2008 CX-9 Brake Rotor replacement

Centric makes a great rotor. I've used them on the last 4 vehicles and had zero issues and just put a set on our CX-9 last weekend. They're also the only rotor my buddy who owns a repair shop will put on customer cars. Just make sure you're getting their premium model, not the c-tek's. Rock auto has both but all you have to do is collapse that "Economy" section since you should never be buying garbage brakes from the economy section and look for Centric under the "Daily Driver" section. Rear's are $46 each, fronts are $60 each. Google "rock auto discount code" for 5% off.

I've also been really happy with the Centric premium ceramic pads.

Or make it simple and just get their kit that comes with the 2 centric premium front rotors and the centric ceramic pads for $150 front and $112 rear.

EDIT: And be prepared to have fun removing the old ones. The 1" lip on the inside of the rotor hat has almost zero clearance around the hub so it rusts and jams on there really well. Every rotor usually requires a few good smacks to break it free, but on the CX-9 even once it broke free it was still stuck because that whole 1" lip was rusted. I just put my giant puller on it and removed it that way.

Hey guys.. so I just decided to join the forum to get a little advice.. from which I am seeing above.

I'm a pretty experienced wrencher and the wife came home with a grinding sound... yeah the rear brakes went out. Ran over to the store to grab parts quickly since her daily commute is 140miles round trip and... got defeated for the first time on the rear rotors.

I'm most certain that the parking brake is hanging up.. or it is that hub that is hanging on.. I wasted a good 30 minutes or so trying to bang/pull that rotor off with no luck. I got it to slide out a tiny bit, maybe a half or quarter of an inch but it will not budge anymore. It also seems to be hanging up around the 2 or 3 o clock position which I'm sure is where the parking brake pad, and even turning and hammering multiple times.. no good progress. I loosened the parking brake to the max that I can turn the cog with no luck. I'm afraid of mucking up the parking brake.. but even if I do, there's no good way for me to get enough force.

I'm thinking of: 1) folding the dust shield away and hitting it harder with a hammer, but I don't really want to bend that shield.. and there is not much swinging room anyways. or.. 2) I saw on a video someone used a harbor freight hydraulic gear puller.

I can't find any other smaller less overkill gear puller (they seem to max out at 8" where the hydraulic one I think gets up to 14") But any other tips or tricks anyone has?

On the front of the rotor there's a rubber plug that covers the parking brake adjusting mechanism, you need to back it out so that the parking shoes are retracted away from the inside of the rotor. Don't remember which way to turn, but you can feel the rotor getting stiffer or looser as you turn the adjuster. They way it work, you stick in a flathead screwdriver and push the wheel up or down, you should be able to see what you're doing through the opening.

^ Exactly that for getting the rear rotors off. Specifically on the CX-9 someone else posted this:
Remove rubber plug on rotor base and rotate the hole up to 12 o'clock. You will see a cog. That retracts/extends your parking brake. I think you rotate it down about 2-3 rotations. I used a very small bladed screwdriver.

^ Pretty sure rotating it up/down will depend on which side of the car you're doing. Like just_phil said though, rotate it one way and if the rotor get tighter rotate it the other.

^ Pretty sure rotating it up/down will depend on which side of the car you're doing. Like just_phil said though, rotate it one way and if the rotor get tighter rotate it the other.[/QUOTE]

Found the instructions: for the left (driver) side, to loosen the disk push the cog upwards, to tighten - downwards; for the right(passenger) side, to loosen - downwards, to tighten - upwards.

just_phil said:

Found the instructions: for the left (driver) side, to loosen the disk push the cog upwards, to tighten - downwards; for the right(passenger) side, to loosen - downwards, to tighten - upwards.

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Nice find. Nothing worse than fighting with that stupid star wheel only to spend 5 minutes turning the damn thing the wrong way. lol

batmancx said:

I would just spend a little more and get the OEM rotors, they're on sale now for $59.99 shipped:

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From the issues people have had with the OEM rotors, thats exactly my reason for spending the extra coin on the StopTech's.

astriuminc said:

wow, my Centric rotors I got off Amazon also makes a god awful squealing sound when backing up, that makes 3 owners with the same issue. I don't recommend these to other owners :

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

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Centric rotors from Amazon screeching/warped/vibrating after only 6months...... not recommended, photo below:

The thing is the only time it makes that noise is in reverse. I have never owned a vehicle that was like the 9. Anyone out there have any suggestions on how to get rid of that noise.