Hey everyone. My 1995 2500 7500 gvwr needs new rotors. My pads on the passenger side ate into the rotor. I was going to start replacing them tonight with parts I got from rock auto, but immediately got confused. How does the rotor come off? It doesn’t look like an ordinary brake job I’ve done. From my research, the hub needs to come off too? 3 bolts hold that on by the looks of it. Videos I’ve found on YouTube show 8800 lb trucks with the 4 bolts. The 7500lb rotors I got from rock auto don’t look the same as what’s on there. Some advice would be much appreciated!

 

I have a '96 2500 4x4 with the 8800 lb Dana 60 front, but I believe it should come off the same way, as the light duty uses a Dana 44, I believe. The center nut and cotter pin needs to be removed along with the caliper. Many folks also unbolt the bearing (those 3 bolts you referred to) and the rotor should now be removable.

 

The rotor is likely staked to the hub/bearing unit from the back side... which means, the hub needs to come off as well, then you knock the lug studs out to get the rotor off. Yeah, not my favorite design.......

 

holy smokes what a design. I’ve had this truck 17 years, only done brakes once before but I had someone do it. So the rotor sits between the hub and lug stud head? Good thing I’ve got a press to get the studs out and in.

 

A press really isn't required, but certainly is nice to have. I just used a punch and hammer to knock the studs out of the old rotor and a drift and hammer to knock the studs back in to the new rotor.

 

thanks. Doesn’t sound as bad now. Just a pain and horrible design.

 

I would disagree, When i put new rotors on mine(2500/8800) there was no way they would go in all the way by beating them with bfh. Had to use the press to get then in all the way.
The 7500's are a bit skinnier width wise compared to to the 8800. What's different about them?

 

On my '96 Ram 2500 4x4 with a Dana 60 front axle, when I installed new rotors and hub bearings, I made a wood jig with 8 holes for the new studs to protrude into while I beat them in with an old Ford kingpin and a BFH. I had no issue getting the studs and fully seated while my press collected dust. I believe the 8800# studs are larger at the base and knurl.

 

the rotors I’ve replaced in the past on other vehicles have just the holes for the studs and the center of the hub. These rotors I bought has the center of them basically wide open, like no lug holes. The hole is star shaped for lack of better words, but like 8 lug star shaped. I guess I don’t know what the old ones look like until I get them off.