changing rotors to slotted??

[henrytad]

hi everyone, i recently purchased RDA slotted rotors from GSL rallysport on the forum and they have arrvied, quite promptly! one question, how do you install them? is it a simple job or should i get a mechanic to do it for me?

[Benboy]

Yeah, go for the mechanic for yours and everyone elses safety. Good luck.

[henrytad]

how much you reckon it would cost to get all 4 put on including pads?

[sly_gen3]

Probaly about 2 hours labour if you were putting new pads as well so anywere between $150 and $200 plus the cost of the pads them selves

[PaulSV6]

To make it simply for ya.

Jack up the car, do both ends of the car seperately (for obvious reasons)
Remove wheels
With the calipers there are two bolts on the inside (remove these). Not to sure on the size, from mem its around 16-19mm.
Once both bolts are out, it will take abit of jiggly the caliper around the loosen it. The only thing that will be holding it now will be the brake line. Secure it, so it doesnt get in the way of the rotor.
The rotor sits free on the studs. best way to remove it, is to gently rock it from side to side & eventually it will come off.

[henrytad]

alright thanks paul, im gonna ask my mates uncle whose a mechanic n see how much hell do it for if not ill give it a go myself

[PaulSV6]

No worries mate,

Let me know how it goes.

[wortus]

alright thanks paul, im gonna ask my mates uncle whose a mechanic n see how much hell do it for if not ill give it a go myself

After you get the rotors off the hubs you have to ensure there is no rust or scale ont he hub surface that contacts the rotor. If there is the rotor may not run true. I changed some on a VS which is the same procedure and used a wire wheel in an electric drill to remove all traces of rust, the hubs were shiny metal when I put the rotors back over them. You can put a very light smear of anti sieze or high temp grease on the centre part of the hub that sticks out if you want to but not too much.

When you put it back together if the old rotors were well worn you may have to push the caliper pistion in a bit but a bit of wigling may get ti back enough. Make sure you use a torque wrench and do the calipers up to the struts to the correct torque as you must also use a torque wrench on the wheel nuts as over tightening them can cause the rotor to run out. Also clean the inside of the wheel centre if you have mags and apply a bit of high temp grease so it slides over the hub nicely.

I also painted the outside of the hub parts for looks as they just end up rusty and horrible. It's a pretty easy job, much easier than say a VN to VP because you don't have to pack and adjust wheel bearings.

[HamaTime™]

Probaly about 2 hours labour if you were putting new pads as well so anywere between $150 and $200 plus the cost of the pads them selves

2 Hours labour? What is the mechanic a 2 year old?????? That job would take me less than 45 minutes, from wheel off to wheel back on and free to go. It's not rocket science!!!!

[wortus]

The time required really depends on how rusty the hubs etc are, I did some on a VS and they were stuck fast and it took a fair bit of time to get them off carefully not to damage the hub bearings then to get a wire wheel and remove every last bit of rust and scale fromthe hub surface the discs fit against, this is really important to make sure the disc runs true. Mates VT is the same rusty as hell and would be a bugger to get off while on the other hand my VY they are loose on the hubs when you take the road wheels off so a quick and easy job.

[henrytad]

thanks for all your responses. my mates uncle said hell do it for $77 an hour and said its about a 2 hour job considering theres no other mods. so ill take it too him on the weekend and see what he says

[bigdaddycool]

If your somewhat mechanically minded you should give it a go, it's dead easy to do (if you have the tools that is)....... like wheel off, 4 bolts (brake)...... slide rotar off, slide new one on....... I put some slotted rotars on mine a few months ago.

[a1k3m1]

it is a pretty simple job, nothing really you can stuff up, as long as ya can remember the order you took everything off lol, then just do the reverse and hook everything back up, But if ya get somebody else to do it then you can blame them if something stuffs up heheh

[acarmody]

Do it yourself, like everyone says, dead easy.

One thing I'll add to the instructions above though, do NOT let the caliper hang by the brake hose, suspend it by something or let it rest on the control arm/axle.

Also it doesn't take 2 hours, especially if the person is a mechanic, UNLESS, they are changing the brake fluid too, highly recommended to do this at the same time. So ask dude if he is changing the fluid in that 2 hours.

