Rotor upgrades

[anwagbo3000]

kool

[cklinh]

Just finished the install... (about 7 hours total... had to make a few trips to get stuff)...

Brakes seem to be working fine, but the parking brake handle is coming up a lot more than it used to to engage (about 2x more).

Does this have something to do with that little dial behind the plastic plug in the rear rotors? Should I have reset that?

[Gadgetjq]

the parking brake handle is coming up a lot more than it used to to engage (about 2x more). Does this have something to do with that little dial behind the plastic plug in the rear rotors? Should I have reset that?

You can manually adjust the parking brake using that knurled knob (just like the good old days when drivers used a screwdriver or special spoon to adjust all four (drum) brakes every couple of thousand miles.

Here's the easy way though. Just pull your parking brake handle repeatedly (holding the button in). The manual says you have to put a little force into it (44 foot pounds) but I just tried it with my car and it feels like a whole lot less. In a quiet garage you can actually hear (and feel through the handle) the lever working the adjustment wheel You should notice the lever moving less and less each time the brake is applied. I don't think you can over adjust but when the lever feels about normal to you just stop.

Cheers

[anwagbo3000]

wow, i didnt know this, i think i will go try this

[cklinh]

Just another tidbit to add to the pile...

One of my two trips during the install was to find bolts to help remove the rear rotors. Even though I released the parking brake mechanism, my rotors were stuck, possibly due to rust. Luckily, there are two holes on the rotor itself that you can use to "push" the rotor off of the assembly.

The bolts I used were 5/16" (2" long, although you're only screwing it in about 1/4"). They were a tight fit, and took a few tries before the threads actually got lined up. It took about 15 minutes after I got the right sized bolts (kinda wished I had given up on pounding on the rotors earlier... would have saved two hours).

[anwagbo3000]

yea, i had to pound on all four of my rotors man, for like 15 to 30 minutes at a time, but they eventually came off, i really wanted to preserve my oem rotors though

[cklinh]

And one last (I hope) issue to work through...

Just went for a slower drive around town to do some chores and noticed some noise... it's not a high pitched squeal, but a squeal nonetheless.

It isn't always audible when I step on the brakes, only under specific conditions, and is duplicable every time.

The noise is present only when I completely stop and when I release the brakes (lift my foot) slowly. There is no sound when I step on the brakes initially, no matter how hard I step; only when the car actually comes to a full stop do I hear the sound... the subsequent release of the brakes to move also makes the sound.

Now, I followed the tutorial and got the brake lube and b quiet (or whatever they were called)... I may have applied them incorrectly or not enough. So, is this just a lube problem? Or do I have something more serious?

[s15lara]

hey cklinh, cant help you bro, but wondering if you can help me. im trying to install the rotors on my car gen1 and i have no idea which rotor goes on what side. mine did not come w/ markings or instructions. any help would be greatly appreciated.

[woa_its_j3ff]

hey cklinh, cant help you bro, but wondering if you can help me. im trying to install the rotors on my car gen1 and i have no idea which rotor goes on what side. mine did not come w/ markings or instructions. any help would be greatly appreciated.

take pics and post it in the gen 1 section bro!!!

[s15lara]

yeah that might help right? I thought i installed them the right way last time, but a friend told me that they were on backwards. so now im not sure. i'll post it up though.

[Gadgetjq]

Just went for a slower drive around town to do some chores and noticed some noise... it's not a high pitched squeal, but a squeal nonetheless.

Since you followed the instructions and used the recommended products (per their directions) I'd suggest you give the pads a little time to break in. It can take several hundred miles (easy braking so you don't glaze the pads) for the pads to seat properly. If the squeal continues you can always pull the pads and add a little more of the anti-squeal goop.

Be sure you give the goop time to dry so it turns into a kind of firm 'gel'. The stuff doesn't do much good if you just smear it on the back of the pad then install.

Cheers

[Gadgetjq]

im trying to install the rotors on my car gen1 and i have no idea which rotor goes on what side.

The answer is in previous posts to this thread. The 'correct' direction might depend on the vents in the center of the disk. They should always move in a direction that scoops air 'into' the disk when moving forward.

Non directional vents it's recommended the disk be oriented so the 'bottom' (nearest the hub) portion of the slot or cross drill contact the brake pad first.

Cheers

[Down2TheC]

My answer to a PM on the topic...
Short answer... If it matters, they'll be labeled.

Long answer...
Well the most important part is the internal vanes which you can't see. If they are straight vanes, then it doesn't matter. If they are curved for enhance cooling, then the rotors will be labeled L and R.

If there is no labeling, then you're free to choose. Most folks think the slots should face forward like this...


But functionally, they'll work in either direction. And if you're doing fronts are rear's, I'd think you'd want to be consistent either way you go. For directional rotors with R and L, you'll see different slot direction from different makers... because again... it just doesn't matter.

I notice that most of the R1's for Solara say "OE Vein Design" so if ours are directional stock, then the R1's will be too.

[cklinh]

Since you followed the instructions and used the recommended products (per their directions) I'd suggest you give the pads a little time to break in. It can take several hundred miles (easy braking so you don't glaze the pads) for the pads to seat properly. If the squeal continues you can always pull the pads and add a little more of the anti-squeal goop.

Be sure you give the goop time to dry so it turns into a kind of firm 'gel'. The stuff doesn't do much good if you just smear it on the back of the pad then install.

Cheers

Fixed my squeal. I had... ahem... forgotten to grease up the most important part, the channel where the calipers move in and out of. Couple more hours working on the car never hurt anyone, right?

And s15lara, sorry for not responding even though you directed the question at me, everyone else had already said what I would have said, so I wouldn't have had anything to add.

[cklinh]

Fixed my squeal. I had... ahem... forgotten to grease up the most important part, the channel where the calipers move in and out of. Couple more hours working on the car never hurt anyone, right?

And s15lara, sorry for not responding even though you directed the question at me, everyone else had already said what I would have said, so I wouldn't have had anything to add.

Dang... not really...

The squeal seems to come back whenever I stop driving the car for a day or so... it tends to go away after about half an hour of driving.

So the question is, is there anything that I could have done wrong that would lead to brake squeal ONLY WHEN THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP and WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKES LIGHTLY FROM THE COMPLETE STOP?

And it happens only when I start driving the car for the first time in the day (doesn't matter whether it's hot or cold, parked inside or outside). Seems like whatever the problem is, it fixes itself with a bit of driving, but would come back after a bit of rest... the sound is driving me crazy!!!