Replacing rotors
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Eagle Pass TX
Replacing rotors
Hello everyone, well i am about to task myself with the job of replacing all of my rotors on my 79 corvette. Any suggestions where I can find a good manual on how to do this? I currently have a haynes manual and it sucks.....I need some detail info on how to replace the rotors especially the subject of "RUNOUT"...Do I need to verify runout on the rear rotors? Anyways, any help would GREATLY be appreciated....thanks Marty
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,084
Likes: 786
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
I have a Chevrolet Shop Manual for my 77 - very helpful. BTW - if your rear rotors have never been removed, you will probably have to drill through the factory rivets to remove them. Rivets are not needed for the reinstallation.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by BKbroiler
I have a Chevrolet Shop Manual for my 77 - very helpful. BTW - if your rear rotors have never been removed, you will probably have to drill through the factory rivets to remove them. Rivets are not needed for the reinstallation.
My front and rear stock rotors had the rivets. I drilled them out, and it was cake to replace the rotor then. I should taken that opportunity to install longer lugs but didn't...now I have limited options whith rims and nut style.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
You could have jumped up to the 1/2"x20 studs while you were at it. 
I've got to get my hubs drilled soon so I can send the Norval-o-matic jig back to Batsy...I've had it waaaaay too long.
Batsy74...it'll be on the way back next week! Thanks!
Front rotors were also riveted at the factory, but those rotors were changed much more often than the rears, so not as many cars still have the rivets up front.
I've got to get my hubs drilled soon so I can send the Norval-o-matic jig back to Batsy...I've had it waaaaay too long.Batsy74...it'll be on the way back next week! Thanks!
Front rotors were also riveted at the factory, but those rotors were changed much more often than the rears, so not as many cars still have the rivets up front.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
You could have jumped up to the 1/2"x20 studs while you were at it. I've got to get my hubs drilled soon so I can send the Norval-o-matic jig back to Batsy...I've had it waaaaay too long.
Batsy74...it'll be on the way back next week! Thanks!
Front rotors were also riveted at the factory, but those rotors were changed much more often than the rears, so not as many cars still have the rivets up front.
I've got to get my hubs drilled soon so I can send the Norval-o-matic jig back to Batsy...I've had it waaaaay too long.Batsy74...it'll be on the way back next week! Thanks!
Front rotors were also riveted at the factory, but those rotors were changed much more often than the rears, so not as many cars still have the rivets up front.
I have a feeling that the low mileage isn't a rollover and that's actual mileage. I can't believe I had the original rotors.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 193
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If you drill out the rear disk rivets use a 3/8" drill bit. Works like charm. Just be careful if you end up drilling completely through the rivet like I had to don't hit the parking brake springs - don't ask how I know.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by cmac72
If you drill out the rear disk rivets use a 3/8" drill bit. Works like charm. Just be careful if you end up drilling completely through the rivet like I had to don't hit the parking brake springs - don't ask how I know.
I removed mine from the car when I did it...pulled the hubs and all. In retrospect I should have left them on the car. Would have been a lot easier.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
The rotors are no easy task. First you need to determine if your front rotors are still riveted to the hub. Pull off the front wheel and you should be able to tell. Inbetween each of the wheel studs, you'll see rivets.
Your first task will be to remove the rotor's, then drill out each of those rivets to seperate the hub from the rotor. The rotor can go to the trash, but you need to keep the hub. Each of the holes in the hub where rivets came out then need to be tapped. I used a 7/16-24 tap, but had a hell of a time finding the right bolts. You want hex socket type flat head bolts. I have a whole bunch left if your interested... I ended up buying a box of 100.
This is the bit I used to drill countersink holes in the new rotor
You want to end up with something like this:
Then, once all the hard work is done, check the runout like this:
with one of these:
and voila!
Good luck... let me know if you need more help.
Your first task will be to remove the rotor's, then drill out each of those rivets to seperate the hub from the rotor. The rotor can go to the trash, but you need to keep the hub. Each of the holes in the hub where rivets came out then need to be tapped. I used a 7/16-24 tap, but had a hell of a time finding the right bolts. You want hex socket type flat head bolts. I have a whole bunch left if your interested... I ended up buying a box of 100.
This is the bit I used to drill countersink holes in the new rotor
You want to end up with something like this:
Then, once all the hard work is done, check the runout like this:
with one of these:
and voila!
Good luck... let me know if you need more help.
