How to Change the Front Rotors on a 1994 Geo Metro Car

The brake system of a 1994 Geo Metro consists of a set of brake pads that are pressed against metal discs, called rotors, to stop the vehicle. Overtime, the friction created can make the rotors too thin and they must be replaced. Geo provides minimum specifications for the front rotors, so determining when to replace them is easy. When fitted with a vented rotor, the minimum thickness is 0.590 inches; a solid rotor is 0.315 inches. Failure to comply with these minimum specifications may lead to additional brake damage, even complete brake failure.

Instructions

Place the Metro in park or reverse, depending if it's a manual or automatic transmission. Place the wheel chocks behind the rear wheels and set the parking brake.

Loosen the Metro's front lug nuts, but do not remove them.

Raise the front of the vehicle, with the floor jack, and secure it by placing jack stands beneath it. Make certain to position the jack stands under a solid component of the vehicle, the sub-frame -- directly below the engine -- is a good area. Lower the floor jack so the Metro's weight is solely on the jack stands.

Remove the front lug nuts and pull the wheels from the vehicle.

Remove the upper and lower caliper bolts, located on the rear of the caliper. Pull the caliper up and away from the brake rotor. Hang the brake caliper from a suspension component, using the bungee strap.

Remove the cotter pin, located on the shaft that protrudes from the caliper and hub, by straightening the "legs" on the end and pulling it out of the hole in the shaft. Loosen and remove the castle-nut -- nut with notches in the top -- from the shaft, using a ratchet and socket.

Loosen and remove the four bolts holding the hub to the brake rotor. Place the slide hammer on the wheel studs -- the bolts the lug nuts thread onto -- and hand-tighten lug nuts on the studs going through the slide hammer.

Remove the hub from the rotor by repeatedly sliding the hammer until the hub comes loose. Be careful not to place your fingers in the way of the slide hammer, this can cause a great deal of pain. Remove the slide hammer from the hub.

Pull the rotor from the vehicle. Place a thin coat of multi-purpose grease on the splines on the shaft.

Place the new rotor on the vehicle and place the hub on the rotor, make certain that the splines on the shaft line up with the notches in the hub. Tighten these bolts to 37 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and a socket.

Install the castle-nut on the shaft and tighten it to 129 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and a socket. Place the new cotter pin through a notch on the castle-nut and through the hole in the shaft. Bend the "legs" of the cotter pin in opposite directions to lock it into place.

Place the caliper on the new rotor and tighten the upper and lower bolts to 17 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and a socket.

Repeat Steps 5 through 12 for the rotor on the other side.

Place the front wheels on the vehicle and hand-tighten the lug nuts.

Raise the Metro from the jack stands, using the floor jack. Remove the jack stands and lower the Metro to the ground.

Tighten the front lug nuts to 50 foot-pounds of, using the torque wrench and a socket.