Installed new R1Concepts rotors on front (pics)- Need help with rear

[Afboy143]

Your fronts look very nice Have you driven it yet? How much better does it feel?

big big diff- I love em. The stock brakes sucked plus they were warped from age im assuming. I used ceramics. Most people recommend using Hawk pads (not sure what model) but Im on a budget. Monroe ceramics work great for me, plus they were cheap on rockauto.com

 

[Lizard]

I just put on my R1s today. I asked them to send me just slotted ones. Wagner ThermoQuiet semi-metallic for the pads. I have ABS, but if I didn't, I know I could lock these up. As someone put it; "You can stop quickly with just your big toe on the pedal." As far as rotational direction, all the info I've read states that it's not important as long as it's not a directional rotor with the 'curved' ))))) cooling vanes that are in the center of the rotor plates. I put mine on in the same direction as yours, which I saw on an illustration on the Power Slots? website.

 

[techieman33]

I just put on my R1s today. I asked them to send me just slotted ones. Wagner ThermoQuiet semi-metallic for the pads. I have ABS, but if I didn't, I know I could lock these up. As someone put it; "You can stop quickly with just your big toe on the pedal." As far as rotational direction, all the info I've read states that it's not important as long as it's not a directional rotor with the 'curved' ))))) cooling vanes that are in the center of the rotor plates. I put mine on in the same direction as yours, which I saw on an illustration on the Power Slots? website.

weird my powerslots were marked opposite of how he has his on. my power slots and hawks will lock up the brakes for a second before the abs can kick in

 

[Lizard]

weird my powerslots were marked opposite of how he has his on. my power slots and hawks will lock up the brakes for a second before the abs can kick in

I'm not sure if I'm getting my info from the Powerslot website. I did a lot of reading, and I'm going from memory R1s "E Series" have non-directional cooling vanes. They run straight (radially) through the center. The directional ones with the )))) vanes have to be in the correct orientation so they scoop the air properly. From what I've read, it makes no difference which direction the surface slots/holes are going. If they were directional based upon the surface drilling, then it wouldn't be the same for ALL vehicles, because some have the calipers mounted at the front of the rotor, and some at the rear.

 

[gavin]

just found this

http://www.zeckhausen.com/how_to_properly_install_rotors.htm

 

[parad1mg]

i installed my powerslots with the vanes slicing forward like this [front] <- "/".. i just wished my budget was bigger at the time i did my brakes.. i put napa rotors and hawk pads at the back and they sometimes squeal at slow paces but the front spowerslots and hawk pads are awesome! you can really feel them grip!

 

[Afboy143]

Hey Guys,
I actually emailed R1 from work again last week. Here is their response

From: Sales R1 Concepts [mailto:sales@r1concepts.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:23 PM
To: Curtis Cieslak
Subject: Re: Question



If you looki at your front rotors, in between the rotors are the vane structure. The vane structure for your rotors are straight. Some rotors on certain models have curved vanes. Curved vanes run in a curving pattern similar to the pattern of the drilled holes on the rotors.



I hope this is somewhat clear for you.

------------------------------------

If you don’t mind me asking, what does straight vane mean?




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Sales R1 Concepts [mailto:sales@r1concepts.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:12 PM
To: Curtis Cieslak
Subject: Re: Question



Hello Curtis,



The direction of the drill/slot will not matter. The performance will not be affected. The rotors for your Explorer are straight vane so you can have the rotor drill pattern going wither direction.

---------------------------------------

Hey Guys,

I have a question. I have a 1999 Ford Explorer sport 2 door. I bought your 4 rotor Eline special online (2 front, 2 rear). I need to know if it makes any difference performance wise which rotor goes on which wheel on the fronts and back? Does a certain rotor need to go on the driver side and a certain one on the passenger or does it matter? I don’t care about looks, im just concerned about performance. Let me know!



