front disk brake job; remove rotors?

On my 96 Town and Country I needed to purchase a 3lb sledge and I got a lot of exercise until the right side came off. I never thought it would. the left side came off with just a few hard hits. Tire Rack sells a pair of reasonable cost Italian rotors that worked great and the rotors they sell did not blacken the wheels.

Richard.

Richard.

The retainer is just a metal clip on the rotor to keep it from moving. It is on one of the wheel studs. You can unscrew it or grab it with plyers and break it off. The caliper sometimes needs to be removed before you can get the rotor off. I never had much problems with rotors rusting to the spindle. Just be gentle when you push the piston(s) back in the caliper.

Sledge? Was that because of rust, or did you not remove the rotor retainer clips first?

If by "blacken the wheels" you mean from brake dust, I believe that's more determined by the pads, not the rotors.

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

I'm thinking that you were thinking "pads" but typed "rotor" on that last "rotor. 8^)

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

Clip was off. The rotors had rusted to the spindle. I put a little anti-seize on the back of the rotor's contact point to prevent this.

Richard.

Well, I did my first ever front disk brake job. I had done older car drum brakes, but never tackled front disk. Job went fairly well, and the car will now 'stop on a dime and give you nine cents change' as a old friend used to say.

A few observations and questions about today's job:

1) I could not jack from the front using the K member. This car is a 1988 Shelby Lancer, and the Ground Effects from the front wont allow a floor jack to go too far underneath. I jack up one side at a time using the frame rail, and placed a jack stand under the K member per each side. Seemed to work OK, but the car creaked and moaned as I jacked.

2) The LUG NUTs used to have some crome caps on them, and most of the caps are long gone. This makes using a 3/4, or 19mm socket, and/or lug wrench DIFFICULT. I used a rag as a 'spacer', and it worked for the most part, but I am a bit uncomfortable about the lug wrench slipping during an emergency tire change. Any tips, or suggestions here?

3) My procedure was to open the bleeder, use my one man bleeder kit, and re-set the caliper using a re-set tool. Seemed to work well.

4) The anti rattle clip on the passenger side was much different than the driver's side??? I hope I got them on right???? The car does indeed stop great and no squeels, or squeeks.....

Any comments, advice, or suggestions are appreciated!

Bill

88 Lancer Shelby 91 LeBaron Convertible 01 Chevy Impala LS

I think the "retainer" they're talking about will just be a tiny flimsy thing on a stud or two. If it's still there. At 15 years old you probably won't unscrew it. Break it instead.

Checker auto parts had the 'retainers' for the rotor. It is a 1/2" 'PUSH NUT', and you all are correct, I just broke the old one off and replaced with the new push nut (BTW, $2.29 for 4 push nuts is kind of high). Thanks for all of teh replies! Bill

Bill,

I've had the same problem with the chrome "caps" coming off the lug nuts over time/use on other Chrysler vehicles. In the short term, an 18mm socket fit the steel insert perfectly fro me. Over the longer haul, I'd suggest replacing these. Should be able to find at the dealer or at auto parts store if you want less expensive generic chrome lugs that would fit.

Good luck.

Bob