Take them and everything related to them off and soak them in some WD-40, then reinstall them coated with grease. I just wasted the entire day in RX7 hell trying to put my new rotors and brake lines on. The rear passenger caliper bolt head snapped, and the other bolt rounded. I ended up hack sawing a good caliper in 2 so that I could drill the remains out. Here the part that was frozen/rusted, wasn't even the threaded portion. To top things off that damn drivers side rotor refused to come free after an hour of beating, so I ended up taking the whole assembly off, and i'll l press it out at work monday. Why do we put up with these cars???!!!!!

PS: I also rounded almost every pipe fitting on the brake lines

 

I know how you feel. I started a brake job earlier this week, but the screws that hold the rotor on aren't budging. I tried everything - PB blaster, impact driver, yelling at it, etc. I wanted to avoid having to drill the screw head off, but that's what I'm going to have to do.

We do it because we love them.

 

Damn I almost forgot about those screws. I think I broke my wrists freeing them up with the screwdriver. Yeah I guess it is love

 

Drill the screws out as they aren't needed. They are used during assembly at the factory. Also remember heat is your friend even on brake connections. Heat them up and then hit them with cold water. Heat again and use a brakeline wrench so you don't round the fittings off.

 

brake rotors are BITCHES!!!

I ended up with a junk rotor litteraly exploded because of heating/beating the **** outta them

needed to go to the machine shop to press them out of the hub.
My mechanic told me it was because of a DAMN STUPID combination of 2 different metals...

have fun
l-p

 

Damn straight, that ****'s on there good. Find my thread on caiper nightmares. This crap will oxydize together, basically welded together where the bolt goes through the aluminum hub to the caliper. I snapped 6 of the screws and am still trying to drill the rears out!! Never in all my life have I had such a hard time getting screws out!!...later

 

The easiest way to deal with the rotor retaining screws is:

Buy a 1/4" LEFT handed drill bit. Start drilling the head out, 90% of the time the offending bolt will back out due to the vibration, before you drill thru the head

 

I love expert advice. I'll make sure to try that when I finally finish the job this week.

 

hmm, that sounds easy enough. I just drilled a hole in the head, and then used an easy out, smae principle though...later

 

NEVER USE WD-40 OR ANY OTHER PETROLIUM BASED LIQUID ON BRAKE PARTS unless the manufacturer says it's OK to do so. WD-40 and similar products will attack the rubber seals (the piston seal, the guide pin seal, etc.) and deteriorate them. If you are planning to replace all this stuff, then go ahead and do it. But if you plan on reusuing, be very careful where you spray.

Also, WD-40 sucks. Get a real penetrating lube like PB Blaster.

If you are worried about stuck bolts, remove them and use anti-seize compound. While you are the, lube up the guide pins and caliper mount bolt (for single piston) with proper silicone based brake lube and replace the rubber sleeve.

 

i'll have to try that, pretty sure i stripped out the screws, last thing i remember is kicking my car and going in the house, that was few months ago.

 

Damn, I had no trouble replacing my brakes by myself.

 

i had no problems replacing the brake pads either. its so damn easy, its just one bolt, well for single piston brakes anyways.

compress the piston into its bore using a big *** channel lock and a socket, take off the bottom bolt, swing up the brake assembly, take out brake pads, swing brake assembly back down, replace bolt.

 

When you put the new ones on....

Anti Sieze lube

James

 

Make sure if you're gonna drill with a leftie that you get yourself a carbide bit. Tried it with a regular but on a broken bolt that holds on my coolent gooseneck.... Just made a mess of things and din't go too far in the bolt at all. Carbide, although expensive, goes through everything.

 

anti-sieze on installation EVERY TIME, PB blaster and heat.. and dnot put the retainers for the rotors back in. all their for is to keep the rotor lined up while you put the tire on, after the tire is on it holds the rotor in place.