How do you change a rear rotor on a 2004 Kia Optima?

Answer 1

Usually first you need a jack, a jackstand, a lug wrench, a ratchet set, new pads and new rotors. 1. Loosen the lugnuts. Do not take them all the way off until you have the car supported. 2. Jack up the rear of the car using the manufacturers recommended jack point. 3. The most important step!!!!! Never work on your car when it is on a jack!!! The whole car could fall and not only injure you, but the parts list gets pretty expensive. INSTALL A JACKSTAND! If you don't have one, then use a cinderblock on another jackpoint. Dont use the axel shafts, you WILL bend them and possibly the axel too. 4. Remove the lugnuts from the wheel. 5. Remove the wheel. 6. Locate the caliper assembly. It should look like it's holding the rotor on, it is. There should be 2 bolts that hold the caliper on to the caliper bracket. They are usually pretty large and long. Remove these 2 bolts and the caliper should come out. 7. The rotor should now slide right off the lugstuds. Assembly is the reverse but make sure to replace the pads too. If the caliper won't fit over the rotor again, just press the caliper piston (Inside the caliper it's a large metal circle with a rubber seal on it) until you have enough room to slide the caliper on the rotor. Make sure to break in the rotors as per the manufacurers recomendation. Usually a series of starts and sudden stops, gradually increasing speed . This is very important to keep the rotors from warping.