Sorry, not 3rd gen question, but, my Dad has an '87 Mazda 626 FWD. We are trying to get the front brake rotors off in oreder to turn them down. They seem to be stuck on or held by some clip. Does anyone know how to get them off?

Thanks,



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Phil87IROC
Blue '87 IROC, 383 Crate Motor, KB pistons, AFR 190s, TPIS ZZ-9, Edelbrock RPM intake, TES and Edelbrock 750 cfm Carb (#1411), stock T-5, 3.42 rear GM gears w/Auburn posi.
Ohio Valley Dragstrip Trophy Bracket WINNER - 8.39 ET on a 1.82 sec. - 60'. Best MPH = 84.44. Still Tuning Carb!
Red '89 IROC L98, 700R4, T-Tops, K&Ns w/open air boxes, 160 T-stat, Hyper Chip, gutted MAF, 53kv coil, MSD wires.

 

Hmm.. well, if they're anything like thirdgen rotors, then first you need to remove the center cap. A thin flathead should work well for that. Then, underneath that there's a cotter pin that you can bend to pull out, or just break it, I think they say to replace them when you change rotors anyways. After the pin is off, there's a bolt that you unscrew, and after that it should just pull off.

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

Not sure on a Mazda, but it is common to find a spring clip/washer on one or more lug studs holding the rotor in place. Many of these cars have solid rotors that are not an integral part of the hub assembly, and can be removed separately. If notm the entire hub/bearing assembly would have to be removed to repair the rotor.

Another thought, replacement rotors can cost almost the same price or only a little more than resurfacing labor charges, and turned / resurfaced rotors are often already overheated and warped to the point where the resurfacing only provides temporary relief from bad brake symptoms (fade, chatter, pulsating pedal, pulling, etc.).

If the replacements are about thirty bucks apiece, I wouldn't even consider resurfacing, but it's not my car (it says "Mazda" on the rear, doesn't it?)

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Later,
Vader
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"I'm'a do Things My Way - It's My way or the Highway."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Look on the center of the rotor where the wheel studs are if there are small threaded holes. If these holes are there you could use bolts threaded into them and evenly tighten them to press the rotor off.

 

Some FWD cars use small phillips screws to hold the rotor on.

Some have threaded holes you can use to remove them by putting a bolt in them and tightening the bolt, pressing the rotor off.

Some FWD cars have the rotor pressed into the hub and they do not come off. The rotor is either turned on the car, or the whole spindle is removed and turned that way. (spindle, rotor, and wheel bearing.) Hondas are real popular for that one.

Usually (and I use this term loosly, not EVERY car) if you can see the threads of 4 bolts coming in from the back of the rotor, the rotor doesn't come off. It has to be turned on the car or removed as a whole.



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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

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