if you have a real torch (oxy). Another trick that works sometimes is to put the wheel back on over the studs and using your hands to jar the edge of the wheel causing a lever action on the rotor.

Did you put a lot of muscle into pounding the rotor? When I did mine, at first I thought I was hitting it hard enough, but I had to really pound it like I was trying to shatter it before it loosened.

Maybe that's the problem. I'm letting it sit for a bit with the PB Blaster on it, then I'll give it another shot.

What I did was grabbed both ends of the rotor by handle, and wiggle the crap out of it, then I would turn the rotor 1/4th of a turn and continued to wiggle it.. It came off after about 10min. Good luck.