Late last week these arrived
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... &viewitem=
Delivered to my door in the burb just west of Toronto. Ordered these from Barkemotive – Ebay seller. The total cost with shipping and handling was $284.95 – USD (115 for shipping (Chicago to Ontario) and 169.95 for four rotors, and a complete set of pads.
I had to buy these online; I could not find any one in my area that carried these.
Most of the people I talked to were quite dismissive when they found out I was buying these for an M35x.
The kids that work the phones at these tuner shops have little to no respect for older more civilized drivers who know what they are talking about and are very specific with what we need, my problem, I do not drive a $2,000 Honda civic and did not want to drop $8-$9K on suspension and engine modifications.
Anyway, I started this project mid morning Saturday. The front assemblies were done in less than 2 hours. A bit of a messy job (due to all the grease you need to make sure all the bits slide properly), I found keeping the new rotors clean to be a challenge, which I over came by wearing multiple layers of surgical gloves a time. Just like and F1 driver pulling off his visors tear off strips when they were contaminated.
Rear right side was a royal PITA (Pain In The A**). The lower caliper pin was rusted to the caliper assembly, I guess our winters are harsh and the fact that we salt our roads does not help with keeping underbody bolts clean and easy to access. I will say that the bolt heads are very soft, and add to the fact that the way the rear suspension is built, there is no room to get socket on that lower bolt (box wrench is the way to go here).
After about an hour of trying to get the bolt to break loose (heating and cooling, hitting with gallons of penetrating oil) I nicely rounded over the head. I was able to get the right rear disassembled and the new rotors and pads on the car.
So I am lucky my wife loves me, I explained my predicament to her and she called around to the Infiniti dealers in my area. After 4 or five phone calls she took my vin number and drove out the parts department and picked up two new lower caliper pin assemblies – nice eh?
Learned from the right rear, I talked the left rear and this was much easier to manage, as I am a stickler for not making the same mistake twice. This time I soaked both upper and lower pins with my second can of penetrating oil and let it sit while I washed my 2002 Honda VFR- that needs new brake pads too.
Applied the wrenches and the top pin moved easily enough, the two torque member bolts broke loose with a some persuasion, the lower bolt, rusted and frozen into place.
I revert back to being a barbarian, and I convinced myself that this was a job for my battle hardened and vintage vice grips. I muscled on the VG and clamped down so hard that I created my own new funky and sharp threads, a real work of barbarian art. After some sustained pushing and pulling and contorting my body into some interesting yoga positions, I got the bast*** off. It was ugly and the new threads I created were razor sharp. Luckily my wife had returned with the new bolts. So the job is complete for now, but next weekend I need to take off that the rear assembly and remove that frozen bolt.
I thought I would share this with this group and I hope to pass on a few good lessons to anyone who tries this job will.
If you try this yourself:
A- Take off the rear wheels and have a look at the assembly, note where the suspension is an dhow that is assembled
B- If you know anyone with a hoist, get the car on the hoist – this will allow to gain some much needed leverage from under the car- you should be able to get a long bar on you 14 mm wrench and use your entire body to break the bolts free
C- Before you stat the job, get at least two sets of caliper bolts (top and bottom ate two different lengths and therefore two different part numbers)
D- Be patient and slow down, you will get into rhythm and it will be fun.
Overall I score this a difficulty rating of 4 out of ten.
I would post a pic of the rotor but I can't.
