BMW E46 Rear Brake Disc Replacement

friendface · 20-07-2011 9:11pm #1

Hi , just wondering if anyone can help with a problem I've been having. I'm trying to remove the rear (passenger side) brake disc/rotor from my 2001 e46. I've been following an online guide and got to the stage of removing the rotor locator bolt. However, I'm having no luck removing the rotor itself.

Initially I thought rust was the problem so I gave it a few belts with a hammer. However, I then grabbed the rotor to try to pull it out and it seems to be held back in the centre. Every time I pull at it, something drags it back into place. I've disabled the parking brake but this could be sticking, could that be the problem? It's like theres a cable of magnet dragging it back every time I go to pull it out. Any ideas on where I'm going wrong. Any help is greatly appreciated

MacGyver · 20-07-2011 9:18pm

its possible the brake shoes are catching on a rim inside the rotor. I think the adjuster is at the two o'clock position and you'll need to undo it a bit to get the shoes out of the way. you'll need to adjust it again anyway once the new rotor is on

Nissan doctor · 20-07-2011 9:18pm

The lip on the inner drum will be catching on the handbrake shoes. You need to slacken back the adjustment on the brake shoes which is usually done through one of the wheel bolt holes.

Don't try to force it or you could damage the spring/retaining mechanisms.

friendface · 20-07-2011 9:38pm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

The lip on the inner drum will be catching on the handbrake shoes. You need to slacken back the adjustment on the brake shoes which is usually done through one of the wheel bolt holes.

Don't try to force it or you could damage the spring/retaining mechanisms.

Thanks for the responses, can you give any advice on how to go about performing this adjustment / link to description if you know of one. First time brake job, looked a lot easier in the video

I suppose it always does. Hope we didn't damage the spring mechanism like you said, as we did try to heavy-hand it out.

Oops

Nissan doctor · 20-07-2011 9:46pm

friendface wrote: »

Thanks for the responses, can you give any advice on how to go about performing this adjustment / link to description if you know of one. First time brake job, looked a lot easier in the video I suppose it always does. Hope we didn't damage the spring mechanism like you said, as we did try to heavy-hand it out. Oops

In the pic below the disk is already removed but the adjuster should be very similar to this, use a flat head screw driver through the hole to wind the adjuster down untill the disk is free.

friendface · 20-07-2011 10:24pm

Thanks again. I may have made a bigger mistake, I looked for the adjusting screws and found two 6mm allen head crews which I untightened. This caused them to spring out of place and I can no longer see the above adjuster through the lug holes. Have I just screwed myself. I have no idea what I released. The disc became looser but not free. Also the handbrake still works when applied.

friendface · 20-07-2011 11:01pm

It's okay, just sorted it out. Turns out the hex screws released the parking brake from the hub assembly which made the star-shaped screw more difficult to locate. Found it and kept rotating it clockwise til the parking brake released. Delighted, hopefully the parts all arrive tomorrow and I can get this fixed

Thanks for all the help guys.

BMW E46 Rear Brake Disc Replacement

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