+1 hahahahha I know what you mean!!!!

 

Dont turn the rotors unless they are warped beyond specs
(check with a dial indicator and a magnetic stand, Harbour Freight)
or scored beyond belief. If you do get em turned insist on them
being done on the vehicle, and no other way...
Its better to just go with some new Brembo rotors for about $50 each.
Be sure the rotors have a slight crosshatch pattern on them before
installing the new pads or the new pads will simply glaze over at the first chance.
Be sure and follow the manufaturers recommendations for bedding/breaking the new
pads in for the longest possable life and the performance you are paying for...

 

lol @ Chris. There is something fun to buying new stuffs.

 

The backs need to be rotated back in place, the fronts are normal.

 

I forget how I did the rears last time. It was on an '04 Explorer though. Haven't touched my Mustangs brakes yet. 59k miles and the pads are still fat.

 

WHAT!?!?! Do you ever use the brakes????? LOL

The tool from Harbor Frieght is great, works on many types of cars. Used it on the wife's Freestyle when I replaced the rear pads.

As for turning the rotors on the car. Unless you can get a tool that does that, you will need to take it into a shop. At that piont you might as well have the shop replace the pads, since they will remove the calipers anyway. But unless you are replacing the rotors, or they are warped, leave them alone. Check the rotors thickness, I believe the min is 1.11 in for front and .68 inch for rears. Min inches to machine is 1.14 for front and .71 for rears.

 

+1 on the Caliper Tool, it will save you a serious headache and you'll be done in a flash.

I used the "rent-a-tool" program at the local Auto-Zone.

 

Ughhh I think I'm going to have a shop swap them. I don't get how you can get them turned at a shop and do the pads yourself unless you trailered the car home.....Am I missing something here? Once turned you need to put new pads on so that the residue from the old pads won't get on the rotors.

If not explain to me how I could do the change myself WITH getting the facotry rotors turned...and this is with the rotors on the car...

Thanks a lot!!!!

 

All you need to do is remove the rotors from the car and bring them to any auto parts store that has a machine shop (they usually charge about $10 a rotor). Once you've removed the caliper, also remove the caliper mounting bracket, it's held on with two bolts. Then pry/turn off the funky little retainer/washer thing that they usually put on one of the wheel studs at the factory. It's really just a piece they use to hold the rotor in place during production and can be discarded after you remove it. You should be able to pull the rotor free at this point unless it has rusted itself to the axle. I just did my rear brakes and had to use a little bit of convincing with a rubber mallet to remove one my rotors.
If you plan on doing much work on your car yourself I would highly recommend getting the factory service manual for it. New cars have so many idiosyncrasies, it makes life a lot easier. I've been doing work on my own cars for 25+ years and one of the first things I do when I get a new car (which isn't too often) is order the factory manual. They're not cheap ($100+?), but pay for themselves with one trouble free repair. Good Luck.

 

Yea I have the haynes manual, actually never used it once lol-even though I've done all the work on my car minus the gears. The reason I was saying that is I heard the the rotors must be done while on the car.....is this untrue?