DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calipers)

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Vectose
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DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calipers)

Post by Vectose »

So I helped FTOwnage swap over his rotors and thought I would write up a guide on how it's done for anyone wanting to do their own.

Tools you will need

Tire iron or socket and breaker bar
17mm socket or spanner
Piston spreader tool or G clamp
Hammer or mallet
Rope or wire
Grease


Step 1. Crack the wheel nuts, jack up the car, put it on stands and remove the wheel.

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Step 2. Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap located at the back of the engine bay on the drivers side and check the fluid level if it is full as shown in the photo below, remove some of the fluid to allow room for the fluid that will be pushed into the reservoir.

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Step 3. Remove the two slider pins using a 17mm socket or spanner.

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Step 4. Remove the caliper and tie it to the spring using rope or wire.

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Step 5. Remove the two bolts holding the caliper bracket to the hub with a 17mm socket or spanner and take the caliper bracket off the car along with the old brake pads.

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Step 6. Remove the old pads from the bracket. The old pads will have metal shims on the outside of them. If your new pads didn't come with them, swap them over to your new pads. If you don't have these it can cause squealing brakes.

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Step 7. Now the rotor is not being held on by anything else but may be stuck to the hub, give it a few taps around the hub area to knock it free, be careful not to hit the studs. (Sorry, didn't get a photo of this)

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Step 8. Give your new rotor a wipe with a clean rag to get the caster oil off and place it onto the car. If you are using slotted rotors, be sure that the slots are going towards the rear of the car as shown in the photo.

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Step 9. Put the bracket back on and tighten up the bolts.

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Step 10. Install your new pads making sure the one with the wear indicator is on the inside.

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Step 11. Using your spreader or G clamp, compress the pistons all the way, using an old brake pad here will press both pistons in at the same time.

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Step 12. Wipe the old grease off the slider pins and put some new high temp grease on them.

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Step 13. Put the slider pins back in making sure the one with the plastic bushing goes in the upper hole and tighten them up.

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Step 14. Check the brake fluid reservoir and the fluid level should have rose a bit from compressing the pistons, get a syringe or spoon and remove the extra fluid, being careful not to get it on your paint as it will eat right through it. (Didn't get a photo of this)

Step 15. Put the wheel back on with the wheel nuts finger tight.

Repeat all steps on the opposite side.

Step 16. Lower the car and tighten the wheel nuts.

Step 17. Before you go for a drive, pump the brake pedal a few times to to push the pistons back into operating position and recheck your fluid level.

Step 18. When you go for a drive, you will need to bed in the new rotors and pads. This info sheet from RDA explains it nicely. Your brakes may also smoke and smell for a bit but this is nothing to worry about and will stop after the brakes are bedded in.

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Last edited by Vectose on Sun Aug 25, 2013 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Daniel2019 »

Nice write up mate, well done.

Cheers!
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by FTOwnage »

Looking good!
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Daniel2019 »

FTOwnage wrote:Looking good!
f**king lol at your avatar :lol:
I fix cars.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Astron_Boy »

Daniel2019 wrote:
FTOwnage wrote:Looking good!
f**king lol at your avatar :lol:
Guess they left that part of the write up out. :lol:
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Sahin »

There's an easier way to get the rotor off
See the bolt holes with nothing in them on the rotor? Find a bolt that will fit and start to do it up... It should actually pull the rotor free from the hub
It's actually how you're meant to do it I think and saves a lot of time
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Vectose »

:lol: Took about 5 seconds to hammer the rotor free.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Sahin »

Yeah but if for some reason you need to take your rotors off again and are planning to put them back on, I dont you should be hammering them lol
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Vectose »

Fair point. Although a couple light taps on the area around the hub should get them off and saves looking for a bolt.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by PHIL069 »

Great DIY there Vectose :D

Tip: Step 1, Put some wheel chocks on front and rear side of one rear wheel to stop the vehicle from a possable roll away.

Tip: Step 11, When compressing your pistons back in, place an old brake pad against the 2 pistons and use your compressing tool/g-clamp against the old brake pad. This will press both pistons in together and you won't have the possability of the un-supported piston being popped out.

Tip: Step 14, You should remove some of the brake fluid from the reservoir, if it is already full, before you press in your caliper pistons. This will stop the posability of the fluid overflowing.

Tip: Step 17, When the job is completed, make sure you pump the brake pedal to push the pistons back into operating position and recheck your fluid level.

Tip: Step 18, When you go for your first drive remember that your brakes are new and won't operate correctly for the first few stops.
Sahin wrote:Yeah but if for some reason you need to take your rotors off again and are planning to put them back on, I dont you should be hammering them lol
It would be better to use a wooden mallet or use a piece of timber as a buffer inbetween the hammer and rotor, then you can hit the rotor from behind and knock it off the hub.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Vectose »

Good points there Phil, actually thought of a couple of those when writing the DIY, but forgot to put them in. :lol: Was also supposed to put in a part about bedding them in. Will update it tomorrow. :geny:

A guide for the rear will be up soon.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by PHIL069 »

Vectose wrote:Good points there Phil, actually thought of a couple of those when writing the DIY, but forgot to put them in. :lol: Was also supposed to put in a part about bedding them in. Will update it tomorrow. :geny:

A guide for the rear will be up soon.
No worries, go ahead and edit the DIY and add them if you like. :D
mikeey01nzl wrote:Hats off to you too Phil for spending so much time on the phone trying to help someone out, your a top man and only a few would've spent so much time. well done! :salut:
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by shadowarrior »

Nice write up, except that you missed a very important part. :)

All DIY Guides should now come with a mandatory statutory warning.

Step .001 If you are destinationtobelerone, Please, DO NOT try this at home!

:lol:
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by FTOwnage »

Daniel2019 wrote:
FTOwnage wrote:Looking good!
f**king lol at your avatar :lol:
Thanks man!
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by destinationtoby »

shadowarrior wrote:Nice write up, except that you missed a very important part. :)

All DIY Guides should now come with a mandatory statutory warning.

Step .001 If you are destinationtobelerone, Please, DO NOT try this at home!

:lol:

lol ive done this like 7times this year. can do it with my eyes shut
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Bennoz »

So that's what a caliper piston compressor tool looks like :lol:

Nice DIY ;)
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by silverGPX »

Great guide, you should do a guide on rebuilding the calipers
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by Vectose »

A guide on rebuilding the calipers is also in the works.
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Re: DIY: How to replace your front rotors (Twin piston calip

Post by silverGPX »

Vectose wrote:A guide on rebuilding the calipers is also in the works.
How far off? :lol:
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