John

Things you will need:

Beer
2 11"x25mm Brembo blank rotors
2 95-97 V6 / Wagon Accord calipers
2 36mm axle nuts
a friend (or two)
set of front pads for a 5G Accord V6, 1G NSX, ITR (they're the same thing)
Graphite lubricant
2L brake fluid
3/4 breaker bar with extension
36mm 3/4" socket
19mm socket
17mm socket
14mm socket
10mm open ended wrench
slide hammer

Step 1)
Open a beer

Step 2)
Using a strong screwdriver, unstake the axle nut. Using a large breaker bar with an extension and a 36mm socket, break the axle nut loose with the wheels on the ground. Break lugnuts as well. We recommend a 3/4 breaker bar since Dave broke 3 1/2 breaker bars. Oops...


Step 3)
Place car on jackstands and remove front wheels.

Step 4)
Drink another beer.

Step 5)
Have a second body press down on the brake pedal for you to lock the rotor in place, and use a 14mm socket to break the 4 bolts loose on the hub. See them below. Remove the 36mm axle nut at this point as well.


Step 6)
Remove the 2 17mm caliper bracket bolts on the back side of the caliper. Use an extension since the brake lines will be in the way, and a breaker bar may help you as well since they're torqued on there pretty tight.


Step 7)
Now we don't want to disconnect the brake lines yet, so hang the caliper from the upper control arm with a zip-tie or something of the like.


Step 8)
OK, now for the real fun part, separating the hub and rotor from the knuckle. You will need a slide hammer (shown below), which attaches to two of the wheel studs. How this works is you slide the weight to pull the hub and rotor. I recommend having a fresh beer nearby to keep yourself hydrated. Also, ear plugs are helpful as the repetitive banging will leave a ringing in your ears.


Step 9)
Remove the 14mm bolts from the hub and separate the hub from the rotor. Once apart, clean the hub surface with some degreaser, and clean the new rotors as well. Dry the rotors and lubricate the bearings with some graphite lubricant.

Step 10)
Mount the hub to the new rotor and tighten down the 14mm bolts. Notice the size difference (hooray!).


Step 11)
Remove the heat shield by taking out the 3 screws illustrated below. Discard the heat shield in a proper trash receptical.


Step 12)
Take a break, and send Dave to get more beer and promptly drink another beer.


Step 13)
Mount the rotor / hub on the axle spindle, and line up the splines. Pushing from the front of the rotor and the axle from the rear, press the axle spindle out as far as possible. This may be frustrating and require a lot of fiddling. Mount the slide hammer on the hub and press the hub into the knuckle as much as possible.


Step 14)
Hopefully by this time, there are enough threads on the axle spindle to mount the axle nut on. Be sure to lube up the inside of the axle nut.


We found this process to be very difficult so we wedged a tire iron in their to get more torque down on the axle nuts. Be sure to have a beer handy as well.


Step 15)
Clean your new calipers, and inspect for cracks in the boots. Lubrication of the boots is recommended as well. New caliper assemblies on the left, old one on the right.


Step 16)
Mount caliper and bracket on rotor and tighten the 17mm caliper bracket bolts down well.


Step 17)
Remove brake line from old caliper (still hanging by zip-tie off of upper control arm) and attach it to the new caliper.

Step 18)
Unbolt caliper and compress the piston with a vise.


Step 19)
Slide in brake pads, and rebolt caliper.

Step 20)
Open the brake fluid reservoir. Bleed brake system going in this order: rear right -> front left -> rear left -> front right. You will need an assistant to pump the brakes, and don't forget to add brake fluid to the fluid reservoir as you bleed it. If air bubbles and coming out with the old brake fluid, tap the caliper with a hammer. Continue bleeding until only fresh fluid with NO air bubbles are coming out.

Almost done, grab another brew.

Step 21)
Having someone apply brake pressure, torque the hub bolts down to 80ft-lbs or so.

Step 22)
Reinstall wheels, lower car.

Step 23)
Torque axle nut down to ~180ft-lbs.

Step 24)
Go for a test drive, break in the new rotors and pads by doing 5-6 hard 60mph -> 30mph brakes. Return to let brakes cool, and retorque axle nuts and lug nuts.

Step 25)
Drink a beer, take a shower, you're done!

Acknowledgments:
Many thanks to Dave and Misa for their strength, tools, and knowledge. BTW, we did Dave's brakes as well. This will be updated for any possible errors or clarifications.

