jdjl1987

So I'm working to get my 1982 rx7 on the road, I need to put new front brakes on as well as new wheel bearings. I already did the shoes in the back, no problem, but now I'm at the front, I pull off the wheel and what do I see? Something I that confuses me! Hurray!

The hub is in front of the rotor. I was talking to my mechanical engineering friend about it, and he laughed at me and told me I was blind/crazy. It was raining hard on me this morning so I didn't get the pad mounts off (the bolts in the back are rusty and I have the strength of a little girl). But I'm assuming you guys know about this. My experience with rotors is they ALL have a raised section that bolts to the OUTSIDE of the hub, and I have seen no contrary to the rotors shape in any order forms, and I know that FC's and newer are also normal. Is it like normal cars, just flipped around? Like, are the screws in the back? It's still uncleaned and rusty so I cant even see the line between the hub and the rotor. Basically, can somebody tell me what the heck is going on here?

lfd75

The rotor and the hub are one unit (bearings are not sealed), you need to remove the caliper mounting bracket (plenty of threads on this) then remove dust cap, cotter pin, nut, nut lock, outer bearing, hub/rotor, grease seal, inner bearing. Installation is the opposite (don't forget to repack/replace the bearings and adjust the preload). I just did this and all I can say is it was a PITA but doable.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

I you haven't downloaded your own copy of the FSM, do so. The 82 FSM doesn't have a decent diagram of the front brake/rotor assembly, but the 85 does. Sec. 11 p. 4.

FSMs can be downloaded from the following link.

http://www.wankel.net/~krwright/cars/rx7/manuals.html

The 1st gen setup is quite typical of older style designs.

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

Ah, the young, they are so... young.

This is the way ALL cars were made, for many years; the rotor and the bearing/hub all one piece, with open, repackable bearings held to spindles by castle nuts & cotter pins.

Soon, you will learn the heady joys of digging a fistful of bearing grease out of the can and re-packing the bearings by hand.

The separate rotor/hub design is what, maybe a decade or so old? Goes back further on euro cars. My 91 Camaro had one-piece hubs & open bearings, IIRC.

jdjl1987

Now, my question is when I order my rotors from some brakes store like kvr, are they going to know what I'm talking about? Or do we have to order from specialty stores?
I had read through the one for 1980, and it looked normal on the surface. Thanks for the tip on the 85 version, it much more clear. I'll add it to my collection of manuals.
Also, they've had separate rotor design since the 60's because it's better. Yet another point in the 'mazda is totally crazy' category.

Thanks guys.

jdjl1987

You gonna kick me in the nuts on this one but my experience with 80's cars has only been Asian, and they had separate systems by the 80's. It's 2008 so it will be at least 2 decades :P. I'm just not used to seeing a smaller middle section with the rotor positioned in the back because I'm used to old American cars. Benefits are you can pack with a deadblow, drawbacks is every time you just want to do rotors you want to kill yourself.

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

I guess he has never seen the brakes on a Rx2, Rx3, Rx4 or Rotary Pickup. Nor the 1000s of other cars where the rotor mounts to the back of the hub.

jdjl1987

He likes Volkswagens? He's crazy, I know. It DOES make sense though when you think about it, mounting it on the back just means you have to take the hub off every time to change the rotor. I even mentioned when I was talking to him the possibility that the rotor and hub were one piece, and he told me I was flat out wrong. I guess he should stick to engines. Don't worry, I'm planning on kicking his *** next time I see him.

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

Just bustin your chops, dude. I can't tell you how many "WTF?" moments I've had with cars over the years.

Case in point: My 350z has three "axles" worth of brakes: Front disk, rear disk, and rear drum on the hub used exclusively for the e-brake. Rear rotors (separate from the hub) have an exterior disk AND an interior drum surface.

First time I did brakes on it, was a serious WTF moment.

lfd75

I'm not familiar with kvr but most parts stores should know what you're talking about (mind you they might have to order the rotors in for you) and I can't stress this enough inspect the bearings while they are out.

jdjl1987

Band new ones from japan! This car hasn't had a good servicing since it was stored in 91'. It might only have 40,000k on it but I'm replacing everything I have the opportunity to.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

don't forget to order new bearing races when you order your new wheel bearings and rotors..

zaridar

iTrader: (3)

I work at Autozone. You just tell them you want the Rotors and inner and outer bearings. Make sure the come as a set otherwise youll have to order the races seperately like stated above. your going to have to press the old races out of the old rotor if you want to reuse them like i did (stupid move... could have just gotten new ones and saved myself alot of greasiness and time. i used a brass drift or you gan also get the loan a tool from autozone. its a bearing/race driver set i believe. its free to use but you have to leave a down payment.

Re-Speed.com

iTrader: (3)

Never use old races with new bearings. Bearings are manufacured as paired sets. They are to be used in paired sets.

-billy

zaridar

iTrader: (3)

I agree you are right. I wasnt clear but when i did it i reused the old bearings too because they seemed good but i should have just replaced them while i had it all apart.... i know that now... i didnt know a whole lot when i did them... Still learning.... and im sure i always will be....

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

My first car, first 2 cars actually, were 57 Chevys. Had the whole bearings in the drum deal. Somehow I managed to install a new race backwards, bearing lasted almost a day before it ate 1/2 way through the spindle. Took the bearings back to Montgomery Wards, when they still had a full service parts department, and told them the bearing was bad, they gave me a new one.

The 2nd gens have separate hubs and rotors in the front.

jlc85rx7

This scares me..amature mechanics.

mazdaverx713b

iTrader: (91)

just people trying to learn..all of us were there at one point where we really didnt know a bypass air control valve from a switching solenoid valve to a dashpot... knowledge comes with time and experience on the vehicle.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Was I mechanical newb back then, of course. I was in high school and that was 40 years ago. Back then, learning mechanics was OJT, very few books, some magazines, no FSMs or internet. You younger guys have no idea how much easier it is now days with the information age and it's collective experience just a keystroke away. Be thankful we aren't on the clock and you're not footing the bill.

jlc85rx7

Good points,i agree,i guess i was there too at one point.It was alot harder back in the day without computers.