Removing Rear Rotors

[jerseygeorge]

I am doing front and rear rotors, pads, calipers on my 2012 4Runner. Not my specialty, but the dealer wanted over $1500... so here I go.

Besides rusted and frozen parts, it looks like one of the more difficult parts is removing the rear rotor because of the emergency brake. I did see videos of putting the rotor holes in the 6 and 12 o'clock position and using a slotted screwdriver to "adjust the emergency brakes" out of the way.

Just wondering how big a "PIA":der: this is, and if anyone has any tips....

TY.

 

[flyrv9]

I had an independent shop do a complete brake job and fluid flush and replacement on my 2000 Tundra (which had rear caliper brakes and front disks). It was about 4 months ago and was $900. Maybe check in your area to see if you can do better on price by finding a reputable shop.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

I am doing front and rear rotors, pads, calipers on my 2012 4Runner. Not my specialty, but the dealer wanted over $1500... so here I go.

Besides rusted and frozen parts, it looks like one of the more difficult parts is removing the rear rotor because of the emergency brake. I did see videos of putting the rotor holes in the 6 and 12 o'clock position and using a slotted screwdriver to "adjust the emergency brakes" out of the way.

Just wondering how big a "PIA":der: this is, and if anyone has any tips....

TY.

I’ve done it and it is not difficult at all. Then again, on Saturday I will be finishing a clutch replacement on my 2005 Honda Accord and this year I rebuilt and replaced the transfer case on my ‘94 K2500 Suburban and pulled the transfer case and replaced the seals on my wife’s 2014 SR5. So relatively speaking, the rear brakes on the 4Runner are easy. I do not recall having to adjust the parking brake shoes to get them off, but if you need to do that, it is easy. You just use a flat blade screw driver to back off the adjusting wheel.

 

[Dynamo]

I've replaced my rear rotors and didn't have any issues or have to adjust the parking brake. It was a snug fit but they pulled off and installed with just the brake released.

My parking brake needs to be adjusted a little to firm it up so that might've contributed to the job being on the easier side.

 

[jerseygeorge]

I had an independent shop do a complete brake job and fluid flush and replacement on my 2000 Tundra (which had rear caliper brakes and front disks). It was about 4 months ago and was $900. Maybe check in your area to see if you can do better on price by finding a reputable shop.

I already purchased the Powerstop brakes, front and rear, plus front calipers. I tow a boat that is around 4,000 pounds and a small Winnebago at about 4500 pounds. A friend recommended a local shop that will install for me, but I think I will give it a shot first. Typically I hit a wall with a frozen bolt that neither heat nor PB Blaster will loosen.. Will see how it goes this time.

 

[nglayton]

I've done it. It was easy and didn't require anything special.

And who uses the parking brake? (I'm sure there are some) But I can't remember that last time I got in any car that had the P brake set.

 

[jerseygeorge]

I've done it. It was easy and didn't require anything special.

And who uses the parking brake? (I'm sure there are some) But I can't remember that last time I got in any car that had the P brake set.

I did not use a parking brake for ... about 30 years. Then I bought a 20' center console that I store on a trailer and dunk in the water when I want to go fishing. Trust me, I set the parking brake every single time on the ramp. I have seen enough boat ramp videos...

 

[CutthroatSlam]

I did not use a parking brake for ... about 30 years. Then I bought a 20' center console that I store on a trailer and dunk in the water when I want to go fishing. Trust me, I set the parking brake every single time on the ramp. I have seen enough boat ramp videos...

I was the same on automatics; don’t have much choice with a manual. Now I’m using the parking brake almost all the time. Ironically, my 42 year old step son ingrained that on me. They say it saves wear on the parking pawl in the transmission.

 

[patkelly4370]

I've always used the parking brake.
With an automatic transmission, in park, the entire sitting vehicle is held in place by a ¼" tab of metal in a groove inside the transmission.


Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[WUKILLABEEZ78]

I've always used the parking brake.
With an automatic transmission, in park, the entire sitting vehicle is held in place by a ¼" tab of metal in a groove inside the transmission.


Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Exactly... I always engage the parking brake before putting the vehicle into park.

 

[Jfriday1]

If you lift both rear wheels off the ground, then you can dial down the star bit for the parking brake and it makes it easier to listen as you turn the hub to adjust the parking brake back into postion after the install.

Just like drum brakes on a tacoma.

 

[AuSeeker]

Sometimes the rear brake drum/disk can be rusted to the axle flange, the drum/disk has 2 thread holes on the flange area of the drum so you can use 2 bolts to help pull the drum/disk off....tap a few times with a hammer and if needed run the 2 bolts in the holes and tap some more, rinse and repeat until you get the drum/disk broke free from the rust, I don't remember the bolt size, maybe someone else will chime in with the size.

BUT whatever you do...make sure you back off the parking brake shoes via the hole and using the screwdriver, if you don't and they hang up pulling the disk and it will damage the parking shoes mounting hardware and you will have to replace that hardware, which isn't fun because the axle flange is in the way and make it rather difficult!!

