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bczygan

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Time for front brakes on the Astro Van. Wife is complaining. Been a couple of years or more, since I did this. They weren't metal on metal yet, but worn down pretty good.

So I put it up on jack stands, removed the wheels/tires, calipers and proceeded to try to get the rotors off.

I remembered that they can rust onto the hub so I brought out the big hammer and pry bar. Pounded and whaled on everything in sight like a demented demon.

Tried prying on the back while hitting the studs. Studs backed out and I'm thinking WTF?

Then I noticed the dust cap had fallen off, exposing a castellated nut and cotter pin.

It was right then that it dawned on me that this was a rotor/hub combination!!!:lol_hitti

I had forgotten what was what since the last time I did this.

No wonder the rotors were so expensive and came in big heavy boxes!

Time to go to the parts store for bearings and seals!

Bill
 
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protegeV

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Urambo Tauro

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Haha, I just recently did a brake job on my truck ('95 C2500), the first one that the truck has needed since I bought it a couple of years prior. Sure enough, had to put new hubrotors on it. I saw it coming, but still... it had been ages since I had to deal with those things. Fun stuff.

Say, does your Astro have that big plastic ABS sensor ring behind the hubrotor? If so, watch out for that. Mine was getting rust-jacked outward, pushing against the hubrotor and its tone wheel. It almost wore through enough of the plastic to ruin the sensor...
 
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bczygan

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bczygan

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Just got a call from the wife.

She's very happy.

The brake pedal doesn't pulse and the van stops great.

Guess it was worth working in the dark with a cold drizzly rain....

Bill
 
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bczygan

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sberry said:
You dont need to change all that **** everytime you put a brake pad on.
Click to expand...

You should turn the rotor though.

And last time I didn't. Just stuck on some pads.

Instead of having the van down while I had the rotors turned, I bought new.

Next Saturday I will take the rotors to my automotive technology class and turn them myself. So I'll be set for next time.

Bill
 
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sberry

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I have put dozens of pads on without turning rotors, replace them if I have to and often clean the edges with a grinder to allow the pad to seat. Sometimes sand them up a little or if they are clean and not rusted simply bevel the pad on the edge a little to let it seat. I have made it thru the life of the car on a couple or more on original rotors. I have a small box I keep some hardware in for the cars I still have on the road, might toss a 1/2 good pad or 2 in if they are square and not damaged. I do this on older cars, when I started out I was like you in some respect, gonna do it all and perfect like the book. After the 100th one I am more practical and the idea is to service it and not to park money in it at every chance. The seal is a dust /grease seal, not oil, I used to fuss over them but now knock them out on occasion, can put them back in. If I had already rotored and packed the bearings would pad it if I could in a few minutes and get on. In your case it can be learning, you can turn for free but skip the fukkin bearings and seals, it doesnt need it again. I have never had a bearing I had serviced go south. A repack in midlife normally outlives the car especially in Michigan.
 
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bczygan

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sberry said:
I have put dozens of pads on without turning rotors, replace them if I have to and often clean the edges with a grinder to allow the pad to seat. Sometimes sand them up a little or if they are clean and not rusted simply bevel the pad on the edge a little to let it seat. I have made it thru the life of the car on a couple or more on original rotors. I have a small box I keep some hardware in for the cars I still have on the road, might toss a 1/2 good pad or 2 in if they are square and not damaged. I do this on older cars, when I started out I was like you in some respect, gonna do it all and perfect like the book. After the 100th one I am more practical and the idea is to service it and not to park money in it at every chance. The seal is a dust /grease seal, not oil, I used to fuss over them but now knock them out on occasion, can put them back in. If I had already rotored and packed the bearings would pad it if I could in a few minutes and get on. In your case it can be learning, you can turn for free but skip the fukkin bearings and seals, it doesnt need it again. I have never had a bearing I had serviced go south. A repack in midlife normally outlives the car especially in Michigan.
Click to expand...

True, I am learning the proper way, but have done as you say, more than once. In fact, I just replaced a brake line on the Econoline van and didn't bleed it. Brakes are good enough to stop on the limited use for the moment.
 
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Old Man Roger

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bczygan said:
True, I am learning the proper way, but have done as you say, more than once. In fact, I just replaced a brake line on the Econoline van and didn't bleed it. Brakes are good enough to stop on the limited use for the moment.
Click to expand...
I'm all about not turning or replacing a rotor if there is no pulse, but I would definitely bleed anything that had a line replaced.
 
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ChevyEFI

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Bill,
Next time you do a hub-rotor like that, pull the outer keyed washer and outer bearing. Thread the nut back on. Yank the rotor off, catching the bearing on the nut. The bearing will pop the seal out without tweaking jt, and you can re-use all, if in good shape.
 
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Josey Wales

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sberry said:
I have put dozens of pads on without turning rotors, replace them if I have to and often clean the edges with a grinder to allow the pad to seat. Sometimes sand them up a little or if they are clean and not rusted simply bevel the pad on the edge a little to let it seat. I have made it thru the life of the car on a couple or more on original rotors. I have a small box I keep some hardware in for the cars I still have on the road, might toss a 1/2 good pad or 2 in if they are square and not damaged. I do this on older cars, when I started out I was like you in some respect, gonna do it all and perfect like the book. After the 100th one I am more practical and the idea is to service it and not to park money in it at every chance. The seal is a dust /grease seal, not oil, I used to fuss over them but now knock them out on occasion, can put them back in. If I had already rotored and packed the bearings would pad it if I could in a few minutes and get on. In your case it can be learning, you can turn for free but skip the fukkin bearings and seals, it doesnt need it again. I have never had a bearing I had serviced go south. A repack in midlife normally outlives the car especially in Michigan.
Click to expand...

That's what my car gets, not the wife's.
 
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bad_idea

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You say you are learning the correct way. Wrenching 101 - Wife's car gets premium parts torqued to proper specs. Your car gets slightly less worn used parts slapped in.
 
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bczygan

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bad_idea said:
You say you are learning the correct way. Wrenching 101 - Wife's car gets premium parts torqued to proper specs. Your car gets slightly less worn used parts slapped in.
Click to expand...

The rotors and pads are on the wife's van.

Brake line is on mine.

So this is in line with the above.

Rotors may have been warped. She was experiencing pulsing in the pedal which is now gone. I'll see when I turn the old ones.

Bill
 
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