How to Take off a Mazda MPV's Brake Rotors

You don't have to pay a brake installation center to remove the rotors from your Mazda MPV, provided you have some automotive repair tools and mechanical skills. Considering what these repair facilities charge per hour for labor, you can remove both of the rotors from your MPV in the same amount of time they would charge you.

Instructions

1

Park the Mazda MPV on a level, paved surface. Apply the parking brake. Place a wheel chock behind one of the rear tires.

2

Break the lug nuts loose on the two front tires (if you're removing both rotors). Lift the left front quarter with the floor jack and place the jack stand in a safe spot under the frame. Lift the right side (if desired) to suspend the entire front axle. Remove the lug nuts and wheels.

3

Place the flat-head screwdriver or pry bar into the front porthole of the caliper and compress the caliper piston by prying the outboard pad inward against the rotor until the piston bottoms out. Remove the two caliper anchor bolts on the back side of the knuckle. These will be in the knuckle extremely tight. Use the breaker bar and a 21 mm socket to start, then switch to the ratchet to speed things up. Pry the caliper assembly from the rotor and support it to the coil spring using a bungee cord.

4

Remove the retaining screw on the hub face of the rotor. This may or may not be present on some year models, or it may have been removed once and not replaced. If it's there, use the impact screwdriver with the Phillips head bit in reverse and strike the head of the screwdriver with the hammer until the screw breaks free.

5

Remove the rotor. If the rotor is rusted to the hub, put on safety glasses and spray lubricant around the hub of the rotor, and in behind it. If you're reusing the rotor, strike it with a rubber mallet with force on the plated fin. Strike it from the inside outward and turn the rotor 1/4 turn between strikes until it breaks free. If you're replacing the rotor, you can use the regular hammer in the same fashion, but it will be more effective because you won't have to be as delicate.

6

Repeat Steps 3 through 5 for the right-side rotor if desired. To replace the rotors, reverse the procedures. Be sure to tighten the caliper anchor bolts very tightly, to torque the front lug nuts between 80 and 90 foot pounds with the adjustable torque wrench, and to pump the foot brake pedal to restore hydraulic pressure to the front compressed caliper pistons. Failure to remember that is extremely hazardous. Don't forget to release the parking brake and remove the wheel chock when you're through.