[bigdaddycool]

pft if ur doing it urself i wouldn't recommend changing the brake fluid ....... if u got a seased bleed bolt u can really get annoyed over it. Better off just changing the rotars n leavin the brakes....... why complicate one task with another?..... been there made that mistake lol.

[gslrallysport]

one thing i'll add to the instructions above though, do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose, suspend it by something or let it rest on the control arm/axle.

quoted for absolute truth!!!

[Group C]

What do you guys think of the RDA rotors would you recomend the slotted or the slotted and drilled rotors?

[impulsive]

At over $200 a rotor i would say hell no. Slotted rotors for class and cosmetic appeal, bendix brakes for performance. All about Bang for buck my friend!

[2005vzute]

what paulsv6 said dude..it's easy pretty much as easy as what he said...just a couple of things i'll add...remove the rust from the inside of the wheel hub if there is any...and if your brake pads are runnin thin..you may need a G-clamp or the tool they use to wind the piston inside the caliper back in so the new brake pads don't get obstructed by the rotors when you put them on...also, if these are brands new rotors, do brand new pads...it might seem expensive, but it's the right thing to do it allows them to bed in together and evenly...if the old pads are still good, keep them for the next pad change as it wouldn't so much matter about bedding in then...and with hanging the caliper..you should have it secured by a bit of wire on the suspension spring or rest it somewhere...but i had an old mechanic make a point to me one day...he said, "if that brake hose can't handle hanging the weight of the caliper, it's can't handle pressure under braking"...and i believe him, but still, better safe then sorry, should probably hang them up...one last thing, pleeeaassseeee torque your wheel nuts up with a torque wrench, not a rattle gun, not a torque bar for a rattle gun..nothing but a torque wrench by hand....even if one whele nut on the wheel is hammered by the rattle gun 1 too many times over the rest of them, this can distort the new rotors, and there goes ya money.

cheers mate

[vn_v6]

what paulsv6 said dude..it's easy pretty much as easy as what he said...just a couple of things i'll add...remove the rust from the inside of the wheel hub if there is any...and if your brake pads are runnin thin..you may need a G-clamp or the tool they use to wind the piston inside the caliper back in so the new brake pads don't get obstructed by the rotors when you put them on...also, if these are brands new rotors, do brand new pads...it might seem expensive, but it's the right thing to do it allows them to bed in together and evenly...if the old pads are still good, keep them for the next pad change as it wouldn't so much matter about bedding in then...and with hanging the caliper..you should have it secured by a bit of wire on the suspension spring or rest it somewhere...but i had an old mechanic make a point to me one day...he said, "if that brake hose can't handle hanging the weight of the caliper, it's can't handle pressure under braking"...and i believe him, but still, better safe then sorry, should probably hang them up...one last thing, pleeeaassseeee torque your wheel nuts up with a torque wrench, not a rattle gun, not a torque bar for a rattle gun..nothing but a torque wrench by hand....even if one whele nut on the wheel is hammered by the rattle gun 1 too many times over the rest of them, this can distort the new rotors, and there goes ya money.

cheers mate

.......thats why every mechanic uses a rattle gun and i changed my rotors with tourque bar, so did my mate after me and its been atleast a year, if the rotor can take a cars breaks at 200kmph, doubt itl stuff up from your hands

[2005vzute]

i cant tell if your being smart or agreeing with me..are you saying im a dumbarse koz every mechanic uses a rattle gun and they know what they're doing? or are you saying the reason a mechanic uses a rattle gun is so they do **** up the rotors and you go back and they get more business? haha

[impulsive]

19mm socket, extension and ratchet, does the job everytime

K.I.S.S - Keep it simple stupid!

[2005vzute]

and ratchet? your lucky, i had to use a breaker bar to get my my wheel nuts off for the first time..then use the breaker bar plus a steel pole over that to get my calipers off haha

[markovr]

At over $200 a rotor i would say hell no. Slotted rotors for class and cosmetic appeal, bendix brakes for performance. All about Bang for buck my friend!

Price a little high but slotted rotors arent for cosmetic appeal.....what appeal?...... they work..they improve pad bite.