DIY Rotors and Brake Lines
 

This DIY will cover the installation of front and rear rotors as well as brake lines.

Special tools used:
Impact screwdriver - $10 from your local auto parts store
10mm Flared nut wrench - $5 from your local auto parts store
Attachment 200322

New parts:
Generic zinc plated and slotted rotors - $150 from various vendors
Challenge Stainless steel brake lines - $110 from various vendors
Attachment 200323

Torque numbers from the manual:
Attachment 200324
Attachment 200325

Step 1:

Loosen your lug nuts and put the car on jack stands then remove your wheels. You should see this:
Attachment 200326

Step 2:

Press the impact screwdriver firmly in the Philips head screw. Ensure the bit is lined up perfectly then smite the driver like Oden smites a Frost Giant. Repeat for the other screw. If the screws are not budging give them a blast with some penetrating oil.
Attachment 200327

Now that the rotor screws are out you should see this.
Attachment 200328

Step 3:

Next loosen the flared nut from the brake hard line to the brake line. Use a 10mm flared nut wrench. When re-installing this is torqued to 11lbs-ft
Attachment 200329

Don't remove the hard line yet.
Attachment 200330

Step 4:

Remove the brake line clip that holds the soft line in place. Just grab the edge with your pliers and yank from side to side until it comes off.
Attachment 200331

Step 5:

Now that the clip is removed you can pull the hard and soft lines apart. I put the end of the hard line into a nylon tube so that and remaining fluids drain into a container.
Attachment 200332

Step 6:

Now its time to remove the brake pads so loosen the bottom caliper pin so that you can rotate up the caliper and remove the pads.
The caliper pin is 12mm
Attachment 200333

Rotate the caliper up and remove the pads. They should pull right out, wiggle them if they are getting stuck.
Attachment 200334

Step 7:

Next, remove the brake line mounting bolt. The bolt is 12mm

Attachment 200335

Step 8:

Now comes the muscle part. The caliper bracket mounting bolts are torqued at 79lbs-ft. I'd recommend a 6 point socket or box end wrench. Use a breaker bar or hit it with a hammer. The bolts are 17mm and are on tight.
Attachment 200336
Attachment 200337

Step 9:

The caliper can now be removed from the hub and clear the rotor. So remove it and put it on the ground.
Attachment 200338

Step 10:

Remove the brake line from the caliper. The bolt is 12mm. Have a rag ready in case any fluid leaks out
Attachment 200339

Wipe the area clean and dry once the line is removed.
Attachment 200340

Step 11:

Give the rotor a Bruce Lee palm strike to knock it loose.
Attachment 200341

Wiggle the rotor until it comes off.
Attachment 200342


Step 12:

Connect your new brake line to the hard line. I recommend pushing the new brake line up and threading the hard line with your finger to make sure you are threading it correctly.
Attachment 200343

Now use your flared wrench and a 17mm wrench to tighten the brake lines to what you think 11lbs-ft is
Attachment 200344

Step 13:

Re-install the brake line clip
Attachment 200345

I tapped it with a flat head screwdriver and hammer to seat it fully
Attachment 200346

Step 14:

Hold the caliper against the hub and start threading the two 17mm bolts. Evenly torque the two nuts down to 79lbs-ft
Attachment 200317

Step 15:

Use a clamp to push back the piston in the caliper allowing it to clear the new rotors and put your pads back in.
Attachment 200318

Step 16:

Insert the new bolt and washer on the new brake line then thread the bolt into the caliper. The new bolt was 14mm and torqued to 25lbs-ft
Attachment 200319

Step 17:

Re-install the 10mm bolt from the brake line mounting tab. The torque is 7lbs-ft
Attachment 200320

Step 18:

Re-install the 12mm caliper bolt. Make sure you stuck your pads in already. Torque is 24lbs-ft
Attachment 200321

On to the rears:
https://i.imgur.com/MByzCl.png

Step 1
Wheels off parking brake off and on jack stands again line up the impact driver and whack the rotor screws free.
Attachment 200298

Step 2
Break loose the nut on the hard brake line
Attachment 200299

Step 3
Remove the clip holding the soft line to the body. Put the end of the hard line into a nylon tubing so it doesn't drip on you.
Attachment 200300

