How to Replace the Front Brake Rotors on a Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is manufactured with front disk brakes which use a pressurized hydraulic caliper to apply friction to a spinning rotor with pad material. The rotor must be resurfaced or replaced at regular intervals. The average backyard mechanic can replace the rotor on a Civic in about thirty minutes.

Instructions

1

Lift the Civic at the wheel by placing the floor jack head underneath a frame rail and pumping the lever until the wheel is in the air. Place a jack stand on the frame rail, near the head of the floor jack for support. Remove the wheel by turning the lug nuts counterclockwise. Place the wheel aside.

2

Inspect the brakes for damage or debris, then remove the caliper by turning the twin rear mount bolts counterclockwise. Once removed, the caliper will slide off of the rotor. Secure it to the control arm and do not allow it to dangle by the brake lines. The pads will come out by hand or can be gently pried out with a screwdriver. The caliper pistons may require a clamp to prevent them from expanding, but this procedure includes opening the system at the master cylinder and the pistons will not give much resistance to compression during installation.

3

Pull the rotor free of the hub. Without the caliper to hold it in place the rotor will pull directly away from the brake assembly. Resurface the rotor and reuse it if the material meets the safety guidelines for thickness. The machine shop that would be turning the rotor can measure it before resurfacing it.

4

Position the new or resurfaced rotor on the hub. Place new friction pads in the caliper and slide the caliper back on the rotor. Turn the rear mount bolts clockwise to secure the caliper.

5

Locate the purge nipple on the back of the caliper and turn it counterclockwise to open the fluid system for draining. Place a drain pan underneath the nipple to catch the fluid. Open the master cylinder, located underneath the hood at the driver's side firewall, and pour in brake fluid while pressing the brake pedal (this may require two people). Most models have a translucent master cylinder with a black cap that either pops off or turns counterclockwise. The fluid will flow out to the open nipple, pushing the air and any contaminated fluid out with it. When the fluid is clean and does not have bubbles in it, close the nipple by turning it clockwise. Top off the master cylinder with the correct amount of fluid.

6

Replace the wheel by turning the lug nuts clockwise, in an alternating pattern. Move the jack stand and lower the car from the floor jack by turning the pressure screw counterclockwise.

7

Repeat the entire procedure on the opposite wheel.