How to Remove the Front Brake Rotors on a 1994 Mazda Protege

In 1990, Mazda released a new entry-level sedan to its lineup, the Protege. The original Protege featured hard body lines and a somewhat boxy appearance. In 1994 -- the final year before Mazda redesigned the Protege -- the entry-level sedan came standard with a 103-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. A set of ventilated disc brakes had the responsibility for bringing the Protege to a halt. Over time, or due to excessive pad wear, the brake rotor can become too thin to be safe and requires replacement. The Protege has a slightly unorthodox rotor removal process, but not more difficult than other and more common rotor replacements.

Instructions

1

Open the Protege's hood, and unscrew the cap from the master cylinder reservoir. Siphon about half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder using a clean turkey baster. Transfer this fluid to a small container.

2

Loosen the front lug nuts using a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the Protege off the ground using a floor jack. Slide jack stands under the Mazda's subframe, and lower the vehicle onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the front wheels from the vehicle..

3

Look on the front part of the caliper and find the brake pad access hole on the caliper. Find the "W" spring on the outermost part of the brake pad access hole. Pull the "W" spring from the holes in the two pad-retaining pins.

4

Pull the two pad-retaining pins from the caliper using needle-nose pliers. Squeeze the "M" spring -- the M-shaped metal spring -- on the inside of the brake pad access hole, and pull the spring from the brake pads and caliper. Slide the brake pads out of the caliper through the brake pad access hole.

5

Remove the two caliper-retaining bolts using a ratchet and socket, and pull the caliper off the steering knuckle. Set the inner pad inside the caliper, so it contacts the caliper piston. Position an 8-inch C-clamp over the caliper, so the fixed part of the clamp touches the rear of the caliper and the screw part touches the brake pad. Tighten the C-clamp until the brake pad stops moving. Loosen the C-clamp and remove it from the caliper.

6

Remove the rotor retaining screw using a Phillips screwdriver -- if the screw doesn't turn, lightly tap its head with a hammer to free it first. Grab the rotor, and pull it off the Protege's hub. If the rotor does not pull off easily, lightly strike the rear of it with a rubber mallet to free it.

7

Set a new rotor on the Protege's hub, lining up the screw hole on the rotor with that on the hub. Tighten the rotor retaining screw with a Phillips screwdriver.

8

Set the caliper back on the Protege's front steering knuckle and hand-tighten the caliper-retaining bolts. Tighten the caliper-retaining bolts from 29 to 36 foot-pounds using a torque wrench and a socket.

9

Slide new brake pads through the brake pad access hole on the caliper. Squeeze the "M" spring, and line up the ears of the "M" spring in the hole in the top center of both brake pads. Slowly release the "M" spring until the ears insert into the holes.

10

Slide the pad retaining pins through the holes in the caliper, through the holes in the brake pads and through the hooked part of the "M" spring. Rotate the pad retaining pins until the small holes on the outside part of the pins face the brake pad access hole in the caliper.

11

Insert each end of the "W" spring into the holes on the outside of the pad retaining pins -- you may need to rotate the pins slightly to line up the pins with the holes.

12

Repeat Steps 3 through 11 to replace the brake pads on the other side of the Protege.

13

Set the wheels back on the Protege's front hubs and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the Protege off the jack stands using a floor jack, and remove the jack stands. Lower the Mazda to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts from 65 to 87 foot-pounds -- in a crisscrossing pattern -- using a torque wrench and socket.

14

Press and release the brake pedal repeatedly until it feels firm. Check the brake fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir. Add DOT 3 brake fluid until the fluid level reaches the "Max" line on the reservoir. Tighten the master cylinder lid onto the master cylinder reservoir.

15

Take the container of old brake fluid to an automotive fluid recycling center. Some auto parts stores take old brake fluid free of charge.