Question about Brake Rotors

[DBMaster]

I see threads almost daily in which people are asking questions about replacement rotors. I have only replaced rotors on one car I've owned and it was only after 300,000 miles when the rotors fell below their minimum thickness spec. Why do people seem to be replacing rotors so often? When I replace brake pads I basically do a pad slap, clean up the calipers and flush the fluid, that's it. I don't touch the surface of the rotors unless there is pedal pulsation, which I've only had on the car that reached 350,000 miles.

So, I'm curious to know if a lot of people think that they have to replace the rotors every time they replace the pads.

 

[JMJNet]

Rust??? which is not a big issue in DFW area.
Most of the time, I just did a pad replacement as DIY unless the pad indicator eat up the rotor which happened to my friend's car.

 

[wings&wheels]

Depends on the vehicle, type of pads used, disc thickness, how sensitive the vehicle is to any mismatch in the mating surfaces, how tolerant one is to squeal or shudder, etc.

Last brakes I did were on our 911, roughly 60k total miles and the rotors were just barely above minimums (I was replacing them anyway), my TR6 has had its rotors machined twice in 25 years (rust from minimal use, not miles) and are still well above minimum...depends.

Me, if I replace pads I replace everything related incl. rotors, clips, shims, etc.; do it once, do it right..

 

[kart17]

In the Rust Belt area I can only get 50K miles before needing front Rotors and brakes. The Pads lock up in the slides and get crooked and wear on a angle.

Rust will also fill up the Cooling Vanes on the Rotor.

Wheel Bearings take a beating and are tough to remove until you figure out how to press them out.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

rust

 

[The Critic]

Mostly pulsation. I rarely see cars with more than 20-40K miles that do not have some level of pulsation.

 

[2005jettatdi]

I had to replace the rear brakes on my Jetta after only 270,000 miles. The front brakes are good for a long time yet, probably till 500,000 miles, or more. Diesel engine with a manual transmission provides a lot of braking.

My observations on why brakes wear out so fast to some people:

1. People who rush to the next red light or stop sign and then have to brake hard to stop.
2. People who think their left foot is for the brake pedal, not the clutch. That kind of person has a tendency to ride the brake.
3. People who use the brake only to slow down on a long hill as compared to down shifting.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

Pulsation / Rust / looks

 

[BISCUT]

Rotors do not last long in the NorthEast. That I can state emphatically! Besides weather, constant hills and by me, many roads and parkways that were part of the New Deal. The engineering of the roadways were not always well thought out. Kinda like bridges ont he Taconic Parkway; beautiful craftsmanship, but not designed for the massive increase in vehicle use from the time period to now.

 

[BigGeo]

I live in the North East as well. Also, breaks and rotors are so critical to safety and I’m responsible for all the cars in my family so I prefer to change both. Good rotors are not that expensive.

 

[FordMan59]

I had to replace the rear brakes on my Jetta after only 270,000 miles. The front brakes are good for a long time yet, probably till 500,000 miles, or more. Diesel engine with a manual transmission provides a lot of braking.

My observations on why brakes wear out so fast to some people:

1. People who rush to the next red light or stop sign and then have to brake hard to stop.
2. People who think their left foot is for the brake pedal, not the clutch. That kind of person has a tendency to ride the brake.
3. People who use the brake only to slow down on a long hill as compared to down shifting.

I agree. I just changed the brake pad/shoes on my '02 Ford Escort a couple months ago. I bought in in 2008 and had put over 130K miles on it since I bought it. The previous owner told me when I bought it it hadn't been long since the front pads were changed but didn't mention the rear shoes so I suspect they may have been the original shoes with over 210K miles. In 45 years of driving I've never changed but one set of rotors and that was on my '88 Escort that went 518K miles.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

EVERY car I've owned built after 2001 has had issues with brake pulsation. I find that I'm reworking brakes about as often to get rid of the pulsation as I am to replace worn pads. Sometimes its obvious that the rotors are heavily grooved and won't be thick enough to be resurfaced, but usually I don't have the luxury of being able to drag a brake job out for 2-3 days waiting for the parts store to turn the rotors. Rock Auto prices on rotors are cheap enough that I just order new rotors when I order pads and I'm done with it.

 

[DBMaster]

This is good info. The issue of rust never occurred to me which, as JMJNet stated, isn't an issue here. My 2012 Mazda3 has 122,000 miles on the original pads and I still have almost half the thickness remaining. It's crazy. I brake late and I brake hard, too. I have no issues with pulsation, either.

When I had the pulsation in my 1989 Accord I bought a kit online called "BrakeTru." It was an on-car resurfacing kit. It eliminated the pulsation long term. It's no longer sold anywhere, though. The Accord only had discs on the front and the kit could only be used on drive wheels for obvious reasons.

 

[Craig in Canada]

Rust. Pulsation. Not everyone runs low wear ceramic compounds....

In German application with which I am familiar, even without rust it seems that a rotor will last two pad changes before being below min spec thickness (usually semi-metallic pads are specified). With rust belt taken into account, I replace pads and rotors together every time. Otherwise the rust lip starts to scrape on the hub making noise etc...

 

[PF52]

On a small car, I usually just replace the rotors..... Because they're, you know, small and cheap. But recently I did the breaks on our Impala and I just couldn't see the sense of replacing the rotors so I had them resurfaced and replaced just the pads. The hardest part was finding a shop that still turns rotors!

I usually get more severe rust issues on the rear rotors.... Large rusty patches or pockets all over the wearing surface, which makes me wonder if the calipers are seized and are allowing the rust to develop. So I've replaced rotors and calipers and so far all is well.

 

[Duffyjr]

1. People who rush to the next red light or stop sign and then have to brake hard to stop.

You just described my wife, seems like once a year she has to take her car in and have the rotors turned due to pulsation. She accuses me of driving like an old man all the time which is why my brakes work just fine.

 

[CharBaby]

I see threads almost daily in which people are asking questions about replacement rotors. I have only replaced rotors on one car I've owned and it was only after 300,000 miles when the rotors fell below their minimum thickness spec. Why do people seem to be replacing rotors so often? When I replace brake pads I basically do a pad slap, clean up the calipers and flush the fluid, that's it. I don't touch the surface of the rotors unless there is pedal pulsation, which I've only had on the car that reached 350,000 miles.

So, I'm curious to know if a lot of people think that they have to replace the rotors every time they replace the pads.

Come to the North East and you’ll learn in a hurry.
OE rotors seem to last the longest for me and unless I spend good money on them or an equivalent quality, we’ll be replacing them even more often.
Rust & pulsation are the biggest problems. And here in my area, your vehicle can fail NYS Inspection for that.
Also most of the time, the rotors are already beyond turning and for similar money of putting them on a lathe, one can put on some cheapie NEW rotors.

 

[bdcardinal]

Also when I am doing brake work at home, taking the rotors to get turned is a hassle. Even if I take them to my work and do them myself, I feel the time saved by just putting on new rotors is worth it to me.

 

[SHOZ]

134k on my OE Brembo rotors. Can't seem to wear them out. Bought some replacements three years ago but still no need.

 

[2005jettatdi]

You just described my wife, seems like once a year she has to take her car in and have the rotors turned due to pulsation. She accuses me of driving like an old man all the time which is why my brakes work just fine.

My aunt, who drove like your wife (her excuse being she lived in California) accused me of driving like my grandfather. Yep, that's me, no tickets, no accidents.