Brandon

Thank you for your tech article and I will have an H22A article as soon as I can figure out what the guys from H22.org were saying.

Razor

nice instructions. when did you guys do this? i only put on my strut bar yesterday and i was sweating like crazy, the humidity sucks here in no. va.

Kazmans94cord

damn...looks like yall had some fun...how long did it take? damn i dont have all those tools....couldnt i just like borrow those from an autoparts store?

Brandon

Too bad you don't live near me, I have everything except the slide hammer.

Stew Pidasso

Excellent Article!!
I just went through this whole process except mine didn't go so smoothly. I stripped the heads off of all 8 of those 14mm suckers.I couldn't get those damn 36mm #$^*# off for the life of me.I had a friend come out with a 1" impact gun(the kind they use to take the lugs off of tractor trailer wheels-like 800 ft/lbs of torque) and a service truck with a big compressor.Then I had to replace a half shaft.(of course the first one I got was the wrong one-see my sig) I replace the wheel bearings because all of the grease burnt out of them from heating those 36mm bolts with the oxy/actylene torch.I ended up taking off the whole knuckle assembly and had them pressed out at work. Then after all the headache,time and expense I bleed the brakes and....The master cylinder ***** the bed.Ok it's all fixed now but was it worth it ? Definitely!
Hope I didn't hi-jack the thread too bad. Thanks again for a great article!

Kazmans94cord

damn me too...anyone in or around houston have these tool and who wanna help me with the swap?

gvr4-330

Hi,

I need some advice on replacing the rotors. First off, I'm trying to replace the front rotors on our 94 Accord.

I don't have a slide hammer like you do, and the Haynes manual says to pull the driveshaft from the knuckle, undo the lower control arm from the knuckle, undo the four bolts holding the hub to the knuckle, then remove the hub. I got through everything but removing the hub. Do you have any advice? Or will I have to use the slide hammer

Thanks,
Rob

Boughetto

Nice! Glad I got the V6 already!

AmginE

Kazman im in sugarland, i have the wrenches, etc, i dont have the slide hammer though. ill help with the swap.

kurt.

A serious piece of tech.

Nice job!

2point6

I would be drunk by step 12.

Kazmans94cord

really...hmm....i might just have to take you up on this offer...one of my friends lives in sugarland...he has a damn lift in his garage...ill send you a IM when i get home.

Kazmans94cord

not me no sir...i would be high...very high

Stew Pidasso

If the knuckle is already off call some local auto parts store and ask if they have a press.They shouldn't charge more than 30 bucks to press them out.

As far as the slide hammers,most auto parts stores (Auto Zone,etc.) will rent them usually for free(you put a deposit down and you get it back when you return it or just keep it)


[Modified by Nitz5785, 3:57 PM 7/5/2002]

gvr4-330

So it really takes some force to get the hub off of the knuckle? The Haynes manual seemed to imply it just came off. I guess there is no trick

Thanks!
Rob

John

Oh yeah, it was probably the most difficult part of the installation (that and putting it back on). With the slide hammer, it took the three of us alternating about 30 minutes just to get the left side off. You may want to use a pry bar to help you as well, but you need to be careful not to damage anything.

4doorRS5spd

Wow, that was a very informative and well done article. We need a FAQ to put this in. Good job.

Hondaaccordvtec

Will this brake upgrade clear the 15" OEM rims? Or do you need to have something like 16's or larger?

CD8

15" will be fine

Kazmans94cord

yeah which sucks cuz my 14" steelies wont make it...and i dont wanna put my 18's back on

John

Yeah, I'm working with some people on some ideas on having a FAQ link or something of the like.

chameleon

nice job bro!! i have the 11" brembo's on their way, gotta order some NIssin pads and I have the calipers in the process of painting with the brackets being done. except im doing the legend 2 piston conversion. all in all good job!

John

I thought about doing the Legend calipers, but they're 4lbs heavier. As for pads, get something better than the Nissins. The Hawk HP+ pads have a similar stock feel under normal conditions, but bite MUCH harder than the Nissin pads under hard braking.

After_Burner

i tried using the sliding hammer! THE DAMN THING SUUUUUCKS BALLZ!!

hell, u'll be too drunk and weak by the time ur half way there!!

just use a big as steel fork (looks like tuning fork!) they should be like chisels, then just hammer away at it, make sure ur going all the way around the rotor though!...so it obviously doesnt damage the rotor, if u cared about them still! hehe