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HOW TO REMOVE FRONT ROTORS

unbolt wheel

remove 2 bolts holding brake caliper and slide assembly off rotor

remove rotor retainer clips on lug studs, pull rotor off

Compress piston to replace pads

reinstall


This is basic info only, do a search for compleat instructions
 
Basically what he said..The same as 99.9% of all hub-less rotor designs on almost every vehicle out there. Done one, you done them all :love:
 
Maybe what is confusing you is the older GM trucks when you removed the caliper everything came off with it....pads etc. On the newer ones you have to remove the bracket that holds the caliper to get the rotor off.....
 
Z66 BUTCH said:
Maybe what is confusing you is the older GM trucks when you removed the caliper everything came off with it....pads etc. On the newer ones you have to remove the bracket that holds the caliper to get the rotor off.....
Click to expand...

I would think more likely is he missed the clips on the studs..If he removed the caliper the and clips, the rotor would be free and moving and only kept on by the bracket being in the way. Then it would be obvious it would have to come off to go any further. Just a guess though :D
 
Finally got them off
1-can of PB Blaster
1- sledge hammer
1-22oz hammer
lots of cussing.

they had 100,000 miles on them and were welded (rusted) on pretty good

talked to my mechanic. when  he replaced mine the first time at 80,000 he actually broke one tring to get it off.

now I have one caliper stud bolt that wont come off
broke 3 T55 torx bits with an impact wrench. still wont come off
time for a new caliper & bracket. lots easier
 
I did mine yesterday, left front would not come off, ( 3 hours of hammering and prying)  so i Drilled thru the rotor and tapped with bottom tap, 4 times.  then put in bolts and screwed them down.  guess what, the dang front came off the rotor, but then the flange came off with a strong suggestion from the 22oz hammer. 

what a job. 
 
Geesh.  I just used a breaker bar to get the 18mm bracket bolts off.  Not too much coaxing.  The rotors were sitting pretty free.

One question, you guys have rotor retainer clips?  I don't have these on my '02 Z66.  Rotor just floats behind the wheel.
 
ggates said:
Geesh.  I just used a breaker bar to get the 18mm bracket bolts off.  Not too much coaxing.  The rotors were sitting pretty free.

One question, you guys have rotor retainer clips?  I don't have these on my '02 Z66.  Rotor just floats behind the wheel.
Click to expand...
most I've seen have them
 
Odd.  I wonder if a mechanic decided to throw them out one day when they were doing a brake inspection while still under warranty.
 
clips Not really needed...

and most who go aftermarket wheels remove them since they sometimes keep wheel from mounting flat
 
That's what I would figure.  The wheel is what holds the rotor in place.  And it doesn't matter how centered it is in the studs as long as it's not out of plane.  I don't remember having a car or helping to change a car with discs that had this clip.
 
The clips are not needed; they are simply an aid for the assembly plant. They keep the rotor from falling off the truck while it's traveling down the assembly line.
 
I replaced all 4 rotors on my 02 at 85k. All I needed was a 20" breaker bar and my 32Oz California framer. I have taken the rears off and on so much I can do it, including unmounting and mounting the tire and changing the pads, in under 5 minutes. I have a caliper issue on the rear passenger side. I think I have it fixed but my pads are not here yet. I have had Summit racing send me 3 different sets of pads so far. First I ordered a set of Bendix Titanium II pads. I called and asked if these fronts or rears, the computer just said front/rears. They informed me that it should be both. So I get them in and only get the fronts. So I call them and they send me another set, fronts again. So they check with the vendor and Bendix does not have a set for the rears of the Av. So they send me a set of Hawks. Again these are not the right ones. They are about 21/2 inches to short. So now they are sending me a 4th set. If these do not work, I am going to get them from Tire Rack like I did when I did the change.
 
a hand held sledge and a piece of 2x4 work great for stubburn rotors, though i did have a contour that needed a big sledge to get them off, though she had drivin the car until the rotors were worn down to the vanes!!  (like someone took the rotor and cut it in half) lol
 
Z66 BUTCH said:
Maybe what is confusing you is the older GM trucks when you removed the caliper everything came off with it....pads etc. On the newer ones you have to remove the bracket that holds the caliper to get the rotor off.....
Click to expand...


  that's what i was going to say.
 
This is the same problem i'm having. I've changed tons of brakes on silverados, S-10 and other standard caliper trucks. the Caliper will not come out of the holder. The pads have little "rivets" on them that is getting stuck inside the brake piston. I'm going to be pulling the entire bracket assembly off just to change them. This is the worst vehicle i've ever chaged brakes on.
 
You know you can take the caliper and remove 1/2 of it? Just removed the 2 bolts with the rubber sleeves and the caliper comes right apart. I found that my 02 was actually a lot easier than my 78Z or my F250. I think the F250 was by far the hardest thing to work on.
 
does anyone have any suggestions on how to loosen the 18mm bolts holding the caliper in place? It appears just for brakes used loc tite and they will not budge. I broke 2 craftsman ratchet and 1 craftsman 18mm socket. Any ideas? The breaker bar is useless. I was thinking of buying a air ratchet but didn't know if it would be worth it.
 
Try to put the bar in a long pipe for more leverage and heat
 
I actually have an 18" 1/2 drive breaker bar that I used. They are a PITA getting off, but once you get them off it is a lot easier the next time.
 
I guess I will have to put the car on a lift to get more leverage. The space was tight to add a longer bar to remove that bolt. I found some stuff that you can spray on that supposedly loosens the bolt but is it any good?
 
So I am outside with the wheel off, I am trying to replace my pads and rotors, and I CANNOT get the two T55 torx head bolts off.  It sounds like I don't need to take these off from some of the posts, but I don't see where everyone is talking about..

Don't I need to take the Torx bolts off to get the pads and rotor off?

HELP!
:E:

Modified:  Ok, I found the regular caliper mounting bolts (the non torx ones).. Is there a place on here with the Torque specs?  Do I need to use GM Threadlocker on these bolts?
 
Yeap, here a link that may help you

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,41565.0.html
 
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