 

[flyrv9]

Lots of folks are not parking brake people. The automatic transmission pretty much eliminated the need for a PB. I exercise mine occasionally to keep it from freezing up - and I just might need it sometime. In my old Nissan 5speed I use the PB often. Also anti seize helps with bolts that are prone to corrosion or rust - it doesn't take much!

 

[Captain Spalding]

Sometimes the rear brake drum/disk can be rusted to the axle flange, the drum/disk has 2 thread holes on the flange area of the drum so you can use 2 bolts to help pull the drum/disk off....tap a few times with a hammer and if needed run the 2 bolts in the holes and tap some more, rinse and repeat until you get the drum/disk broke free from the rust,

This^^^

In this movie, at 4:09, the threaded hole is used to remove the rear rotor. Sadly he doesn’t know the size of the bolt either. In a similar video (which I can’t find now) the guy removes another bolt from the vehicle and uses it. Maybe a bolt that secures the brake line bracket?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=5a7hYkDhQNZRWkcb&v=Z3HCUe7QP18&feature=youtu.be

 

[CutthroatSlam]

This^^^

In this movie, at 4:09, the threaded hole is used to remove the rear rotor. Sadly he doesn’t know the size of the bolt either. In a similar video (which I can’t find now) the guy removes another bolt from the vehicle and uses it. Maybe a bolt that secures the brake line bracket?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=5a7hYkDhQNZRWkcb&v=Z3HCUe7QP18&feature=youtu.be

How did he manage to undo the retention spring on the parking brake?

 

[AuSeeker]

Sometimes the rear brake drum/disk can be rusted to the axle flange, the drum/disk has 2 thread holes on the flange area of the drum so you can use 2 bolts to help pull the drum/disk off....tap a few times with a hammer and if needed run the 2 bolts in the holes and tap some more, rinse and repeat until you get the drum/disk broke free from the rust, I don't remember the bolt size, maybe someone else will chime in with the size.

BUT whatever you do...make sure you back off the parking brake shoes via the hole and using the screwdriver, if you don't and they hang up pulling the disk and it will damage the parking shoes mounting hardware and you will have to replace that hardware, which isn't fun because the axle flange is in the way and make it rather difficult!!

This^^^

In this movie, at 4:09, the threaded hole is used to remove the rear rotor. Sadly he doesn’t know the size of the bolt either. In a similar video (which I can’t find now) the guy removes another bolt from the vehicle and uses it. Maybe a bolt that secures the brake line bracket?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=5a7hYkDhQNZRWkcb&v=Z3HCUe7QP18&feature=youtu.be

The video posted shows exactly what happens when you don't back off the parking brake shoes as I mentioned in my previous post, the issue the guy has is he correctly used the bolts to help pull off the drum/rotor....BUT by not backing off the parking brake shoes he had a hard time getting it off, if the shoes were backed off properly once any rust between the drum/rotor is broken free the drum/rotor should come off relatively easy...but if you noticed in the video he had to keep using the bolts until it let loose of the parking brake shoes....when he says the spring retainer that secures the shoe came loose and was rubbing the back of the lugs....the retainer wasn't loose....what happened was by him forcing the drum/rotor off without backing off the parking brake shoes it pulled the brake shoe so hard it "straightened" the "pin" he showed (he claims it's the wrong pin, which it isn't) allowing the spring to push the spring retainer out far enough to rub against the back of the lugs/rotor.

So basically he created more work for himself that wasn't necessary because he failed to back off the shoes, I noticed he didn't show the pain in the butt it was to correct his mistake, it would of been nice if he had showed how difficult it is to replace that pin/spring and retainer with that axle flange in the way, it would stress how important it is to back off those shoes!!

I really don't think he was even aware that he caused that problem and needed to back off the shoes before removing the drum/rotor since he blamed it on the pin being the incorrect part!!

 

[gomiami]

Lots of folks are not parking brake people. The automatic transmission pretty much eliminated the need for a PB. I exercise mine occasionally to keep it from freezing up - and I just might need it sometime. In my old Nissan 5speed I use the PB often. Also anti seize helps with bolts that are prone to corrosion or rust - it doesn't take much!

Driving a manual for the past (almost) 24 years, I can't remember the last time I didn't use the parking brake.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Driving a manual for the past (almost) 24 years, I can't remember the last time I didn't use the parking brake.

61 years young and I’ve owned manual transmission cars all my life. People ask how I do that in LA traffic? The answer is I don’t even think about it. Manuals are much funner to drive and they keep you engaged in the driving process as it’s not simply step and go.

 

[<<<<]

Super easy job, jerseygeorge. Just make sure your parking brake is off. Use m8 (I believe) bolt to separate rotor from hub. Use brake cleaner to clean parking brake parts inside the drum. G.L.

 

[jerseygeorge]

Thanks friends. The job went pretty well. New front calipers, 4 rotors, all new pads. No major issues at all. The rear rotor parking brake is tricky to figure out. Difficult to stick a screwdriver in the hole and figure out how much you really turned it. Upon reassembly I did not tighten the brakes up enough and had no emergency brake. So off came tires and caliper. That was best way I found to turn the wheel and "feel the parking brake pads" as you adjusted. But the whole job went well, and I save a ton over the dealer.

JG