im only doing a simple brake job, and i cant figure out how to get the rotor off so i can take it off and get it turned. do i need to remove the hubs? if so... the hubs are the automatic ones that have the 3 torx screws holding on the cover, i took that off and i dont know what else needs to come off and from where... please help

-John

 

If I were to go through with pulling the rotors, I would just go with new, as a turned rotor is more likely to warp.
That said, take off the lockout, and inside there should be two snap rings. The small one on the axle shaft is pretty straightforward, but the large one inside the hub is a pain. It probably is hidden under grease and crap, so take your can of Brakleen and soak it down pretty good. Dig around the inside the hub with a small screwdriver to find the end of the ring, and pry it out. This will take several attempts. Then, take the screws from the lockout, thread them back into their holes, and give a pull. The splined part of the hub should come out with moderate force. This will expose the nuts that hold the bearings in. The socket needed will depend on the year of your truck. After removing the outer locknut, pull out the washer, and remove the second nut. Pull off the hub assembly and rotor, CAREFULLY drive out the lugs, and your rotor is free!

Jared

 

well with my newly acquired knowledge... im just gonna change the pads thanks a ton for the info

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Oct-02 AT 04:00 PM (EST)]I really hope your pads were not too worn down. I did the same thing for my first 'shadetree' brake job on my 96. My front pads were not that worn down, but after putting on the new pads without turning the rotors led to some problems later on. A few months down the road I noticed that when I would brake, my steering wheel would shake and vibrate side to side when braking from high speeds. It got worse to the point where it seems my whole front end was vibrating when I braked. I already knew what the problem was and took it in to get my rotors turned, problem fixed. But the problem returned slightly becasue my pads had worn unevenly. The problem finally went away completely after getting a complete brake job. Some people do experience these problems but others don't. Just be warned. When it comes to my Brake System now on my Bronco, I just let a Dealership do it. I sure as heck don't want any surprises when I have to brake suddenly on the road, especially if I have kids or my spouse with me.

I have never heard of a rotor warping when being turned unless the shop does it incorrectly. I have heard of replacing rotors that have been warn down too thin from warn pads or being turned over the years from Brake Jobs. Most shops will measure your rotor thickness and let you know if your rotor can be turned successfully or you need to replace it.

Good Luck on your Brakes!

 

How much did the shop charge just to get your rotors turned? Usually I am the one to say "do everything youself", but after looking at the auto-locking hub assembly and based off of the time it would take me (time I don't have i might add) i'm afraid I might have to get hem done. With my luck my 4 wheel drive wouldn't work when I got done with it. I just was wondering about how much their going to rip me off. Thanks.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Oct-02 AT 08:02 PM (EST)]Pioneer Ford - After my Bronco was shaking I took my Bronco to a shop where the owner was a good friend of the family ( Quik Car ). He charged me about $80 bucks to turn my front rotors and he was aware of the auto hubs in the front. He had worked with them before since he had quite a few Bronco's come in. When I got my Complete 4 wheel brake job at the Ford Dealership where they turned the rotors on the front again. The cost of the front axle, which included replacing the pads, turning the rotors and packing the bearings was $186. I know that sounds expensive, but I had the money and I wanted to peace of mind it would be done right. Especially since I have Auto Hubs in the front at this time. I will do anything myself if I can on my Bronco, but stuff like that I would just rather take into the shop. I also have a busy workweek , so its hard to find the time.

Hope this helps!

I too looked at taking my rotors off myself and taking them in untill i saw what all it entailed with the auto hubs in front and I just :-staun and said "forget that...I will just take it in."

 

Thanks. That's actually not quite as much as I was expecting. You're absolutely right though...that area is vital to safety so you can't take any chances. I'll look into it. Thanks again.

 

Yah i just did my ball joints for the first time with auto hubs on my 88. I actually wasnt too hard, my ball joints were orignal from 88 and had 166k miles on them. Now that i understand how to do the brakes its really no big deal except how to you get the rotor off of the hub it self? i assume you either bang or press them out i'm not sure though.

 

Some places can turn the rotors ON the vehicle, but if you want to pull them (to repack the EMPTY-FROM-THE-FACORY wheel bearings), I can send you a link to another BBS if you e-mail me.

Trucks with the 3-screw covers DON'T have the second snap-ring on the outside - it's behind the lock bodies. You have to pull the outer ring from the tiny groove between the hub & the lock body (that's the hardest part) and the lock just pulls out. Then you remove a flat C-clip & 3 washers, then use a hammer & punch to loosen the big locknut. It'll spin by hand after that. Then the whole hub/bearing/rotor assy. comes off & you'll see that your bearings are almost dry. You have to remove the tone ring before you can drive out the lug studs & get the rotor off, and the easiest way is to drop a LARGE bolt (like 1") into the inner wheel bearing for the center of a 3-jaw puller to press against. You have to replace the inner wheel bearing seal anyway, so don't worry about damaging it. (It's NAPA 25050 $22 with the rubber seal protector included.) When you put it back together, do yourself a BIG favor & convert to manual hub locks. You have to buy a set of locknuts, too, but each side only costs $11 from JBG. Any good manual hub locks will do - I run MileMarkers ($55), but many people like Warn premiums ($65). Some manuals say to replace the tone ring any time you pull it off, but if you're careful, you can just tap it back on. That's what I've done on the 3 trucks I've done and they have no problems.