How to Change the Brake Rotors on a Chevy Blazer
by Jody L. CampbellUpdated November 07, 2017Items you will need
1/2 inch drive breaking bar
Floor Jack
Jack Stand
Wheel Chock
Variety of 1/2 inch drive deep sockets
3/8 inch drive 3/8 inch hex head socket or 3/8 inch Allen wrench
3/8 inch ratchet (to use with 3/8 inch hex head socket
Large straight edged screwdriver or medium angled pry bar
Hammer
Medium grade sand paper
Canned brake clean
Shop rag
C-clamp or large pair of channel locks
1/2 inch drive adjustable torque wrench
You can replace your own brake rotors on your Chevy Blazer provided you have the proper tools. This can save you a great deal of money on labor charges from your local service station. For whatever reason you need to replace the rotors, allow about 30 to 60 minutes per side in order to take off the old ones and replace them with new ones.
How to Change the Brake Rotors on a Chevy Blazer
Park the Blazer on a flat, level surface. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the right in order to work on the left front wheel and reverse procedure for the right side. Place the Blazer in park and shut the key off.
Place a wheel chock behind one or both rear tires. Using the 1/2 inch drive breaking bar and appropriate sized deep socket, crack the lug nuts loose. Lift the vehicle with a floor jack and place a jack stand under the bottom control arm below the shock absorber.
Squeeze the piston of the caliper in by placing the large screwdriver or medium angle pry bar in between the rotor and the caliper. Do this slowly until the caliper has movement on the slides. Squeeze it in as far as you can.
Remove caliper bolts using 3/8 inch socket and 3/8 inch hex head socket or 3/8 inch Allen wrench. Place caliper up on top of upper control arm and rest on upper ball joint.
Remove caliper bridge bolts using the breaking bar and appropriate sized 1/2 inch drive socket.
Remove the old rotor. If this does not come loose on the hub, you may very well have to hammer the rotor off being careful not to hit the fender well. Hit the exposed area of the rotor from behind and in front.
Clean the hub as best you can with a medium grade sand paper. Try to clean most of any present rust along the edge of the hub and on the face of the hub by lug studs.
Clean new rotor with canned brake clean and a shop rag to remove rust preventative coating. Be liberal and clean thoroughly.
Place new rotor on hub. Replace caliper bridge and tighten as tight as you can with breaking bar.
Replace caliper over rotor and be sure you do not twist the brake hose incorrectly. If caliper does not go on, you may need to remove the pads and squeeze the piston in further with a C-clamp or a large pair of channel locks. Do not force it on if it does not fit easily. Tighten.
Replace tire and tighten lug nuts as tight as you can get them with the wheel raised. Remove the jack stand and lower vehicle and torque the lug nuts to 100 foot pounds in an alternate sequence.
Repeat procedure for the other side.
Pump up the brake pedal to restore hydraulic pressure to the caliper pistons. Remove wheel chock. Test drive.
Tips
It is generally recommended when replacing rotors to replace the pads as well. They're fairly inexpensive and most come with a lifetime warranty. This gives the surface of the new rotor a new pad to seat against or break into with to avoid warping the new rotor or waiting for the old pad to seat properly.
Warnings
Make sure to pump the brake pedal to restore the hydraulic pressure back to the caliper pistons. If you try to test drive without doing this, you will have no brake pedal and will have to pump rapidly in order to restore the hydraulic pressure. Depending on what obstacles may be in the way, this could result in a potentially dangerous situation.
Writer Bio
Jody L. Campbell spent over 15 years as both a manager and an under-car specialist in the automotive repair industry. Prior to that, he managed two different restaurants for over 15 years. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book.
