Ford Festiva Rotor Removal

The procedure for removing brake rotors on a Ford Festiva does not differ at all from removing them on other Ford economy cars. With some basic tools and skills, you should have little trouble removing your own rotors--which in turn will lower your cars maintenance costs.

Preparation

Park your car on a flat surface, and apply the parking brake to ensure the car will not move. Use a Ford jack to lift up the appropriate wheel for the rotor you wish to remove. If you have jack stands, insert them underneath the axle for additional safety. Remove the four lug nuts using a Ford lug wrench, and take off the tire to expose the braking hub. If you are removing a rotor on one of the front wheels, it helps to turn the steering wheel--which will expose the brake caliper, thus making it more accessible.

Removal

Locate the two spring clamps on top of the brake caliper that secure the brake pads, and compress them with your hand and slide them out. Use a 17 mm wrench to remove the two bolts holding the caliper bracket to the spindle, and carefully remove the entire caliper bracket. Slide the caliper off the wheel hub and set it out of the way, being careful not to stretch or damage the brake line. A plastic tie can be helpful to temporarily attach the caliper to the spindle, which will hold it out of the way. Another option is to rest the caliper on a small box, which also prevents ground contact and brake line damage.

There are two screws securing the rotor in place that are located inside the rotor close to the axles. It is possible that these two screws have become seized up and difficult to remove. If you cannot turn them with a Phillips-head screwdriver, set an impact driver to counterclockwise to remove the screws. Then the rotor will easily slide off the spindle. Repeat this process for the remaining rotors on your Festiva.