1999 Honda Prelude Front Brake Rotors Replacement

When applying the brakes on my 1999 Honda Prelude the steering wheel
vibrates (at highway speeds). I'd like to try to replace the rotors myself.
Is this a do-it-yourself job? Do I need special tools? Are the rotors
pressed on or free floating?

 

easy d.i.y. job. no special tools required, but i recommend locktite on
the caliper mounting bolts when you re-fit them.

in the future, when retorquing wheel nuts, do it in 2 stages using an
"opposites" pattern. going full torque from slack seems to cause slight
misalignment.

 

They're held on with a set screw which generally needs an impact driver and
some penertrating oil to get off. I used a Sears manual -- you whack with
a hammer -- impact driver which came with the right Philips head bit. If
you look carefully you can get some penetrating oil on the inside end of
the set screw where it pokes through the inside of the hub - use PB Blaster
since it's the best penetrating release oil. If all else fails.... drill.

At that point the rotor may just fall of or you may have to force it off by
screwing M8 bolts through holes in the rotor - get longish bolts from the
hardware store for this.

Check your rotors front and back for corrosion though. I was certain I had
a front rotor problem and it was actually the rear rotors which were at
fault: the rear rotors on my '99 Integra corroded badly on the swept
braking surface, starting at ~20K miles and the vibration was due to rust
build-up between the rotor and the hub. The hub has holes in it and the
corrosion creeps from there. The front rotors never showed the same amount
of corrosion and are still fine.

I got Brembo OE replacement rotors from http://www.importrp.com/ for a good
price.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??