Changing brake discs...

[Ian Duggan]

So I'm about to give a brake disc swap a go for the first time. I've got all the parts I need, I've read through the Haynes a few times and made sure I know roughly what I'm doing and I'm left with a couple of questions - 1) How insanely stupid would it be to tighten bolts by feel as opposed to using a torque wrench? Pretty damn stupid right? 2) When putting the front hub back on is it necessary to check the end float, even if it's the same one that came off? I haven't got a dial test indicator just now anything suitable to attach it to for that matter, but I'll get them if it's a must do. Thanks for any help / comments. Ian

[Ian Duggan]

Oh yeah, and does anybody know the size of the hub lock-nut? Going to have to buy a new socket for that bad boy.

Thanks again.

[alex_p]

Not too sure what age your LR is but they're all roughly the same.

Haynes over complicate the job by miles, you don't need any special tools. To set the end float, you tighten the 1st hub nut up by hand while rocking the disk forward and back and rotating it until there is no play but the hub still spins freely, then back the nut off a tiny bit.

You don't really need a torque wrench, just use common sense as to how tight the bolts should be. The disk to hub bolts and the caliper mounting bolts need to be quite tight for obvious reasons, and make sure you use a locking compound on those and the flange bolts.

Btw, the hub nuts are 52mm. And you need a box spanner, not a socket. Besides a 52mm socket will set you back more than both brake disks. ;)

Alex

[Ian Duggan]

Heh heh... yeah, I was just looking at them. Good heavens. Not cheap.

My Disco is a '92, which I should have mentioned right enough.

Thanks for all the info though, very helpfull indeed.

:D

[TEMPL4R]

I don't use a torque wrench unless I need to, with general bolts and nuts, I rely on my feel for them.

I would advise anyone who isn't sure to use one though. People tend to overtighten more then under tighten. There are far more threads stripped and studs/bolts snapped than things coming loose.

People usually think "I'll just give it a little more" and ......... oops.:)

Chris

[V8_Disco]

If new to this a touqe wrench is worth getting, I dont work on cars daily so I like to know thats how tight or not it should be

dont breath in the Dust!, use brake cleaner not a airline as well, + gloves. Asbestos is no longer used in Brakes but they are still not made on nice things

A

[JimAttrill]

The problem is you can't use a torque wrench on a box spanner, though we make some now which have a 1/2" drive at the end. But I don't see them on sale in the UK. Use your sense, do the nut up too much and then let it off a bit, but not so much that you can feel play. It's hard to describe, but it mustn't be loose and yet not too tight. It's a bit like how much salt to add to soup!

[Chasesdragons]

The amount of force needed needed to undo a fastner should give you an indication of the original force applied to seat it - you could use this to install the fastner back.

Lot of assumptions here including, the correct force had been used in the first place, and no knuckle-draggers or YTS trainees were involved.......:rolleyes: