Can anyone tell me how to get the plate that is right in front of the rotor off. I can't get my rotors off and need to replace my brakes tonight. Thanks to anybody that can help

 

The plate infront of your rotors? Please explain, what does it look like that is holding it on?

 

im thinkin he is talking about the dust covers on the rear brakes

if so have you removed the rear tires?

 

Green Machine, you're gonna needs pictures. A Haynes or Chilton book where you buy your parts will get you started in the right direstion. Check Geno's for a proper Factory Service Manual so you can get more knowledgable about your Dodge/Cummins for future projects..

 

I don't know what kind of rotors he would have in the rear though. Those should be drums...thats what im confused about

 

Unless you are just changing front pads...I dont think youll get this done tonight. And I too am assuming that you are talking about the dust shield BEHIND the rotors.

Are you replacing/changing out the front rotors? I have pretty good pics and can go into some detail if you are replacing the rotors.

Please provide more details.

 

are you talking about the front of the hub that the studs go through? if so, y ou either have to buy the whole piece, or punch out your old studs, and re punch them back into the new rotor and old hub.

unless your talking about your drums in the back. i'd suggest a chiltons though, 17.99 well spent dollars

 

If you're talking about the front discs, the "plate" is the mounting flange on the rotor. You need to loosen the four 12 pt bolts on the reverse side of the steering knuckle, then somehow force the hub off.

Here's a tip: Make sure you do this with a 12pt socket and extension bar with a lifetime question-free warranty (e.g. craftsman) - you may well damage them (also, those bolts need a fair amount of torque to go on/come off, so you need good tools).
-> put the socket+extension on a bolt (I believe upper forward worked) and rotate the bolt (keeping as many threads as possible in the hub) so it will hit something solid (but not deflect to the side) when the steering knuckle turns in.
-> Make sure your front axle is VERY WELL BRACED.
-> Get in truck
-> Turn on engine (may be unnecessary)
-> Turn steering to direction that will squish extension
-> Do this slowly, checking frequently. It will not appear to loosen it (it won't be loose to the touch, but you should be able to use more conventional tools to convince it to come off)

The things are a pain in the ****, I'm about to have to pull my third hub, and figured this out on the second one. Be careful and of course, you assume all risk.

Getting the studs out/in sucks without a shop press. That's how I did it. I think getting them out was okay, but I had a press handy, so I forget.

 

Nice post Scott....Edmonton eh? Youll have to come out to our next get together.

Green Machine, heres a pic that might help (rotor and dust shields are already removed and ready for the new rotor):



So, in a nutshell, you remove the bolts on the back of the rotor, then push/pound the rotor off the knuckle, then remove the big nut. At which point the rotor/hub assembly will come off the truck. You then pound/press out the studs from the rotor. The hub should now slide out of the old rotor. Remove the hub, clean it up and reinstall into the new rotor. Use a bunch of washers and an impact to suck the studs into the new rotors. Reverse the removal procedure and you just saved yourself a bunch of cash...(make sure you use a good amount of antiseize when you reassemble).

If you do a search for rotors and youll find all kinds of good info. I just finished replacing my rotors and am working on the brakes at the moment. Follow Scotts advice and it will be relatively easy. Youll need a good supply of PENETRATING oil (Im told Kroil or PB Blaster is the best), a 1 & 11/16" socket for the big nut on the spindle, and hopefully you have a compressor and 1/2" impact at your disposal, and a 15mm 12 point socket (no a 6 point wont work).

Be careful to not pull the stub axle out too far, you can damage the seal in the diff.

I tried using the socket/PS pump method to push the rotors off but it didnt work for me. I was replacing the rotors anyway, so we massaged ()the rotors off with 5 pound hammers. Do NOT take the big nut off until you seperate the rotor from the steering knuckle. Reason being, you do NOT want the bearing to seperate.

If you have any more questions, fire away. . You can get an idea from the pics below:

 

Oooh, I'm new here... to the forum that is.

When/where/who on the get togethers? I'm excited.

 

Welcome....then.

Just missed a dyno day in Feb.

Check the regional threads....

 

Cool! I'll keep an eye on those.

Thanks! Congrats on the truck of the month win, by the way.

 

thanks alot for the help guys i finally got the hub off by removing the four 12 point bolts on the back. in the process of replacing my rotors the u drive axle did get pulled too far and some black gear oil came spewing out what do you suggest i do from here and what things do i need to lube up. i haven't done my front driver side brakes yet so i'm only going to get better at it

 

I would put a new axle seal in there now.

 

If its the seal on the CAD side you can replace it from inside the CAD housing using a long piece of all-thread and some nuts and washers to drive it into the axle.
Honestly Id clean up the shaft and re-insert it carefully and assume its ok until proven otherwise. Some residual oil will drip out, so keep an eye on the fill level so you can tell if its extra oil leaking.
safest way to get the bearing unit out to replace the rotors is to leave the large nut on (you dont want to split the bearing unit with the force applied), loosen the 4 12-points on the back and use a socket extension between one of em and something solid on the axle. Turn the steering wheel and use it like a press (Thanks Infidel) to drive the bearing unit out.
If you remove the studs, you probably want to drive them in with the lugnuts and an impact wrench versus a hammer and punch. They loosen up later if you dont.