I did a front brake job on the ISF today. All OEM parts from Sewell (thanks guys) pads, shims, caliper pins, springs and rotors.

What should have taken 1 1/2 hours took 3 because I didn't figure this out until the end.

On the rotors between the studs are two threaded holes. When I saw them I thought "Oh, they are for mounting screws". Wrong.
After removing my wheels and saw no screws in the old rotors I thought to myself "The last mechanic didn't use the screws!?" I was wrong... again.

After 30 min on EACH side of PB blaster, rubber mallet'ing, hammer smashing, blow torching, swearing, bruised knuckles and over all frustration...
I occured to me that maybe... If I threaded a bolt into the holes it would press OFF the old rotor. BINGO!

I found a M8 x 2 x 1.25 pitch bolt, threaded it in an PRESTO! the rotor was off in 15 seconds.

Duh.... I can't let this go. I feel so stupid. I want my 1 1/2 hours back.

ANYWAY it should be known that to do rotors have a M8x(doesn't matter length)x1.25 thread pitch bolt. And the job is easy.

 

I'm not trying to throw salt in the wound or anything, but Caymandive mentions this in the first post of his DIY rotor replacement thread.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ke-rotors.html

Glad everything turned out well for you in the end though.

 

insert salt here! lol

 

Learning it the hard way... I will never forget it. LOL
I had only found the ultimate brake thread and the pads only thread. Guess I needed to dig deeper.

Let me be a reminder to all... SEARCH!

 

Actually I've seen this on Toyotas since my first GTS Corolla in 1988. They've always done this with their rotors.

FWIW, I did a four jackstand wheels off car wash today after the salt and sand of the last month in Atlanta. While I was at it, I swapped out the front pads. My rotors were loose on the hubs. I've never needed the bolts to get the rotors off. Maybe it's because I know the holes are there and I have the bolts in my tool box...

 

The caliper bridge bolt screw will fit the 2 holes in the rotor to make things easier.

 

Reminds me of when I discovered that. Hadn't thought about that in decades...it was pre-internet

 

thanks for the tips, any info how to change the studs easier , im planning to put 20mm H&R spacers on my f with the longer studs.

 

OP i went through the same thing 2 days ago with replacing my rotors... You should see the rubber mallet i bought.. Well there's a nice chunk out of it where i beat the rotor to death.. then realizing i should use the screws... such a headache... i knew we needed screws just didn't know the rotor had a death grip on the car.

After a few turns they popped right off...

 

Awesome and best way to learn!!! Pretty sure everyone has that Homer Simpson moment in there lives. Doh!!!

 

That's easy (one came out in my process). They are just pressed in. Get the rotor off, heat the hub around the base of the stud (try to avoid the stud) and hit them on the end with a hammer, they should back out. A lubricant might help too, non framable, like PB Blaster.

AA

 

Hitting anything attached to the hub with a hammer is a bad idea if you want your wheel bearings to last. Wheel studs can be pressed out very easily, and there are even inexpensive tools to do this. This guy even did a DIY for the Evo board.

 

hope I didn't do any damage. I was hitting it with a hammer and rubber mallet and eventually used to the two screws to loosen the rotor off.

the was a lot of force behind the hits and turned the rotor a few inches and tried to hit evenly across the backside . you got me nervous now