Thats what i do on the front. On the rear, if its in spec, i pad slap them.
Brake rotor life
- Thread starter PhuongFU
- Start date
With the euro stuff you generally can’t machine them. The tolerance between new and minimum thickness is often less than 2mm and you chew through that during the life of one set of pads.
Merc E350 4MATIC with 120K+ miles but did not need to replace rear rotors. I did resurface them as remained in spec. ($30 each) with some scouring visible. Fronts needed replacing at about 80K miles.
On the track car needed all original rotors replaced and went with cryo-treated rotors. Double to triple the life so well worth the extra dollars. My new rotors lasted until I sold the car. Most miles traveled were commuting, plus, multiple track days.
On the track car needed all original rotors replaced and went with cryo-treated rotors. Double to triple the life so well worth the extra dollars. My new rotors lasted until I sold the car. Most miles traveled were commuting, plus, multiple track days.
It's a waste of time, and frankly foolish to replace rotors that do not need replacing...silly! File this under "A fool and his Money are soon Departed"...
Exactly. It's not rocket appliances.
If you drive in road salt chances are your rotor will be done at the same time as the pad.
There is no point measuring thickness when the rotor is turning into a pile of rust.
There is no point measuring thickness when the rotor is turning into a pile of rust.
I also get the feeling you guys in the US got more kilometres out your brakes than we do because of the sort of roads and driving you have.You're a much more car centric country and spend a LOT more time covering ground on flowing highways.
Its all much more short distance and stop start work here. Most cars are toast at 200,000 kilometres, let alone miles which seems normal for american cars.
Its all much more short distance and stop start work here. Most cars are toast at 200,000 kilometres, let alone miles which seems normal for american cars.
Once again, I find myself wondering why a certain part of the BITOG population, which is OCD about oils, oil standards, other fluids, and filters to the point of destructive (but hardly consclusive) examinations are so dead set against maintainng brakes and tires to the same fastidious and exacting degree.
You know, those things that play the greatest role in ensuring that your, and others', lives and limbs remain intact.
Anyone care to explain?
You know, those things that play the greatest role in ensuring that your, and others', lives and limbs remain intact.
Anyone care to explain?
Not me - I'm super OCD about tyres and brakes! I quite like my limbs intact...
Not sure... I can throw out a few ideas.
OEM brakes can be (sometimes) crazy reliable (as brakes should be), so someone who hasn't had the number of "warped rotors" (the usual diagnosis, right or wrong, for brake shudder) that others have (like me), might indeed be lulled into complacency. Check the pads for sufficient thickness, and let it go at that.
People come to this forum primarily for OIL stuff, and so the population here is weighted towards that topic and skill set, not towards brakes.
I think, if you pick any maintenance topic applicable to automobiles, you will find a slice of the population pie here that takes a "leave it alone" attitude.
Thinking back, I did a crazy number of disc brake jobs before having any problems, and being forced to study-up on the subject and up my game. I can remember exactly when those problems began, on my 94 Dakota some time around year 1999 or 2000. I did a brake job at 50K that lasted 10K until unbearable shudder. Then I had a "pro" do it that lasted less than 10K until unbearable shudder returned. (That's a whole story in itself.) Then I got my game on with carefully selected rotors, turned at a race machine shop, carefully lubed and checked for eccentricity, and those brakes lasted nigh forever.
I think the timing of all that has to do with: the arrival of Chinese metallurgy, the departure of asbestos and copper, and the rise of pad formulations that have lower dusting, better performance and feel, but are more likely to leave uneven pad deposits associated with brake shudder. Indeed, the first time I had shudder on an OEM, factory set of brakes at "low" mileage (under 50K) was on my 2010 Camry. When I pulled down the brakes, eccentricity was fine, awesome even, but half the left rotor was glazed on one side, and the opposite side was glazed on the other side, thus maximizing shudder. A quick sanding job and I'm still running those brakes 45K later. So in other words, one can have years of brake mechanic experience from the 70's, 80's and 90's and little trouble, and/or get lucky and avoid issues, and thus think brakes are a non-issue.
If not warped or swelled up with rust like mine were no reason to replace. I have gone 12 years and 160k miles on originals. Rotors should not be considered a "maintenance item".
Of course they should be.
My take on a maintenance item would be something based upon mileage. A brake rotor could in a good climate have a million miles on them and still be functional. Inspection is the only way to know.
Inspection is maintenance.
You mentioned warped and rusted.
Do you measure yours for minimum thickness?
I used to have my rotors trued up just as a PM, but nowadays nobody within 50 miles has a brake lathe. Pre-COVID, rotors were so cheap they were essentially disposable… now it’s painful when you hit metal to metal and have to replace them!
Measure them? Yes of course when I do a brake job. Seldom are they too worn. Before the year 2005 when I did finally replace a set of rotors, I never once replaced a rotor or drum on a car since starting driving in 1977. The older cars seemed to have softer pads. The last car I did a brake job on the rotors were in spec but so rusted that the needed changing.
I change rotors when i change pads as i want my new pads to work against smooth surface. Reusing rotors can be bad idea due to wear, grooves and wear edges which can cause pads not to seat properly.
Man you’re a little unhinged sir. Have you had your morning coffee yet? Male Karen you are.
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