Brake Rotor Retaining Screw Advice

[Tev42]

You can then use the "turn key" tool to push them in, as there would not be any resistance from the vehicle electronics.

Interesting, I have heard arguments that this approach can damage the electronic parking brake. Again, I do not know a lot about it and have only started researching the rear brake job recently. I've done plenty of brake replacements but not for cars with electronic parking brakes. I appreciate any feedback from people with hands on experience

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[Hollywoo0220]

Interesting, I have heard arguments that this approach can damage the electronic parking brake. Again, I do not know a lot about it and have only started researching the rear brake job recently. I've done plenty of brake replacements but not for cars with electronic parking brakes. I appreciate any feedback from people with hands on experience

Ask yourself:
"Does a vehicle's brake apply when in a gear other than P OR without engaging the E-brake?"

 

[jayy_swish]

If you want to get technical per Honda..
First 2 photo shows how to retracting the EPB
Last photo shows at the end of the brake job

But again to each there own, do as you please lol

 

[ApexEight]

That's helpful. ^

I'm assuming removing the electronic parking brake actuator isn't difficult? Just unplug and unbolt?

 

[Gansan]

There is a good reason that Honda is asking you to manually spin the brake actuator back—i.e. manually reset it. Just like the cable brakes, the epb ratchets more and more closed as the brake pads wear. When you release the parking brake during normal driving, it always retracts a set amount away from the clamped position. The clamped position gets closer and closer to the rotor as the brake pad wears out. That means the open position also gets closer and closer to the rotor.

When you simply release the parking brake and replace the pads, then you are counting on the thickness of the new pad being able to squeeze inside the space that the caliper in the released position provides. Sometimes it works, if the old pads were not worn super thin. But some people have issues because the difference between old and new pads is just too big to fit inside that margin.

As the service manual says, you should unbolt the actuator and spin it back manually. That’s the safe thing to. If you skip it then it might be fine, but there is a chance you’ll get an error on the dash and need to jack up the car again and fix it.

 

[jayy_swish]

That's helpful. ^

I'm assuming removing the electronic parking brake actuator isn't difficult? Just unplug and unbolt?

Correct and replace the o-ring, mounting screws, plus re-lube. But less work to just place in maintenance mode, with the Bluetooth OBDII reader

Here’s the service manual on that.
Most error’s from EPB 8/10 is the connection is lose or broken and has loosen

 

[SpringRubber]

I really like the idea of removing the screw as a preventative measure and wish I'd done that when I rotated tires a few months ago. In my old Acura TL that screw was a mess to remove after 10+ years on the vehicle. I bought the harbor freight cheapo impact driver and the screw turned out to be harder than the HF bits! Ended up buying some quality craftsman bits and those did the trick. Funny, in doing my research back then on an acura forum I just don't recall learning about the JIL fastener and thought they were phillips -- until learning otherwise on civicx.

FWIW - a couple years age my wife's Wrangler was in for a safety inspection (local shop, not Jeep dealer) and they did the rear brakes. Instead of the Honda scew, Jeep uses retaining rings over the lug bolts which the mechanic did not replace. The Jeep retainer rings are single use, they press on during vehicle assembly and get twisted off in order to remove the rotor. No retainer rings and after 30K miles neither rotor has come off.

 

[Tev42]

I bought the harbor freight cheapo impact driver and the screw turned out to be harder than the HF bits!

Sounds like we had a very similar, and humbling, experience. The retaining screws on my Si broke the head of the Harbor Freight tool also lol

 

[fenix-silver]

I've never had a vehicle before that used the retaining screws, including a Highlander, WRX, Explorer, and a Saab. Can't imagine what the point would be besides aiding on the assembly line as discussed.

 

[Gansan]

One more word of warning for those who want to unbolt the epb actuators. On my car the wire harness plug was SUPER SUPER hard to unplug. I broke the catch. Not worth it. I recommend leaving it on and just unbolt the actuator if you can.

 

[jayy_swish]

One more word of warning for those who want to unbolt the epb actuators. On my car the wire harness plug was SUPER SUPER hard to unplug. I broke the catch. Not worth it. I recommend leaving it on and just unbolt the actuator if you can.

You have to push down/into the connector, push the lock tab and it’ll unplug

 

[RedGiant217]

Ask yourself:
"Does a vehicle's brake apply when in a gear other than P OR without engaging the E-brake?"

Umm...no.
The brakes do not engage when an automatic transmission is placed in Park.

...now back to the question at hand:

For anybody who has already replaced rotors, or anybody with a firm understanding about the practicality of rotor retaining screws: Can I take them out and leave them out?

The retaining screws are for convenience only. They serve no purpose once the wheels are on the car.

A halfway decent impact screw driver with the proper application should usually be able to remove the screws. Sounds like the HF one is crap.
If the head gets stripped, just take a large drill bit and remove the whole head. No need to fully remove the stud that will be left behind.

 

[.grimace]

Sounds like you got unlucky. I’ve removed them from 20+ year old Honda’s without issue. Once I encountered a stripped one and spent maybe 3 minutes drilling the head out. I would never lose sleep over this.

 

[fitter_here]

When my car was new in 2016, I removed all the rotors and applied anti-seize on the hubs and the screws. I replace the rear brakes a few weeks ago, it came off easily. I removed the EPB actuator without disconnecting the plug, you don't have to replace the "O" ring or the screws holding the actuator, just put silicone grease on the "O" ring. It was an easy job.

 

[Tev42]

Sounds like you got unlucky. I’ve removed them from 20+ year old Honda’s without issue. Once I encountered a stripped one and spent maybe 3 minutes drilling the head out. I would never lose sleep over this.

Glad you had a better experience than me

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