'03 3500 rear rotor locking bolt: does it exist?
- Thread starter barkor
- Start date
03CDX
New member
Same here did the rear brakes on my van shortly after purchasing it and before I found this forum. No manual, Just figured it to be like a typical brake job (big mistake on my van). There wasn't a locking bolt anywhere that I saw. I did have to use two separate brands of rotor though(one O'Reilly Auto house brand, one NAPA house brand) as O'Reilly only shipped one and I had to have the truck on the road, no way of waiting. This particular O'Reilly did me good though the store manager called the nearest NAPA (all the other O'Reillys had to order it as well) and bought one from them so that I would have two. Really top notch guys at that particular store. Once I got to fitting the rotors though the O'Reilly rotor fit nice and snug, not tight, but snug enough to hold itself vertical while I bolted everything back together. The Napa rotor had a decent amount of slack to it. Slipped right over the axle and right down to the mounting surface no rubbing or snugness at all.
Is it a countersunk retaining screw? My 1996 sprinter has them, usually needs a couple of taps with an impact driver to slacken. It only really holds the rotor until you get the wheel on, the lug nuts are what really hold the rotor in place.
The pattern was changed at some point though, and yours is much later so is probably a completely different pattern of rotor. Most aftermarket ones I've seen have some extra holes so will fit no matter which pattern is required.
The pattern was changed at some point though, and yours is much later so is probably a completely different pattern of rotor. Most aftermarket ones I've seen have some extra holes so will fit no matter which pattern is required.
Last edited:
MillionMileSprinter
Millionmilesprinter.com
On the 2500 models here's what they look like:
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18171&highlight=rear+brakes&page=3
go to post #22 and watch the video. The mechanic clearly removes the locking bolt at @ 2:25.
Not sure if 3500 series have them or not.
Good luck!
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18171&highlight=rear+brakes&page=3
go to post #22 and watch the video. The mechanic clearly removes the locking bolt at @ 2:25.
Not sure if 3500 series have them or not.
Good luck!
the '03 3500 has a rotor retaining screw (torx) on the front, but not the rear.
those rotors were rusted on there pretty badly, the rears were more frozen than the fronts. the way i found that i think is easiest to get them off was to turn the rotors 120 degrees, hit it with hammer so it moves about 1mm, and repeat. if you hit it too hard or move it 180 or 90, you don't make progress and it can get more stuck or hard to turn. now and then stop to spray in some penetrating catalyst, and take a break for 5 min while it soaks in.
those rotors were rusted on there pretty badly, the rears were more frozen than the fronts. the way i found that i think is easiest to get them off was to turn the rotors 120 degrees, hit it with hammer so it moves about 1mm, and repeat. if you hit it too hard or move it 180 or 90, you don't make progress and it can get more stuck or hard to turn. now and then stop to spray in some penetrating catalyst, and take a break for 5 min while it soaks in.
Out of interest, with the old rotor off, is there a tapped hole in the drive flange for a locking screw?
Just investigating possibility that a rotor has been used with the wrong drilling pattern - as noted the locking screw has been a countersunk philips head screw at some point and then changed to the Torx type shown in the thread type2teach linked.
Just investigating possibility that a rotor has been used with the wrong drilling pattern - as noted the locking screw has been a countersunk philips head screw at some point and then changed to the Torx type shown in the thread type2teach linked.