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Replacing the brake disc, also called a rotor, on a front wheel drive car is a fairly easy task for a car owner.
First, raise the wheels of the car and support with jack stands for safety. Do not work on the car while it is only on a jack. Remove the wheel. Now, to replace
a brake disc, the brake caliper must be removed. Locate the caliper attaching bolts, screws or clips that hold the caliper in place and remove them.
Next, remove the caliper by lifting straight out from the center of the wheel. The caliper should be lifted evenly and not one end before the other. It may be
necessary to slightly spread the brake pads for easy removal. This can be done by using a pry bar to gently pry the caliper assembly outward. Support the caliper
by tying it up with a rope or wire. Do not allow it to hang by the brake hose.
After caliper removal, the brake disc is ready to be removed. Many front wheel drive cars are equipped with a brake disc that simply slides off of the lug bolts. Some
discs are held on by two or three screws. A few automobiles require a little more work. The nut of the drive axle may need to be removed and three or four bolts that
hold the disc / hub assembly in place from the inside will need to be removed. Then the assembly can be separated to remove the disc. On most rear wheel drive vehicles,
the front wheel assembly is held in place by the wheel bearings. These bearings must be removed to remove the disc from the hub assembly.
Reinstalling the new disc will be in the reverse of disassembly. Wheel bearings will need to be cleaned and repacked if removed. Take care to reinstall the brake
pads correctly. New brake pads are recommended when replacing the disc. Check brake fluid level in the master cylinder and test the brakes thoroughly before driving.
