Replacing Rotors Options

[floridastyle05]

I need to replace the front rotors on my 2002 Elentra what i need is either a diagram on how or if anyone know if i have to pull a hub off or do they just side off?

[MikeNH]

its pretty easy- the wheel lugnuts are 21mm, after removing the wheel the caliper slide bolts are 14mm, remove those and then the caliper bracket is 2 17mm bolts, remove those. There may be 2 phillips screws holding the rotor to the hub, you'll likely need an impact driver to remove them (special screwdriver like tool you hit with a hammer) and then the rotor will probably come off real hard too, spray the hub area with penetrating oil and give it all you got with a hammer.

[Doohickie]

Exactly correct.... however, I've heard from one or two guys who had to cut the old rotors off using a Sawzall because it was rusted to the hub. Don't get discouraged!

[HuDuVuDu]

Anyone know what the torque spec is on all the bolts to replace the pads and rotors?

[Doohickie]

Brake system torque values in lbft:

Master cylinder to booster mounting nut: 6-9
Brake booster mounting nut: 9.6-11.8
Brake booster vacuum hose fitting to surge tank: 11.1-13.3
Bleeder screw: 5.2-11.8
Brake tube flare nut, brake hose: 9.6-12
Caliper guide rod bolt: 16-24
Caliper pin bolt: 26-33
Caliper assembly to knuckle: 48-55
Brake hose to front caliper: 18-22

Front brake components (non-ABS):
(IMG:http://www.hmaservice.com/GRAPHICS/EX/EXDBR70A.gif)

Rear brake components (non-ABS):
(IMG:http://www.hmaservice.com/GRAPHICS/EX/EXDBR05A.jpg)

Also, note that a tool is required to retract the rear piston. You can't just compress it with a C-clamp; it has to be twisted in. I haven't had to do this yet myself, but I've been told it can be bought for about $10 at most auto parts stores; it's more or less a universal tool. Here is a picture of the tool.

(IMG:http://www.toolweb.com/pics/LIS28600.jpg)

I found this DIY on another forum for replacing rear brake pads; they are more complicated than the fronts which are a pretty normal changeout:

REAR DISC BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE


Replacing the rear pads is not difficult, but it will take the "special" tool. However, virtually any auto parts store will sell you one for about $10. Some of the larger auto parts stores will "sell" you the tool, and then let you return it if you buy the pads from them. I have made up my own tool for some Honda products in the past, but the slot pattern on our pistons would make it difficult to make your own; and it is not worth bothering with since the real tool is so cheap and effective. For anyone not familiar with this tool: It looks like a small metal cube with four tabs of different shapes on each of the six faces, one set of which exactly fits into the slots on the caliper piston face. Also, in the center of each face is a square 3/8” hole for your 3/8” drive extension that allows you to use your ratchet to rotate the piston.

Expect to find the old pads pretty corroded and stuck in their slots.

Here is the procedure I followed:

1. Jack up entire rear of vehicle and remove the wheels. I have a good floor jack and use the pad that the center rear tow/tie-down hook is welded to as the jack point.

2. Place supports under the rear suspension just inside the rotor dust shields on each side. I used two cement blocks and some short pieces of 2x4” lumber on top of the blocks for a steady, secure support, and then lowered the vehicle until the suspension was again fully depressed. I did this to increase the slack in the parking brake cables to make disconnecting them at the calipers easier. Alternatively, you could just jack up each side and remove the wheels in turn (for those without a floor jack) but I think it is useful to lower the suspension weight onto some good support to increase slack in the parking brake cable. This eliminates the manual’s suggestion to remove the center console inside the vehicle and loosen the parking brake adjusting bolts at that point.

Do the following one side at a time.

WARNING: If you have not done brakes before. DO NOT TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL OR PULL UP THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER FROM THIS POINT ON. (Don’t let a child play in the car whenever a brake component is off a rotor!!)

3. Remove the two 14mm caliper retainer/slide bolts and lift off the caliper piston and parking brake assembly. Just be careful not to kink or stress the brake hose. There is sufficient slack in the line to do this. Push the piston assembly aside and rest it on the lower slide bolt (the part with the rubber boot). With this out of the way, you can remove the old pads and clean up the stainless steel slide slots top and bottom. You might find the pads pretty well jammed in there. If you have to pry them out, don’t gouge the disc face with your tool.

4. I used a soft brush and some air (I have a compressor that facilitates this.) and cleaned up the rubber boot area around the piston.

