# DIY- Brake Rotor Replacement, Warped Rotors, bad rotors.



## irishpride (Feb 2, 2006)

sorry for the long title but figured it may help with the searching.





My van is a 2009 3.8L and has 19k on it and my dealer just like many of yours said *NO!!!* 

so I went down to autozone and bought 2009 Chrysler Town and Country Rotors for 59.99 each. 

* you do this at your own risk*

total time- about 45 minutes total.

1. Loosen lugs

2. jack up the van and place jackstands under the thing so it will not fall on you

3. remove the lugs and the wheels 

4. spray PB blaster (or the like) around where the rotor and the hub come together. 

5. drink a beer or your favorite drink while letting the PD soak in.

6. remove 2 (one top and one bottom) 21mm bolts. they secure the caliper assembly to the spindle. Use something to support the caliper so it just doesn't dangle there when removed. (this would be a good time to replace the pads if they needed it, mine were still good so i did not replace the pads).

7. Remove rotor. You may need VW tool #1 (BFH- Big fing hammer) trust me on this; I live in a no salt area and there was more rust on that rotor at only 19k than there is on the rotors of my daily 04 golf with 128k, or the total rust on my 81 rabbit. A few smacks and it comes off.

8. apply anti seize to the hub area where the new rotor is going to sit.

9. slide the new rotor on, and reinstall the caliper assembly.

10. reinstall the wheel.

then move to the other side. 

it's great to feel the brakes grab instead of feeling the wheel try to jump out of my hands.

I will do the rear in a few days and I will write that up as well. Hope it helps.

Tony


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## Lief (Apr 17, 2001)

Great write up. 

Do we know if it's just the 09 Routan's that are plagued with this issue or do the 10's have this problem as well? Do you expect to have to do this again when you reach the same # of miles on this set of rotors?


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## irishpride (Feb 2, 2006)

Thanks, and I know the vans have always had issues with rotors and brakes.

I have a friend at work who replaces his rotors about every 18 months, and pads about every 2 years for the front and the rear is a little less but not much. (he has a town and country)


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## 90 GT-G60 (Jan 18, 2000)

Having done the brakes several times on our 01 T&C. the past 7 years. It comes as no surprise that the new vans eat brakes too. 

I never investigated rotors and pad options like I have with my Corrado or Passat, so I wonder if there is an aftermarket option that would give longer service life than those typically found on the shelf at the local parts store.

I guess when you have that much weight to slow down, it is hard to get something built with longevity in mind.

As I am about to pull the trigger on a 09 demo with 12K on it, I might be doing brakes very soon.
Either on the new one or the old one that I hope to trade in if we don't make the deal.


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## irishpride (Feb 2, 2006)

90 GT-G60 said:


> Having done the brakes several times on our 01 T&C. the past 7 years. It comes as no surprise that the new vans eat brakes too.
> 
> I never investigated rotors and pad options like I have with my Corrado or Passat, so I wonder if there is an aftermarket option that would give longer service life than those typically found on the shelf at the local parts store.
> 
> ...


I have found Brembo, EBC and a few others make rotors. But I have found nothing as far as calipers. I am trying to back reference part numbers as such to see what other autos share brakes with the T/C this way if its; lets say a truck, maybe there are some calipers out there.

and as much as these burn through braks. I wouldn't knock the local auto stores. I got 2 year free replacement on the new rotors, and they have a life time pad. So you mite get 1 free set of rotors out of the deal and at least 2-3 sets of pads before they just refund you money, and then you can just got somewhere else and do the same thing. lol


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## redzone98 (Jun 10, 2004)

its a GD shame the quality of Rotors used on the Routan. Infact, im calling VWOA to Complain about this! 

Volkswagen Group of America 
2200 Ferdinand Porsche Dr. 
Herndon, VA 20171 
(703) 364-7000


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## Sawdust (May 28, 2002)

24000 km on ours and vw will be turning the rotors under warranty. Did not have to beg or plead they are just doing it. The shop did have to call vwoc to verify what they could do with them (turn or replace).


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## serega12 (Sep 14, 2013)

Good write up. I had the basic idea of how it's done, but this is a good step by step set of instructions.


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## kda33 (Jan 27, 2005)

For those of you that are having this problem as I am one of them also. Napa has an upgraded rotor that is thicker that prevents this from happening. As for the part number I am not sure of it. But it will work for the 08' - 12' though the rotor is double in price but well worth it as I love my van. Hope this helps some.


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## Steveaut (Sep 16, 2010)

How much thicker are those NAPA Rotors? I ended up going with EBC slotted and no warping yet. I did eat up the first set of EBC pads though. I now have Akebono ceramics and the stoppings is much improved over stock. Time will tell if the rotors last. So far so good.


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## kda33 (Jan 27, 2005)

Steveaut said:


> How much thicker are those NAPA Rotors? I ended up going with EBC slotted and no warping yet. I did eat up the first set of EBC pads though. I now have Akebono ceramics and the stoppings is much improved over stock. Time will tell if the rotors last. So far so good.


It's the same thickness as the factory rotor, however where the thickness is added is on the vented side, So, the vents on the center of the rotor are smaller. Not ideal but apparently it works and I am being told by the NAPA person that if I warp them under standard use then they will replace them for free with in a year. I don't see myself doing autocross in a minvan, buti am willing to give it a shot. Hope you understand what I am trying to convay


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