I am trying to remove the front rotors from a 85 Honda Prelude, but I cannot seem to be able to remove the wheel bearing retaining nut, which I have never had a problem removing on other vehicles I've owned. I do not see the usual metal pin that holds these in, so is there just something that I'm missing or not seeing?

 

The big nut you're looking at isn't the wheel bearing nut. It's the axle retaining nut. You don't need to remove it to remove the rotor.

Remove the caliper & mounting bracket. Remove the 2 Phillips screws that hold the rotor to the hub. The rotor should now slide right off the hub. If it doesn't slide off, it may be rusted to the hub. If that's the case, give it a few good smacks with a hammer in the area around the wheel studs.

 

I agree. Spray everything good with WD40 to break the rust loose.

 

It wouldn't be the first time today I'd be wrong, but some of those older cars had a hub/bearing set-up that required you to remove the axle nut, and pull them with a puller/slide hammer..
I'd guess 95% of the customers we have turn down the machining of rotors on these type cars when you tell them there's a possability of damaging the bearing assembly when removing the hub/rotor assembly..

 

Thanks for all your replies as they all seem pretty helpful. I went out and gave the nut a good tug and it does seem to be connected to the axle.

This sure ain't no Ford pickup! I was wondering what in the heck the screws were doing there on the hub assembly. I'll let you guys know whether I was successful or whether I got out the can of gasoline. My back still aches when I think of how I replaced the brake booster.

 

msargent:

The '90-94 Accords used captive rotors. Many older Mazdas also used a captive rotor. We use an on-car lathe to turn these. It saves loads of time & prevents bearing damage from disassembly/reassembly.

dkcoxc:

Replacing the rotors on your Honda is actually EASIER than it is on a hub type rotor. You don't have to mess w/bearings & seals. Just slide the old one off & slide the new one on.

 

Educate me, Knuckles!! (being serious here..) The term "captive rotor" escapes me..?
As for turning the rotor's on the car, this day and age, it's the most recommended way..(as I read it and hear it) Our shop does not yet have a brake lathe to do on the car jobs, but it sure would be nice!!
What car am I thinking of that the rotor bolted up to the hub from "the inside out" and the whole assembly had to be pulled to turn or replace the rotors?

Be kind, I'm old, grey, senile, and serverly overworked!! LOL!

 

msargent:

You're thinking right. The '90-94 Accord was the most common example I could think of. You have to pull the hub & bearing apart to get the rotor off.

Convince your shop owner to break down & buy an on-car lathe. We have a Hunter at work & it's sweet. Pro-Cut is another good brand. Pricey, but they pay for themselves over a few years. They also reduce rotor related comebacks since they true the rotor in relation to the hub, rather than in relation to the brake lathe shaft. This takes hub runout into account & compensates for it. You can't effectively do that with an off-car lathe.

The latest models are set up for semiautomatic or full automatic runout compensation. It makes lathe setup a snap.

 

Knuckles_ I appreciate the info..Thought maybe I'd lost my mind, again..
I work for a very small shop, and at the moment, am the only tech working..Our head tech had to retire due to back problems and we're having a hard time finding qualified techs..(small town..)

Maybe when I can flag 80+ per week and maintain that pace for a while, the boss will look into it..

Just for general info, we do sand the rotors (slip-on types) inside and out, including the beveled edge that the hub "sticks through" and also the actual hub area where the rotor mates up..Very little troubles with rotor run out this way.. But yes, more time comsuming than an "on the car" lathe..Do you wash your rotors after machining them?

 

Yes, we wash 'em. We just switched to non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner. It seems to work ok, but it makes the shop smell like a distillery.

Most of the cars I work on (at work anyway) are less than 1.5 yrs. old.

Rust usually isn't a problem, but we clean the the center of the hub & the wheel & hub mounting surfaces before turning rotors off the car. We still seem to have problems w/ certain rotors. GM w-bodies (esp. those w/ composite rotors) are a real problem. Hell, late model GM cars in general don't like off the car equipment.

We have very few problems when we turn GM rotors on the car.

GM, Ford & Chrysler all require their dealers to buy on-the-car equipment. Pro-Cut is one of the few mfrs. to meet specs. for all 3 domestic manufacturers.

IMHO, they make the dealers (and independents by default) buy expen$ive equipment because they use cheap materials and/or poorly designed rotors.

For example, Ford must have redesigned the Taurus/Sable rotor at least 5 times between 1989 and 2001. And they still suffer from runout problems. Turning them on the car will get you 20-30K trouble free miles & then they're back to vibrating again.

Quality is Job 1? More like job 21!

 

Knuckles is correct. Actually many cars with hubless rotors suffer from warping and other gazorches like that.

Another problem is the flood of offshore junk which is made very poorly. Always use OEM, or US or Canadian made replacements. The metallurgy is far superior and the comebacks a lot less.

Adding to this problem in a sense is the OEM getting on the "reboxing" and value line bandwagon.

As Knuckles states about equipment manufacturers kinda "reboxing", well the OEM's do that as well.

Case in point: Motorcraft's "Value" line is actually some sort of Bendix or other aftermarket. But, Motorcraft tries to poo-poo that in their brake catalog. Hogwash. The V line rotors are not made by ATE or the OEM supplier, they are aftermarket. Just like Delco's Durastop is Raybestos reboxed .

 

Knuckles...... I have never used one of those on car lathes. Although I have heard they are the shizz nay. I would love to see one in action some time. I have never had the problems you are referring to with brakes. I have been doing brake work for a LONG time and have never had a comeback (knock on wood)LOL. Watch me have one come back tomorrow.
Msargent....I am the only tech in my shop too so I know how you feel. I have a guy who tries to help out, and I have schooled him on the brake lathe countless times to no avail. Now I just as soon cut ALL rotors myself as he cant seem to grasp the concept. We use an Accuturn lathe, It is the best lathe I have ever used.
Billy

 

I've used 1 one the car lathe 1 time, and that particuliar machine stunk!! Took forever to set up (even the guys who used it all the time).. But I know there are much better systems out there today..
As for someone else cutting "my" rotor's... Uh Uh.. If someone else is going to cut 'em, they get the entire brake job..I'm not exactly a trusting person.. LOL!

Knuckles- Again, I appreciate all the great info!!
Joe, Same to you!! I may be an old dog, but I can always learn new tricks!! And yes, I have seen LOT's of info about aftermarket rotors versus OEM.. Thickness of the hubs, the angle of the vanes, the number of vanes, thickness of vanes, ect.. All inferior to the top line stuff...

 

msargent..... I dont know if you were referring to me or not, but in retrospect..... he aint got no choice about "me" cutting "his" rotors. I am the boss.....LOL. But I totally agree with you, I wouldnt let anyone cut rotors for me.
Billy

 

msargent:

I agree...We had a Rotunda on-car lathe in the mid '90s. Manufactured by Ammco. It was a complete POS and a disgrace to an otherwise great Ammco product line. It was poorly designed & hard to set up properly.

The new Hunter & Pro-Cut machines are light years ahead of the older on-car machines. Quick setup & accurate machining.

Our Hunter machine uses round tool bits. They allow you to take a very deep cut (.010" per side) yet still get a straight, smooth finish. We can often true a very warped rotor in a single pass.


The Hunter machine is made in Italy. It's a real nice piece.

Check it out at the URL below.

http://www.hunter.com/pub/product/lathe/4236T/4236t.htm

I'm pretty sure the Pro-Cut is U.S. made. Check their website at the URL below.

http://www.procutinternational.com/h...athesmain.html