How to Remove Rotors From a 1979 Blazer 4X4

The front brake rotors on a 1979 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4 are a critical component of the braking system. The rotors spin with the wheel hub, and to stop the SUV, the brake calipers clamp down the brake pads onto the rotors, slowing it down. After thousands of miles of driving, the rotors wear down and must be resurfaced or replaced. Doing so involves taking apart the front end of the Blazer, including disassembling the wheel hubs.

Instructions

1

Park the Blazer on a level surface, and set the parking brake. Lift the front wheels off the ground with a jack, and put jack stands beneath the front axle. Remove the front wheels with a tire iron.

2

Unbolt the brake calipers from the front axle, and pull them away from the brake rotor. Hang the calipers from the frame using a J-hook.

3

Place the tip of a flathead screwdriver in the gap between the dust cap in the center of the wheel hub and the rotor, and tap the back of the screwdriver with a hammer to pop off the cap. Unbolt the retaining ring bolts around the wheel hub with a 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, and pull it off the hub.

4

Remove the snap ring on the inside of the hub using snap-ring pliers. Take out the outer clutch retaining ring with the pliers as well, then pull out the cam body.

5

Remove the snap ring holding the axle shaft in place using the snap-ring pliers. Take out the hub body assembly and the rotor at the same time from the front axle.