Ok...sounds dumb BUT..I need to do it as they are shot and I refuse to have Nissan do it with their crap rotors.

Gonna get them at NAPA and attempt it myself. Someone I know is sort of a gear head but he is in Maine (I'm on the Cape). He preety much said to take the wheel off, the caliper and then the rotor. then reassemble in reverse order.

My question is..I can take the wheel off and the rotors seem pretty easy to do but how do you take the caliper off?

looks like there are clips rather than screws. I've also think I've seen someone here say that the calipers are "lift up" whatever that means.

If someone who has done this could let me know about how to do this I would much appreciate it

 

each, behind some really small rubber booties...
Remove them, caliper comes off...no more work needed

If your rotors have ben cut a few times you might have to work the pistons/pads into the calipers a bit before u can fit them over the new rotors..just loosen the caliper's bleed screw a bit and push the pads back a bit.

Also, you will want to remove the pads and sand them down a bit...use 220 grit sandpaper, place paper on a flat surface (dining table would be excelent, he he he) and sand the pads downa bit to remove the surface glazing, reinstall with a bit of disk brake quiet compound, done.

 

Once the calipers are off, how difficult is it to remove the rotors?

 

Maxes' rotors and Honda rotors -which I just did three weeks ago on my son's Prelude) and that's it. The screws will be visible the minute u pull off the wheel

 

Brakes are pretty important. If you're not a mechanic or at least have some mechanical skills, I wouldn't touch them. Have a shop do it, even if it's not a dealer shop. Do a thread search for the guy who swapped his brake lines, lost brake pressure while cruising, and almost died, then think really hard about whether you want to mess with it or not.

 

Once you have the wheel off, there will be 2 screws (top and bottom) on the closest to engine side of the caliper. Memorize how everything sits before you take the pads off, and than there will be 2 more bigger bolts(on top and on the bottom) that hold the bracket that holds the caliper and that suround and hold the rotor. Once those 2 are off and bracket comes off, the rotor will be free to take off.
Just did that saturday, since had to replace the stud.
Good luck.

 

Once the caliper is off, rotor comes off easy? I have heard that the rear is different from the front and requires a special tool.

 

As far as i know, the rear should be very similar, and the idea is the same.

 

Thanks guys! Doesn't sound all the difficult.....

I shouldn't be messing with any brake lines etc so I hoping I can't screw anything up to bad! Maybe I'll pick up a Chiltons to be safe

 

It is not necessary to loosen the caliper's bleed screw, you can just remove the cover ot the brakes oil container, also there is 2 big screw in the back of the rotor-caliper assembly, you have to loose them up so you can remove the caliper, if you cant have the piston go back and fit the pads dont forget to screw in the piston you just need to screw clock wise and the piston will get right back were it should and give you that extra space to put you new pads. Feel free to PM me if you need help.

Cheers

AA

 

Replacing disk brakes actually is one of the easiest repair tasks, but can become frustrating. The outlined steps from your friend is only a little helpful and leaves out the little things that make all the difference in being satisfied with the results. For instance... if changing rotors go ahead and change pads too. After all, if your rotors are so bad you feel the need to dump 'em the pads probably are too and just deglazing them won't help much. You'll be much happier with the results.

Many books describe the process for changing disk brakes and the pointers they give are generally universal so a Haynes or Chiltons manual even for a 3rd or 4th gen Max is a great resource to have "in hand". Breaking a rust-welded rotor from the axle flange can be scary to someone who's never done it before... it involves using some bolts through the caliper mounts to push the rotor off the flange while tapping the rotor hat with the 5 lb hammer.

One suggestion: put the front end on jack stands and remove both wheels, but work on one side at a time so you can use the other side as guide to correctly reassemble the side you're working on.

And lastly... how did you arrive at NAPA rotors as being such great ones? I'm not saying they aren't, but I am also considering which rotors I'll get if mine warp again... I've had 'em turned once and don't think it wise to do so again. I've read of a lot of people putting on Stillen cross-drilled rotors, but stories of XD rotors cracking have pretty much scared me away from them.

BuddyWh

 

I don't think anyone has mentioned to remove the cap on the brake master cylinder. When you're compressing the piston back in (with a c-clamp or big vice grips), you'll be exterting pressure on the brake master cylinder seal if the cap is on. You might have to drain out some fluid after the pads are in.

 

Maybe I can add something that appears to be left out:

Once the caliper and mount is removed...
The OEM rotors have two threaded holes in the face (by your wheel studs). If the rotor is rusted to the axle flange, insert the proper size bolt in these threaded holes and tighten gently until the rotor comes free.

I put on the Stillen XD rotors/Axxis pads this weekend and noticed the Stillen rotors don't have these threaded holes, so in this case, you'll use the other method mentioned (bolt in the caliper mount holes, tap with hammer).

I agree, change the pads while you're at it.

One last thing...I think Napa rotors are guaranteed for life against warping (not against wheel torqueing warp however). That would be the only incentive for buying them.

Buy the chiltons manual if you've never done this.

 

Is there a FACT of which corner to bleed first and order to the last corner? I have heard Pass Rear, Driver Rear, Pass Front, Driver Front....But also heard Pass Rear, Pass FRONT, Driver Read, Driver Front...

Which is correct on the Max? On my older cars, it was bled in the first manner....

 

I always do them RR/LF/LR/RF sequence... I think it has something to do with the diagonal nature of the redundancy and balancing.

BuddyWh

 

What do you think of the Stillen XD setup? Have you been happy with it so far? I am purchasing this soon and just wanted some real feed back.

 

Ahh yes... I recall those. Not on my Maxima, but on my old Integra... I tried to use them and completely mangled the bolts I was using before I gave up! Had to use the bolt in the caliper trick to push it off (and some penetrating oil between the rotor and the hub).

BuddyWh

 

The Stillen XD rotors are excellent so far. I suppose the real proof is in the longevity.

They come with a recommended break-in procedure, which completely makes sense when you read it. I've never seen any other rotors that offer this advice, but it should be applied to any new brakes.

I've actually got brakes now...my old rotors and pads were whipped. They grab really well. So far so good.

GR Racing hooked me up solid. Great customer service!

 

These guys are still not making it clear. When you get the caliper off, the rotor just slides off and the new one slides on.
They are held on by the lug nuts, and prevented from just slipping off by the caliper. The new rotors will be *slightly* thicker than the old ones, so the pads will have to be pressed back into the caliper a little bit to get the caliper on.

BTW, this would be a real good time to change your pads too. The pistons on the front caliper can be pressed in (c clamp or brake tool). the pistons on the rear calipers *screw in*. there are "multi" tools that fit 90% of pistons out there. Dont be afraid to twist and press *hard*.
You have to take the pads off to press the piston back into the caliper for front and back.

Once you do it once, you will always know how to do a cheap brake job. If I have to do anything more diffucult, I let a mechanic do it.

 

YUP I did.

Cheers

AA

 

I've always gone passenger rear, driver rear, pass front, driver front. Start from the corner furthest from the brake master cylinder and work up.

 

Go there... I know he have a 4th gen.... but he gives some good tips.... and he have a lot of pictures on how-to....

http://www.motorvate.ca/

Good luck...