Curtis Cieslak

 

[Afboy143]

Lizard, Parad- whatd you do to get the back rotors off? I still havent got to mine yet. Stupid rain

 

[gavin]

Hey Guys,
I actually emailed R1 from work again last week. Here is their response

this link explains it too.

just found this

http://www.zeckhausen.com/how_to_properly_install_rotors.htm

Lizard, Parad- whatd you do to get the back rotors off? I still havent got to mine yet. Stupid rain

you will need to loosen your parking brake shooes; on the backing plate there will be an oblong rubber plug. Remove this for access to the star adjuster. You will need to loosen this, to loosen the parking brake shoes. Then you will (may) need to hammer around the hat of the rotor to break the shoes loose, then remove.

 

[Afboy143]

this link explains it too.





you will need to loosen your parking brake shooes; on the backing plate there will be an oblong rubber plug. Remove this for access to the star adjuster. You will need to loosen this, to loosen the parking brake shoes. Then you will (may) need to hammer around the hat of the rotor to break the shoes loose, then remove.

ohh so its a star bit? Is it similar to the star bit that it would take to remove the seatbelt? (top bolt )

 

[gavin]

ohh so its a star bit? Is it similar to the star bit that it would take to remove the seatbelt? (top bolt )

no, not a torx.

it's called a star adjuster... I dunno how to explain it.

you would use a flat-head screw driver to rotate the adjuster to loosen the shoes. Can't remember which way off the top of my head though.

 

[Afboy143]

no, not a torx.

it's called a star adjuster... I dunno how to explain it.

you would use a flat-head screw driver to rotate the adjuster to loosen the shoes. Can't remember which way off the top of my head though.

I found this on harbor freight. They have a store 5 mins from me. It's called a brake spoon

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96960

 

[gavin]

a flat-head screwdriver works just as well as the brake spoons.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

a flat-head screwdriver works just as well as the brake spoons.

And it doesn't cost any $$

 

[KPT]

Once you back your parking brake off you won't need a puller, the rotors will come off without much fuss.

Not true.

The only way I could get one of my rear rotors off was to take the axle shaft out. I stood it up on a piece of scrap wood to protect the wheel lugs and beat the **** out of the rotor until it came off.

 

[gavin]

Once you back your parking brake off you won't need a puller, the rotors will come off without much fuss.

Not true.

The only way I could get one of my rear rotors off was to take the axle shaft out. I stood it up on a piece of scrap wood to protect the wheel lugs and beat the **** out of the rotor until it came off.

I'll agree. It really, depends though. Cannot say for sure whether or not it will require a lot of hammering.

I know the first time I pulled my rear rotors and the parking brake hardware was still there, I had a helluva time getting the rotors off even after completely loosening the shoes via the star-adjuster. It took a lot of beating with a rubber mallet all around the hat to finally break it loose.

 

[Neil1750825]

To get old rotors off, heat the center of the brake rotor so it expands and frees up off the spindle. Don't get it too hot or you'll ruin your axle end seal. Then, have a buddy hit a 2x4 thats resting up against the rotor with a sledge. They'll bust off in like two minutes without any WD-40 or anything.

 

[storlied]

Woah you guys, I took my rear rotors off as easy as my fronts.. a couple fairly gentle taps from a hammer around the rotor and I was able to remove them with ease... how come you guys are running into issues?
]

Then again.. keep in mind.. we don't have much of a rust issue here at all.. and my parking brake pads were/are completely fried from driving with them engaged.. ouch..

 

[gavin]

Woah you guys, I took my rear rotors off as easy as my fronts.. a couple fairly gentle taps from a hammer around the rotor and I was able to remove them with ease... how come you guys are running into issues?
]

Then again.. keep in mind.. we don't have much of a rust issue here at all.. and my parking brake pads were/are completely fried from driving with them engaged.. ouch..

that's most likely why you had no issue.
every set of drum brakes I've worked on, and the parking brake in my Sploder have been a pain to get the drums/rotors off.

I remember working on my Bronco2.... I spent a couple HOURS getting 1 drum off. And that included using a big ass prybar.

 

[storlied]

It would seem like, if they were stuck... your vehicle wouldn't being going anywhere?.......
]
I'm probably going to take your route when I do my bearings and dismantle them completely.. who needs em anyways.. they look like a complicated mess to bother with replacing them anyways.. (driver's side is already half a apart.. it's got missing pieces I took out.. like springs, n pads and other odd parts.. )