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Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: Kernersville North Carolina
On my 68 the rears already had the rivets drilled out with nothing in their place. I'm currently trying to drill out the fronts that are still in. It's taking time to drill through. Once through how do you get the rivet out? I'm working on these after taking off the wheel and caliper exposing the rotor. Do I need to remove the entire hub assembly or is this ok? I'm looking to tap as well to use bolts in place of the rivets so I may be contacting you for some of those "extras".
I'm also looking to replace my studs. I plan to still have rally wheels as what was original.
Thanks
I'm also looking to replace my studs. I plan to still have rally wheels as what was original.
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
Originally Posted by bwellisley
On my 68 the rears already had the rivets drilled out with nothing in their place. I'm currently trying to drill out the fronts that are still in. It's taking time to drill through. Once through how do you get the rivet out? I'm working on these after taking off the wheel and caliper exposing the rotor. Do I need to remove the entire hub assembly or is this ok? I'm looking to tap as well to use bolts in place of the rivets so I may be contacting you for some of those "extras".
I'm also looking to replace my studs. I plan to still have rally wheels as what was original.
Thanks
I'm also looking to replace my studs. I plan to still have rally wheels as what was original.
Thanks
Pull them off the car, much easier.
Drill with plenty of lube, make it much easier. I use old gear lube thats been laying around for 8 years or so. Not going to use it in anything because its so old, but works great for drilling metal.
Once they are all drilled, and the tops "pop" off the rivets, get yourself some ear plugs, a big hammer, and a punch. They will come out.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
I didn't fasten the new rotor to the hub liek you did. I never tapped anything and didn't fit new screws in. I just put the rotor on the hub, put the wheel over the the studs, and tighted and torqued on the wheel. That was three years ago. I have had no problems at all.
What gains do you get by attaching them back together after you drill the rivets?
What gains do you get by attaching them back together after you drill the rivets?
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: Kernersville North Carolina
i'd like that feedback as well...is it necessarry to bolt on the rotors? i was assuming it was necessarry to do so to address the "run-out" issue that's been repeatedly noted here...? I was simply planning to bolt the wheels on as i do on my new-model cars.
thanks
thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by bwellisley
i'd like that feedback as well...is it necessarry to bolt on the rotors? i was assuming it was necessarry to do so to address the "run-out" issue that's been repeatedly noted here...? I was simply planning to bolt the wheels on as i do on my new-model cars.
thanks
thanks
I probably have minimal runout without connecting the two, but not so bad I'd notice. I have the lugs tightened to spec.
Is there any other advantage?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
The screws are nice, but not necessary.
I guess it's good for people who put there car through hard breaking constantly, but for an everyday driver, it's not necesarry.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Dunbarton NH
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
You could have jumped up to the 1/2"x20 studs while you were at it. I've got to get my hubs drilled soon so I can send the Norval-o-matic jig back to Batsy...I've had it waaaaay too long.
Batsy74...it'll be on the way back next week! Thanks!
Front rotors were also riveted at the factory, but those rotors were changed much more often than the rears, so not as many cars still have the rivets up front.
I've got to get my hubs drilled soon so I can send the Norval-o-matic jig back to Batsy...I've had it waaaaay too long.Batsy74...it'll be on the way back next week! Thanks!
Front rotors were also riveted at the factory, but those rotors were changed much more often than the rears, so not as many cars still have the rivets up front.
What rotors did you go with?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Whatever AutoZone has. 
The fronts are replacements and have lots of meat left. The rears I'm going to replace with standard US made (hopefully) parts. I'll get those holes drilled here in a day or two.
The fronts are replacements and have lots of meat left. The rears I'm going to replace with standard US made (hopefully) parts. I'll get those holes drilled here in a day or two.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
Whatever AutoZone has.
The fronts are replacements and have lots of meat left. The rears I'm going to replace with standard US made (hopefully) parts. I'll get those holes drilled here in a day or two.
The fronts are replacements and have lots of meat left. The rears I'm going to replace with standard US made (hopefully) parts. I'll get those holes drilled here in a day or two.
Did I hear you say you borrowed a jig to mount the hubs while you drill the rivets?
I did it ont he garage floor with a power drill and some oil.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Nah...I drilled my rivets out in my driveway where the springs are sitting. The jig is to increase the size of the holes in the hub so I can run 1/2" diameter studs. My wheels are lug-centric instead of the original hub-centric, so I thought the upgrade over the dinky old 7/16" studs would be a good idea.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
Nah...I drilled my rivets out in my driveway where the springs are sitting. The jig is to increase the size of the holes in the hub so I can run 1/2" diameter studs. My wheels are lug-centric instead of the original hub-centric, so I thought the upgrade over the dinky old 7/16" studs would be a good idea.
Ahh soo...you very smart young grass-hoppa. MMMmmmm.