5. TAKE NOTE OF THE POSITION OF THE SLOTS IN THE PISTON FACE at this time. Then, using the special tool, a short extension, and your 3/8" ratchet drive, turn the pistons clockwise as you apply inward pressure. When you finish screwing in the piston, the slots must once again be in that position. There is a protrusion on the back of the metal part of the inside brake pad that sits in the slot on the piston face. If you do not have this aligned properly, you won’t be able to get the caliper assembly back onto the rotor. At this point I had a problem. As I tried to screw in the piston, it rotated pretty easily but did not want to move inward.

(NOTE: The following may not be necessary, but the piston did not seem to move inward until I did it.)

I then unhooked the spring on the parking brake "cam bolt" This is easily done with a pair of pliers or vice-grips. The spring is not very strong. Then I slipped the end of the brake cable off. This takes a bit of careful wiggling, but there is enough slack in the cable to get them off, especially since I had lowered the suspension onto the blocks back at the start of this procedure. I then started turning the piston again and found that it now moved inward. Don’t be surprised at the number of turns it takes to get the piston to start moving inward. Be careful not to damage the rubber boot around the face of the piston. You might have to apply a bit of WD40 to help the boot slip as the piston rotates. Crank it in until the piston face is flush with the rubber boot. That should be deep enough for you to slip the assembly back onto the new pads.

5. After cleaning away corrosion, I tested the fit of the new pads. They went in very, very tightly. I didn’t like that, so I pulled them out, and used my bench grinder to VERY SLIGHTLY smooth the metal ears of the pad. You can use some 120 grit sandpaper to do this manually if you don’t have a grinder. I worked this process in small steps, until the pads slipped in fairly easily, but not so that they were loose. You can apply a VERY, VERY SMALL AMOUNT of high temp grease to the pad “ears” at this step. Do not get grease on the rotors or pad faces.

6. Hook up the parking brake cable end. Reinstall the spring, and then place the caliper back over the pads and install the slide bolts. (The bolts need only about 15 – 20 ft lbs of torque. Don’t muscle them too hard because you can strip them if you gorilla them.) If the caliper assembly doesn’t seem to want to seat back on properly, refer to STEP 4 above. ALSO, if you find that the piston has moved back outward so that it doesn’t want to slide over the two pads and rotor, you probably moved the lever that activates the parking brake cam causing the piston to “self adjust outward.” You will have to screw it back in some more with the tool. I unhooked the spring and cable again to do this, but am not sure if you have to.

7. After the unit is reassembled and back on the rotor, go into the car and depress the brake pedal a couple of times until it feels firm again.


You are done on side #1. Now go do it again on the other side. Good luck! If you now find that the parking brake is too tight, you will have to remove the console to adjust the screws and loosen the brake handle. Mine was fine, so I didn’t have to do that.

This post has been edited by Doohickie: May 29 2007, 10:21 PM

[HuDuVuDu]

is there a good web site to get new rotors and pads?

[byronguidry3732]

:00000732: HuDuVuDu!

http://search.ebay.com/elantra-brake-rotor...dZm37QQfromZR40

Byron

[NovaResource]

is there a good web site to get new rotors and pads?
[right][snapback]97305[/snapback][/right]

I got mine from RotorWork.com Great stuff.

[HuDuVuDu]

I have never done rear rotors, do you have to replace the wheel bearings when replacing the rear rotors?

thanks

[byronguidry3732]

Dear HuDu,

No, it is not required but highly recommended.

If your rear rotors are worn below the wear limit, you are probably at or over 100K miles. With that many miles and you already have the car on jack stands and the wheels off and the calipers off, you might as well replace the hubs while you are there. The real wheel bearing is an integral part of the rear hub and is not serviceable. If the wheel bearing is defective replace the wheel hub as an assembly.

You may have to get a a hub puller from Autozone loan-a-tool to remove the hub. Also, you will need a breaker bar or impact wrench to get the wheel bearing nut off. When you reinstall, the 2000 Elantra rear wheel bearing nut is torqued to 130-159 lbs ft.

Byron

[MikeNH]

Those rear bearing/hubs are expensive, don't replace them unless they are noisy/loose. With the tire off the ground grab it at the top and bottom and try to rock it in and out, if there is no movement they're fine. Save your money and just do pads/rotors. You are right there with the brakes apart, but the cost of the hub is such that just doing them as preventative work isn't logical IMO. Its a 30 minute job to do a hub anyhow.

[HuDuVuDu]

I did the front bearings on my VW when they were needed. I really need to do the front rotors/pads on the EGT. they are warped so bad. but now I have a CEL I need to deal with first.

anyone know where the OBDII port is on the 01 elantra gt?

[rollerdawg]

My Elantra GT has ABS, and it appears there is a sensor on the inward side of the rotor. Does this need to be removed before taking off the rotor? I've taken off the bolt (actually snapped, must have been rusted) but the sensor still seems to be in tight. Does it just pull out?