How do I replace my front rotors?

[ColdFlame53]

I have a 1991 Festiva couldnt find exactly how to do it on the forum any tips and tricks would be appreciated I need to chnage them before work on Monday

[Bert]

You pretty much have to undo the tie rods and ball joints to pull the knuckles off, and undo the driveaxles in order to get at the back bolts that hold the hub and rotors on. Good time to regrease bearings while you're in there!
Somewhere down the road (if you're in this for the long haul) you might want to start scouting around for an Aspire suspension and brakes; those rotors are not only bigger and better (they're vented) but can be replaced in a jiffy. Calipers off and two hold down screws and viola you have the rotor in your hand. Not at all the ornery operation of trying to do Festy rotors.

[ColdFlame53]

About how long would this take do you think?

[Damkid]

The festiva brakes are a stupid design, the rotors bolt to the hub from the back side and of course the bolts are not accessible without pulling the hub out of the knuckle

I've once took off the axle nut and managed to pull the hub apart to change a rotor without taking the knuckle off the car like happy Bert suggested

By upgrading to aspire brakes like Bert also suggested, it makes rotor changes much much easier, but that's a bigger job then just a rotor change lol

[jaketlong11]

still haven't changed mine lol its been since April.

[WmWatt]

Tighten the rotor bolts well. I had a set work loose and could not find the source of the noise because they are so well hidden.

[Bert]

The operative word here is "Aspire". As functional cars Aspires were a manufacturing/marketing dud; underpowered, homely and effeminate, but as upgrade mechanical donors for Festy projects they turned out to be the cat's posterior.
Festys feature a bunch of primitive engineering, and captive/solid rotor front brakes is one of the big ones. Escaping from 4 x 114 wheel pattern and 12 inch rims is another.

[TominMO]

The operative word here is "Aspire". As functional cars Aspires were a manufacturing/marketing dud; underpowered, homely and effeminate, but as upgrade mechanical donors for Festy projects they turned out to be the cat's posterior.
Festys feature a bunch of primitive engineering, and captive/solid rotor front brakes is one of the big ones. Escaping from 4 x 114 wheel pattern and 12 inch rims is another.

Agree with Bert, but am distressed to find out I'm effeminate......:-0

[Bert]

How do I replace my front rotors?

Agree with Bert, but am distressed to find out I'm effeminate......:-0

Sorry Tom. Puff up your chest and beat on it loudly! Just keeping one of these cars alive (whether Festy or Aspire) after 20 years in the rust belt is something to really sing about.
Just last week some ***hole walked up to our national war memorial and popped the sentry with a 94 Winchester. How much more "retro" can you get?
Mind you 'suicide by cop' doesn't distinguish whether it's an airgun, toy or full auto.

[ColdFlame53]

Specifics on how to get the hub and everything off

[Damkid]

Specifics on how to get the hub and everything off

They're basically pressed it, however I once separated the hub by beating the hell out of the rotor with a hammer until it eventually separated the hub.... I figured I was putting new rotors on anyway so beating the rotors didn't matter if I damaged anything lol

[ColdFlame53]

Than thats the plan! Thank you ill be performing the brakes tommorow if worse comes to worse im just gonna throw new pads on till i can get the money to bring er to a mechanic

[Damkid]

I wouldn't recommend beating on the rotor though if you're gunna end up re-using them

[scitzz]

Ok. First, remove the steering knuckle entirely. Second, from the backside, find a large socket that snugly fits where the axle goes through the knuckle. Third, lock the knuckle into a vise or a reasonable facsimile. Put an extension on the socket, fit it into the knuckle. Hit that bad boy a few times with a bfh. Knuckle separates. Keep track of that blasted spacer. Four bolts remove the rotor. Replace, pack bearings, replace spacer. Hammer knuckle back together. It's not going to spin freely, separate it and try again. Rinse and repeat until it turns in your hands without grunting. Install. Best I can say from my phone.

Running around outside the asylum again with my tappy talky appy

[scitzz]

How did the job go?
Running around outside the asylum again with my tappy talky appy