I replaced the front brake pads and rotors on the GP a few months back. After removing the passenger side wheel two days ago during an oil change, something caught my eye: the rotor (Centric Premium) has retaining screw holes, one of which I lined up with a threaded hole on the aftermarket Timken wheel hub. The old rotors, which were junk, did not have retaining screw holes and from what I can find poking around online, the original rotors did not either and domestic makes do not utilize such. Should I find and install appropriately sized retaining screws or am I fine without them?
Brake rotor retaining screws
- Thread starter NMBurb02
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They are generally used during the mfg process and are not needed for most cars and trucks. Check your service manual and be sure but I have never reused them...
Leave them out.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Leave them out.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
Ditto for Hyundai.
Leave them out.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
Ditto for Hyundai.
they keep the rotors from falling off and hitting an assembly line worker. nothing more
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Leave them out.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
I always remove them, clean them grease them with a good layer of heat resistant grease( copper or ceramic to name some) and then just tighten them a little bit with a screwdriver. Then they will always come out.
Leave them out.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
I always remove them, clean them grease them with a good layer of heat resistant grease( copper or ceramic to name some) and then just tighten them a little bit with a screwdriver. Then they will always come out.
They keep the brake rotor properly indexed on the hub, and perhaps keep it from flopping about during a pad change.
I always reinstall them with anti-seize, keeping a few around to replace the ones with damaged heads or notable rust.
I understand why people just leave them off. I once reinstalled one with a damaged head and things Went Badly. Even with anti-seize, it rusted into place. I drilled out the head to replace the rotor, but never got the screw shank out of the hub.
I always reinstall them with anti-seize, keeping a few around to replace the ones with damaged heads or notable rust.
I understand why people just leave them off. I once reinstalled one with a damaged head and things Went Badly. Even with anti-seize, it rusted into place. I drilled out the head to replace the rotor, but never got the screw shank out of the hub.
The solution is that everyone should drive a Crown Vic or a Grand Marquis...Ford doesn't use retaining screws on the rotors.
Kestas
Staff member
They're useful in some designs where you remove them and use them in the 90 degree position to force a stuck rotor or drum off the mounting face.
What kind of screw heads do they have? Just curious.
If the car uses studs they are not needed, if it uses bolts it is helpful.
Kestas
Staff member
Shoz, If all lug bolts snap off, rotor or drum retention would be the least of your worries.
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
Yup. I had an 89 Accord on which I decided to replace the rotors after they had worn to their minimum thickness after 300,000 miles. Of course, the screws would not budge. I drilled off the heads and put on the new rotors without the screws. No issues at all for well over 50,000 more miles.
Honda uses them for the manufacturing process like Steve said, they can be quite a pain to remove after some years. I gotta remember to take them out on my Element before it's too late.
Yup. I had an 89 Accord on which I decided to replace the rotors after they had worn to their minimum thickness after 300,000 miles. Of course, the screws would not budge. I drilled off the heads and put on the new rotors without the screws. No issues at all for well over 50,000 more miles.
On cars with wheel studs, this is not needed, and you can leave those screws out. However, on cars that use wheel bolts, that screw is always needed. Often I would be forced to damage that screw when removing it, and the repair shops would be too cheap to supply me with a new screw.
Not needed for braking. In many cases you need a handheld impact to get them off.
+1 to what SteveSRT8 said
Some manufactures use them. As far as I know Honda, Mazda, and Porsche do. After breaking a few impact driver bits trying to properly remove them I now simply drill the [censored] things out, and in fact I do so with complete repugnance.
Since I'm not turning the car halfway upside down as it rolls along an assembly line there is no danger of the rotor falling off by itself. The 80 ft lbs of torque that holds the wheel on will do the job.
Some manufactures use them. As far as I know Honda, Mazda, and Porsche do. After breaking a few impact driver bits trying to properly remove them I now simply drill the [censored] things out, and in fact I do so with complete repugnance.
Since I'm not turning the car halfway upside down as it rolls along an assembly line there is no danger of the rotor falling off by itself. The 80 ft lbs of torque that holds the wheel on will do the job.
When I was a work at Napa, I had a customer that wanted new screws for the rotors. I told him we don't offer them. He insisted he bought them here before. I tried explaining that he didn't even need them several times but he kept insisting he did. He said it was for his daughter's car and he was worried if she had to change a flat tire, the rotor might fall off when she had the wheel off. I once again tried explaining that it's impossible for the rotor to fall off if the caliper is still installed. He still insisted on getting new screws.
I told him to go to the dealer for them.
I had a heck of a time removing those screws on my Honda. I did myself a favor and purposely did not reinstall them. The next brake job should be easier with them gone.
I had a heck of a time removing those screws on my Honda. I did myself a favor and purposely did not reinstall them. The next brake job should be easier with them gone.
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