i am doing my first set of brakes on my first project car. It looks like one rotor has the rivets and one does not so i need a hand. How to drill out the rivets? what kind of bit do i need. the right rotor looks like the center of the rivets are drilled out the left side looks like they are solid. maybe a picture with them drilled out and a picture of them still their would help me out. thanks guys.

There are many posts here regarding this same topic by many members. You can use the search funtion to search for all of them. First off, are the rotors below tolerence in thickness?  If they are still in spec then you dont need to replace them to change pads.  If not absolutely necessary to remove them, Id leave them and replace the pads only.  If, on the other hand, it is necessary to get them off the following may help.  Im sure others will chime in as well.  If its pictures of the rivets you are interested in check the post in the link below, perhaps they will help.  The photos will show drilling the rivets with the rotor off of the car but they can be done on the car as well.  Start by center punching  each rivet head then go to a smaller drill bit.  It is not necessary to drill the rivets completely out to get the head off.  Progress up in bit size until the head of the rivet comes off.  Once the heads are off you can see if you can use a punch to drive the rivets out the back side but this may or may not work because the rotor will still be held by the rivet body since it expands in the hole when it is swedged into the assembly.  You can either continue to drill out the rivet body or see if a rubber hammer will encourage the rotors to come off.  Probably you will need to drill out the rivet body as well.  Its aggrivating to get them off but it can be done with a little time, and cutting oil on the bit.  The rivets are NOT hardened and are made of soft material.  It is not necessary to replace the rivets once the rotor is replaced, some prefer to screw them down as in the pictures but most do not, it's not necessary. 

|UPDATED|3/1/2012 12:37:22 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Hello,

I recently did my first ever brake job on my fronts.  I used the photos mentioned above.  I started with a small bit and worked my way up in size.  Some of the rivets came out pretty easily with a hammer and punch.  I did not have a drill press but, it would have been a lot better if I did.

Be sure to use two wrenches on the brake lines as they are easy to twist if you don't.  I also replaced the flexible brake lines. I installed speed bleeders which makes bleeding the breaks a one person job.

Good luck and all the best from Tucson.

Keith