Step 4
Remove the top caliper bolt pull down the caliper and remove the pads. Close the caliper and insert the bolt back in
Attachment 200301

Step 5
Remove the parking brake cover, two 10 mm bolts, then remove the two 10mm brake line mounting bolts
Attachment 200302
Attachment 200303

Step 6
Remove the brake line from the caliper, 14mm bolt. Have a rag ready to catch any fluid and put the brake line on the ground.
Attachment 200304

Step 7
Remove the two 14mm caliper bracket bolts.
Attachment 200305
Attachment 200306

Step 8
Place the caliper on the lower control arm. Do not let it dangle by the parking brake line.
Attachment 200307

Step 9
Knock the old rotor loose and remove it
Attachment 200308
Attachment 200309

Step 10
Install your new rotor and install the rotor screws
Attachment 200310

Step 11
Re-install your caliper with the two 14mm nuts, torque each nut to 41lbf-ft

Step 12
Connect your new brake line to the hard line and thread it finger tight
Attachment 200311

Step 13
Torque the brake hard line nut to what you think is 11lbf-ft using your 10mm flared nut wrench
Attachment 200312

Step 14
Insert the brake line clip
Attachment 200313

Step 15
Position the new brake line on the caliper and tighten the 14mm bolt to 25lbf-ft
Attachment 200314
Attachment 200315


Step 16
Mount the brake line mounting tab to the caliper. Two 10mm bolts, 7lbf-ft. Re-install the parking brake cover
Attachment 200316

Thank you so much for this excellent DIY guide, Can you tell us about the flush and bleed procedure?

Thanks soo much. Can the mods please sticky this if not already done so, thanks :)

I'm going to be doing this later in the week. Awesome write-up! :thumbup:

Perfect write up. I just did my front rotors this weekend and can confirm the steps.

I do have a couple of tips:

1) I would recommend putting those pesky rotor retainer screws back in with the new rotors. I had initially not intended on putting them back in after getting them out but then I noticed that even with everything tightened down the rotor did slightly move when the brakes were applied. Because the lug nut bolts holes in the rotor are slightly oversized, the rotor is allowed to rotate on the hub every so slightly (yes, even with the wheel installed). I personally didn't like that, so I put some anti sieze compound on the screw and put them back in, and it completely eliminated any rotor movement.

2) Ideally, you want to put new brake pads in with new rotors, but it isn't absolutely necessary. Just don't forget to take it easy the first few hundred miles with your old pads / new rotors. The old pads are broken into the old rotors, so you'll need to give the old pads some time to seat themselves onto the new rotors. Until they fully seat, your braking performance will be slightly degraded.

3) Once you put everything back together, your brakes might feel spongy / light. Just pump the brake pedal a few times to get the pads to seat back up against the rotors and get the fluid to stabilize in the lines. Check your brake fluid level after this and add fluid as necessary.

4) Because I'm OCD, I sprayed my new calipers with rustoleum. I hate rust, hate it. I sprayed the inside of the hub area and the outside of the hub area, and the outer diameter of the rotors. I didn't worry about overspray as it will wear off in time, and it provides me a sort of "wear marker" to tell me when the rotors / pads are seated.

And counter-point. I hate these things and make a point to remove them from every car I own. They do virtually nothing, other than hold the rotor in place while you bolt everything up. If the rotor is moving while you have the wheels on and torqued down, you have bigger problems. In other words, they are not needed whatsoever. Avoid future frustration and just leave them out.

Also, for step 15, pushing the front caliper piston back into the caliper... Tip: use the old brake pads against the piston. This will prevent any marring of the piston that could happen with the c-clamp.

Finally, for the rear calipers, there's no mention of how to push the piston back in. The best way is to have the brake piston tool, but if you don't have it... a 3/8 ratchet will work. Just leave the socket off, stick the end into the grooves in the piston, and twist it back in.

Great write-up and pictures. Surprised someone hasn't done this before (or has, but it's hiding). Hopefully the photos can be hosted somewhere that won't disappear after 8 months :)

sticky this thread please...

This write up is so helpful. I was just about to do this myself so it couldn't have come at a better time. Thank you so much for taking the time to do all of this.