Changing front captive rotors. Is this something i can do?

[zedjr10]

Ok i watched a few videos on changing front captive rotors. Seen so far 2 methods done. Removing the entire knuckle assembly and upper control arm and the other way that bangs it thru i guess you call it. I have a decent clue(not really) of what i have to do to replace my front rotors. I want to do this myself but i have restrictions. I have to do this in a parking lot and can't leave it overnight. Or i can do this in my apartment parking spot doing one side at a time using a center floor jack and side car jack(can't put it up on jack stands). I also have a slight slant on parking spot. If i can do one at a time without putting car on two jack stands and not banging for prolonged periods of time i can do it in my apartment parking spot. I am also slow as hell doing something for the first time.I have a few questions. I had a mechanic recently change my front drivers side hub and both front lower ball joints. Would i even need an air or electric hammer to change the front rotors. Shouldn't the hard parts come right off. It does get dark late but if i have to hammer the shit out of something for 3 hours i might collapse. No way a cordless 20v will do this(i returned that tool last week anyways). I would also need an air hammer for preferred method(neighbor might have one). I haven't changed the passengers side wheel hub and it might not last the ordeal. Is this correct. What about the new drivers side wheel hub. Will it be ok. Does it matter if it is new or not. Also is there another way of changing these rotors. I am aware of there is a way of converting them to the more standard design but can't do it. Any help is appreciated.

['93CB7Ex]

if you dont have the proper space, i wouldnt take on that project. i replaced a clutch in a tsx in an apartment parking lot working on it late into nights and it wasnt fun. i replaced captive rotors once on a 95 accord, i took the entire knuckle off and beat the bearing out of the knuckle and then separated the rotor from hub/bearing. its not a bad job, but if the previous mechanic hammered the axle nut with an impact, thats gonna be difficult to remove by itself. also, if you do take the whole knuckle off, be careful not to damage the boots on the ball joints. if they get holes n shit, they wont work good for very long. i changed mine to 5 lug to eliminate that problem. but its not very often to change rotors so that wouldnt be very effective for you i dont think.

[Fleetw00d]

I have always removed the knuckle (separated both ball joints using a puller, not a hammer); then used a slave set of longer bolts into the bearing assembly to hammer the bearing/hub/rotor assembly out of the knuckle. Technically, Honda recommends that the four bolts holding the bearing assembly to the knuckle be replaced. Note that the original ones are a 12 point 10 mm head. Honda has a replacement bolt with a larger hex head. The driver side should come out of the knuckle fairly easily (assuming your mechanic cleaned things up while he had them apart) without needing an air hammer. The passenger side might be a different story. Do the driver side first so you know how things are supposed to go. Do one side at a time; it shouldn't be an issue to have one side changed and not the other for a brief time.

Last question (maybe should have been first); are you sure they need to be replaced? I ran the original rotors on Ruby until 273,000 miles. I was able to just clean the faces up each time I changed pads (about every 90,000 miles) with a Scotchbrite disc on my drill while having the car rotate the rotor. I only changed them when I the bearings started going bad.

Changing them to rotor over hub requires different hubs and rotors (for example 98-99 Acura 2.3 CL).

[zedjr10]

I have always removed the knuckle (separated both ball joints using a puller, not a hammer); then used a slave set of longer bolts into the bearing assembly to hammer the bearing/hub/rotor assembly out of the knuckle. Technically, Honda recommends that the four bolts holding the bearing assembly to the knuckle be replaced. Note that the original ones are a 12 point 10 mm head. Honda has a replacement bolt with a larger hex head. The driver side should come out of the knuckle fairly easily (assuming your mechanic cleaned things up while he had them apart) without needing an air hammer. The passenger side might be a different story. Do the driver side first so you know how things are supposed to go. Do one side at a time; it shouldn't be an issue to have one side changed and not the other for a brief time.

Last question (maybe should have been first); are you sure they need to be replaced? I ran the original rotors on Ruby until 273,000 miles. I was able to just clean the faces up each time I changed pads (about every 90,000 miles) with a Scotchbrite disc on my drill while having the car rotate the rotor. I only changed them when I the bearings started going bad.

Changing them to rotor over hub requires different hubs and rotors (for example 98-99 Acura 2.3 CL).

To answer your question yes i am sort of sure. I drove my car this past weekend and my steering wheel vibrated heavily upon braking at 50 or above. My rear rotors and pads were just changed(easy as hell) a few months ago. My brakes are squishy as hell also. Got some SS lines too along with hawk brake pads. I got 2 young kids so got to have safe car. Guy before that owned this car never did anything to car(has almost been totally mechanically restored it seems,lol). You think this is something i can do? There is one spare parking space next to me so ill have room.

[edit] Ok not so sure i can just machine them while still on car. I should check that first. Just never thought changing rotors would be so much trouble to make me want to machine them on car. Which i had no ideal that was even possible. It is a bad wobble in wheel at light braking going 50mpg(car has 246k miles) so am really assuming the front rotors are end of life. Rear ones are new. I guess i should check first though. Maybe previous owner changed them(very doubtful).

[zedjr10]

if you dont have the proper space, i wouldnt take on that project. i replaced a clutch in a tsx in an apartment parking lot working on it late into nights and it wasnt fun. i replaced captive rotors once on a 95 accord, i took the entire knuckle off and beat the bearing out of the knuckle and then separated the rotor from hub/bearing. its not a bad job, but if the previous mechanic hammered the axle nut with an impact, thats gonna be difficult to remove by itself. also, if you do take the whole knuckle off, be careful not to damage the boots on the ball joints. if they get holes n shit, they wont work good for very long. i changed mine to 5 lug to eliminate that problem. but its not very often to change rotors so that wouldnt be very effective for you i dont think.

I wasn't going to attempt the remove knuckle and UCA methodology. I think too much room for error or just would wear me out doing. Also would need an air hammer i think. I thought the other method was easier. Is this wrong? Maybe also i should just get a passengers side wheel bearing? I am still a little confused on the two methods, will have to watch some videos over next couple days. My mechanic wants 250 to do this. I can't imagine he would charge that much more to replace my brake hoses with ss lines i have. Maybe it is worth it. Won't get parts till this weekend so i got time to think about it.

[zedjr10]

Found a mechanic in denver who has that honda rotor/hub remover and will do rotors for 75 bucks. Woohoo. Glad i don't have to do this now.

['93CB7Ex]

^ good plan haha.