How to Replace the Front Rotor in a 1999 Hyundai Accent

The Hyundai Accent replaced the Hyundai Excel in the 1995 model year. The 1999 Hyundai Accent was equipped with a 1.5-liter, in-line, 4-cylinder engine, capable of producing a mere 92 horsepower and 97 pound-feet of torque. The brake system on the 1999 Accent is made up of front ventilated disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The front disc brake systems on the 1999 Accent include the brake caliper, caliper bracket, brake pads and brake rotor on each side of the car.

Instructions

1

Loosen the front wheel nuts on the Accent. Lift the front of the Accent with a 2-ton jack or a jack with greater capacity. Place jack stands beneath the front sub-frame or engine cradle. Remove the wheel nuts. Then remove the wheel and tire assemblies by hand.

2

Remove the caliper mounting bolts with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket. Turn the bolts counterclockwise until they are completely free of the brake assembly. Remove the caliper halfway off of the brake assembly with a pry bar to pry the caliper loose, if necessary. Insert the tip of a pry bar into the hole on the back side of the caliper. Place the tip between the brake pad on the back of the rotor and the rotor. Pry the brake pad away from the rotor to depress the front caliper. Continue the prying procedure until the caliper cannot be compressed any further.

3

Remove the caliper from the brake assembly and hang the caliper from one of the front strut springs with a metal coat hanger or small steel rod. Remove the caliper mounting bracket bolts from behind the rotor with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket along with a 4-inch extension. Turn the bolts counterclockwise until they are removed from the brake assembly. Then remove the caliper mounting bracket by hand.

4

Remove the old rotor from the Accent by hand. Lubricate the front of the hub that the rotor rests against with grease from a caliper grease tub. Make sure the tub says "For use with disc brakes" as this is a high-temperature grease able to withstand the heat from the brake friction. Install the new rotor onto the wheel hub and put a wheel lug nut onto the face of the new rotor. The lug nut will hold the rotor in place for the rest of the brake installation.

5

Install the caliper mounting bracket back onto the brake assembly and tighten the mounting bracket bolts with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket. Visually inspect and make sure the brake pads are still mounted into the caliper bracket. If the pads have come apart from the bracket, reinstall the brake pads onto the bracket.

6

Take the caliper off of the metal hanger and reinstall the compressed caliper onto the pads and rotor assembly. Pack the caliper slide tube boots full of caliper grease. The slide tube boots are the boots through which the caliper bolts came out. Put one finger over the end of one of the boots and pack the other end full of caliper grease. Repeat this process on the second slide tube boot. Proper lubrication is essential to the brakes performing at their optimal capacity. Install the caliper mounting bolts and tighten the mounting bolts with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket. Remove the lug nut from the vehicle-.

7

Repeat Steps 2 through 6 to complete the replacement of the brake rotor on the opposite side of the Accent.

8

Reinstall the front wheels onto the Accent only when you have double-checked that you have tightened both caliper bolts and both caliper mounting bracket bolts on each side of the car. There are a total of four bolts to be tightened per side. Install the front wheel lug nuts and fit them snugly so that the wheels are flush with their mounting position. Lift the Accent with a 2-ton jack or a jack with greater capacity. Remove the jack stands from beneath the Accent. Tighten the wheel lug nuts between 85 and 95 pound-feet of torque with a certified torque wrench and wheel nut socket.