3.3TT Changing out brake rotors

David Truax

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Did a quick search, but didn't really see what I was looking for. I was wondering if anyone had a step by step on changing out the brake rotors. Just want to get a little info before I dive into it myself.... lol
 
Remove wheels
Remove pads
Unbolt calipers (hang them with some wire, don't let dangle on the brake hoses)
Undo rotor retension phillips screws. Careful - they're often stuck and easy to strip the heads. Get a hammer impact screwdriver (the big tube thing that you smack with a hammer). I had to drill out one.
Remove rotor.
Reverse.

compress the caliper pistons at some point. I put a *thin* layer of anti-sieze between the rotor and hub to help future removal, and a dab on the rotor screws.
Caliper bolt torque is Pretty High - 80ish ftlbs is generally good.

Note that using the hammer impact screwdriver is counter-intuitive. You twist the handle the way you want the screw to turn, apply turning pressure, then smack the back with a hammer. The hammer forces the body forward, along twisted grooves inside the body, which forces the nose to turn. If you just hold it there and hit it, it doesn't do anything. Applying the twist is the important bit.
 
I'm gonna be doing another brake job (g-loc pads didn't turn out to be what I wanted) and I'll be pulling the rotors to have them turned. I'll make another video showing how to remove both front and rear rotors. Hopefully it will help.
 
I'm gonna be doing another brake job (g-loc pads didn't turn out to be what I wanted) and I'll be pulling the rotors to have them turned. I'll make another video showing how to remove both front and rear rotors. Hopefully it will help.
which pads are you going with?
 
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
Hawk HP+ on both front and rear!
 
awesome. what didn't you like about the g-loc's?

Not enough initial bite at low speeds. They were very noisy (though I didn't grease the contacts, I hardly ever do on brake jobs). They also had a lot of judder at very low speeds.

That being said, they did feel strong and gave a nice firm pedal. Also, no pulsating.

In the end I figured if I was gonna have a noisy pad, I may as well have a compound that could be used in autocross or the track as well. I was using their 'street only' compound.
 
Yeah, those rotor screws are a pain - I stripped one using an impact driver trying to remove it (Edit: snapped my 20+ year old non-impact phillips socket in the process, had to drill out the screw). Ordered the stainless replacement off ebay, well worth it.

I was a little sad to learn that we could not change rotors without removing the caliper.. This is my first set of Brembos - I had a hacked-together BBK on my Subaru - Wilwood calipers + a bracket to let them fit - and with that setup, there was enough room to wiggle out the rotors without removing the calipers. Naively, I thought Brembos would work this way too.. Alas..

I have a little step-stool that is about a foot high, and fits just right into the wheel well so I can rest the caliper on it when swapping. Also got a punch and plastic/metal mallet to make it easier / less destructive to hammer the caliper pins out..

Edit: clarified what actually happened..
 
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Yeah, those rotor screws are a pain - I stripped one using an impact driver trying to remove it (broke the head right off). Ordered the stainless replacement off ebay, well worth it.


You really don't even need those screws. All my previous cars I removed them after swapping rotors.
 
______________________________
From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
Recently I have taken on the challenge of replacing the front/back rotors+pads, since pads have been near 4/5mm thickness and rear rotors were still stock (54000 miles).

In general I would rate this job very beginner friendly, as I have never even took of the wheel of the car ever and it was pretty easy to do/follow.

Tools required:
21mm socket for the wheels
17mm socket for the Caliper bolts
Philips screwdriver size 2 or 3
Stock lift device from the spare wheel
Backup lift device (just to be sure)
Set of brushes
Torque wrench

Material:
Front Rotors x2
Front pads
Rear Rotors x2
Rear pads
Antiseize paste
Break pads "quiet" paste
Brake clean solutions

Time required: aprox. 6 hours in total, including inner wheel and caliper cleaning

Process:
1.Lifting up the car
To lift the car I have used factory "scissors jack" on the pinch weld and next to it I have positioned "wheeled" jack as a backup. The pinch weld is not that big and it will be tight, but it is doable.
2. Take the wheel off (21mm socket)
Make sure to be careful and not to scratch the kia badge cover/wheel. On top of the "KIA" emblem there is a slot at the end of the "star" where you can put int flat screwdriver and pop the covers off. Front wheels fell of by themself. Rear wheels have been stuck on the assembly, but couple gentle kicks and they were off
3. Take the brake pads off
First you need to push back the pistons . I have used just the force on the pads. It was not easy, but after diligent wiggleing the piston went back and the pad could be removed.
4. Clean of the caliper
6. Unbolt the brake line bracket (Front wheels only)
5. Remove the 17mm bolts (x2) from the rear of the caliper
They are torqued at 90nm.
6. Set the caliper aside
Make sure you do not drop the caliper or kink the brake lines. I have used a small paper box under the wheel where I have set the caliper on.
7. Make sure your parking brake is off (rear only)
7.5 remove the Philips head screws
1 of the 4 seized in .. so I had to drill it out. No big problem. The main purpose of the screws is during assembly, so that they will not fall out while the wheel is not yet on the hub.
8. Remove the rotor
Front was easy and it fell of easily. Back rotors were welded shut. The best way I have found is to reuse the holes in which the 17mm bolts were in. Put a M10 bolt thru it, thread and nut between the assembly and the rotor and when you would screw it in, the bolt will "push out" the rotor. I was struggling for a day to remove the back rotor via hammering and rust removal products ... but this method popped out the rotor in about 5 minutes of total work. Amazing
9. Clean the hub assembly
10. Apply anti seize on the hub where rotor sits
11. Reinstall the rubber cover on the Rear rotors
There is rubber plug on the rear rotors to allow access to the E-brake ... reinstall from the old one

And from now on we go in reverse. Take care which rotor goes on which side (you will know based on the screw holes for philips screws) and also brake pads orientation matter. use your stock pads as a reference. Also brake pads comes with a "shields" or whatever ... those are not for show and needs to be installed too ... just check the manual or get a look on the stock pads to see how the things go together.

Pretty easy and straightforward job, where my main concern was not to drop the car from the jack.
Dealer has done the front brakes in the past around 40 000 miles (rotors+pads OEM) for about 1200, so I assume the rears would be the same ..... so I have saved about 1900 bucks on the work :) ( I have managed to get the Rotors + pads for +- 600, Brembo parts EU spec)

After +- 300 miles and bedding, they feel great.
 
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They have all covered it.

There are videos on Youtube

Google "Change Stinger Brake pads"

I would offer just one suggestion

When it comes to taking off the rotors. If they are stuck, get a rubber mallet and hit the rotor IN towards the hub not out from the car......

As you hit one side IN the other side will pop away from the hub and rotor should basically fall off.

Saves using wheel pullers and clamps and bolts to force it off.
 
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