I am replacing my front rotors for the first time and putting on my second set of front pads. However, I cannot budge the two 19mm (3/4") bolts on either caliper to remove them. They do not turn at all. I even tried hitting the wrench handle with a large hammer. Still FAIL. Any tricks. Also, 3 out of the 4 little screws holding the rotors on stripped out. I was able to use a screw extractor on one (i broke three grabit screw extractors)... no success on the other 2. Do i just drill them out? Also, I cannot find the link for the rotor replacement just in case I do not miss something. -CHRIS-

2008 TL type S

 

The retaining screws: Drill them out. You don't need them; they serve no mechanical function.


As far as the Caliper bolts, I thought they were 17mm (Service Manual says 14mm).

Regardless, make sure you're removing the correct bolts and not the ones that hold the caliper together. You can check the SM page here (pg 18-12, step 4): https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-tires-wheels-suspension-97/front-rear-brake-disc-rotor-knuckle-hub-front-wheel-brg-repl-3g-garage-d-085-a-592538/


Those bolts torque to 125 lb-ft which is quite a bit. Once you're sure you've got the right bolt some PB Blaster/Liquid Wrench might help. Then a good breaker bar. Either a 20", like this:





Or, if that doesn't work, get a bit of pre-cut Black Iron Pipe at Lowes and put that over the breaker bar.




Make sure the car is secure and on Jack Stands. You can put the tires under the side skirts for "just in case".

 

they are 19mm bolts. I got the passenger side off. I cannot get any leverage on the black iron pipe to take the driver's side off. I guess i will spray them and see if the loosen up a bit. At least i know they were not reversed threaded or something else weird. About the little rotor screws... i have also heard before that you do not need them, however what keeps the rotor in proper alignment when you rotate tires etc.??? seems like you need them.

 

No. The wheel/wheel lugs hold the hub/rotor in place. Those screws are so during assembly the rotor stays in place until the wheels are on. They serve no mechanical purpose. Almost everyone who has changed rotors has had to drill out one or more of them.


If you've ever had your calipers off those bracket bolts could be cross-threaded. The caliper is aluminum and those threads have been known to strip or cross-thread pretty easily.

I've found when replacing the caliper you need to 1.) be very careful to make sure the hole & bracket are aligned just right and 2.) start the bolt by hand making sure it doesn't cross-thread.

 

calipers have never been off.

sorry to beat a dead horse... so the brake pads hold the rotor in alignment when the tires are rotated?? I know that the wheel & lugs will keeps the rotor in position, however when you take the tire off the rotor would want to tilt.

 

No. The rotor is sandwiched between the hub and the wheel. The wheel nuts squeeze it all tight to make it perfect straight/true. That is all that keeps the rotor in place. The rotor actually locates the pads & caliper because the caliper is a "floating" type.

I've had to drill out those screws once. Plus some Toyotas I've worked on don't even have those damn screws. Makes it a PITA to get the caliper bracket back on because the rotor does not naturally want to stay put on the hub.

I remove the rotor screws by using a large phillips-head drill bit in a 1/4" socket on a 1/4" drive ratchet. This give much more torque. Plus you can push harder into the screw while applying said torque. Only on one rotor did that fail me. This was last year on an 2004 Pilot from Ohio.

BTW: To break loose stubborn bolts, I lust remove the jack handle from the jack and slip it over the ratchet. Then I get everything positioned so I can push or pull the pipe handle while supporting against the chassis of the car. Sometimes you can angle the pipe so you can just step on the far end of it too. BTW: These calipers are known to destroy their threads when removing the bolt after many many years. If this happens, you will be getting a replacement caliper.

PS: The manual says they are 14mm bolts because that is the size of the threads, not the head of the bolt.

 

Somebody's got to jump on the bandwagon, although it doesn't really matter, the Brembo's aren't floating calipers, but the small rotor screws aren't needed, but I always replace them, just personal choice. Makes life easier with pad replacement, especilly with the floating calipers, but as many have said, the wheel assembly will retain the rotors without the ned for the screws.

To get better leverage, turn the igniton on and crank the wheel left or right to get a better angle on the bolts.

 

Oh yeah my bad. I didn't realize he was talking about Brembos until the later part of my post.

 

I purchased a can of the PB Blaster.... worked like a charm. amazing stuff. I will finish the job in the morning.

 

Great idea.. the simple things are often forgotten.

 

That's a great idea to make a long breaker bar.

 

lol. I've used my jack handle on everything from an 18" breaker bar to a tiny 1/4" drive ratchet to some even smaller open-ended wrenches. Whatever works to get nuts & bolts loose...

 

Two things to keep in mind: PB Blaster is great stuff; it wicks into the threads to loosen the bond. Just remember to wash it all off with brake cleaner afterwards. You don't want any of it on the rotors or pads when the job's done. Also, I usually remove those little center screws by first soaking them in some PB Blaster and then using an impact driver on them. I don't mean an air powered driver; I mean the kind you can pick up in a home center or at Harbor Freight. It has interchangable tips, 3/8" or 1/2" drive, and loosens when struck with a 5-pound hammer. It's hand-held and about the diameter of a cucumber. Just ask in the tool department for a hand-held impact driver. (It's 425 or less; money well-spent) It comes in very handy with removing stubborn screws without destroying their heads. I also using on our boat's outdrive to remove the drain screws. Hy

 

This is an impact driver:

 

Holy Crap!!! Great idea, never thought of that. I had been using an old piece of fence posting until I got around to buying some pipe. Never thought to use the jack handle. Thanks for the idea!

 

My jack handle spends more time turning wrenches than it does holding cars up.

 

GOD BLESS THE IMPACT DRIVER LOOL..sometimes i just use it for fun

 

all I do is put the socket and wrench on and step on it 200lbs of me = bolt comes loose. I also cheat by turning the wheel to make the bolts more accessable.