Front Rotor changeover...what am I missing here??

[rameye]

The time has come to ditch my dead, scored, rusted out and warped rotors.

I go to the local auto parts store and they keep offering me a rotor with 8 holes for the lugs and the center removed.

I have the shop manual...it doesn't seem to indicate that this is a two piece rotor. I know the bearing assembly gets released from the backing plate and releases the rotor,,,,but I'm missing something here..

Ok so questions are..

Is the rotor replacement 1 piece with studs or is this a 2 piece unit??

Also looking for the best strategy to remove the locking nut at the end of the spindle..

As always much thanks....Ram

[DmaxMaverick]

It's a 2 piece. The rotor fits over the hub. The hub mounts the studs, and the rotor goes onto the studs. Many (not all) models will have the rotor engage the stud grooves, making it seem like a 1 piece unit, and just a much a PITA (if not more) to R/R. You may have to press out the studs to change the rotor. The rotor may be rusted in place.

Is yours a 6, or 8 lug?

[ronniejoe]

You must remove the studs to remove the rotor. Press each one out individually. The rotor will fall off to the inside then.

[rameye]

ok Thanks I'm an 8 lugger....jeez this expensive manual sometimes is horrible!!

Anything special to take off the axle nut...big socket? wrench?

I was thinking of having the tire in contact with the pavement when i break it loose..

any thoughts on what works best??

PS should I be renting a slide hammer?? Or can I just beat this baby off like an inboard propellor?

[DmaxMaverick]

Yep. Big socket and breaker bar. You can either have the tire still down, or have someone stand on the brakes. The nut will be torqued to 155-177 ft/lb, depending on the spec. Do not reuse the self locking nut if it has one. If you have a castlated nut, the procedure and torque will be different.

You shouldn't need a slide hammer. It should come off easily once the nut is removed. If it's stuck, use a soft mallet to break it loose.

[rameye]

As always thanks for the advice!!

Hope all goes well..

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

"You shouldn't need a slide hammer. It should come off easily once the nut is removed." If you're talking about the axle nut, true. If you're talking about removing the hub from the knuckle, depends on where you live. Both my 95's were Minnesota-welded (salt-accelerated rust) - I'm confident that, after removing the four bolts that hold the hub to the knuckle, either truck could have been driven, at least briefly, with the bolts out. (Obviously, I wouldn't have done that, although it sure would have been easier that what I went through to get them out the 1st time... :mad:) I anti-seized the outside of the hub & the inside of the knuckle, & the next time the hub fell out of the knuckle when I removed the four bolts. :D

Blessings!

[rameye]

once again thanks to all the fine folks at the DP

the operation was a success and the patient lives again.

it was very tedious on my first side...(learning curve) couple that with the fact the rotor had split in half longitudinally which complicated removal.

second side was a 2 hour job start to finish..

FYI

autozone has rotors for 35 bucks..
autozone has slotted and drilled rotors for around 300 bucks
autozone has hub assemblies with speed sensor ect for 164.

take care