Rotor, does it matter?

[trixman]

Cheap ones can be as little as $25 for certain applications (Prizm) more expensive brand name $45...almost double the price. I don't think you can lose with the chinese cheap ones. They won't last half as long. I have yet to get a bad set from the get go.
As long as you torque your wheels evenly. they shouldn't warp

 

[zimmerDN]

I am talking about $75 verus $130 rotors here. I don't know why these 04 Mazda3 2.3L rotors are so expensive.

 

[The Critic]

Inexpensive rotors and premium pads work great. My advice is to get the $75 ones.

 

[zimmerDN]

I think I will order the $70 United Brake Parts from Napa. Unless someone have negative opinions about UBP from Napa.

 

[cousincletus]

I saw some Advance Auto Parts Chinese rotors the other day that appeared to be very well made. They had been milled by a fly cutting machine to get that nice "cross hatched" appearance on the braking surface.

 

[Syntec-Man]

get the UBP those rotors are very good

 

[zimmerDN]

I have ordered the parts I needed to do my brakes. Here is the list.

Centric Brake Rotors (F/R)
Hawk HPS Pads (F/R)
Techna Brake Lines (F/R)
ATE Racing Blue Fluid (2L)

 

[Throckmorton]

Quote:

---

Not to discount proper lug nut installation, etc. in any way, but rotor warpage may not be the correct term. StopTech Warped Brake Disk Article

---

Good point. Re-bedding in the rotors has often cured this problem in my experience.

Quote:

---

The obvious question now is "is there a "cure" for discs with uneven friction material deposits?" The answer is a conditional yes. If the vibration has just started, the chances are that the temperature has never reached the point where cementite begins to form. In this case, simply fitting a set of good "semi-metallic" pads and using them hard (after bedding) may well remove the deposits and restore the system to normal operation but with upgraded pads. If only a small amount of material has been transferred i.e. if the vibration is just starting, vigorous scrubbing with garnet paper may remove the deposit. As many deposits are not visible, scrub the entire friction surfaces thoroughly. Do not use regular sand paper or emery cloth as the aluminum oxide abrasive material will permeate the cast iron surface and make the condition worse. Do not bead blast or sand blast the discs for the same reason.

---

 

[The Critic]

Quote:

---

I have ordered the parts I needed to do my brakes. Here is the list.

Centric Brake Rotors (F/R)
Hawk HPS Pads (F/R)
Techna Brake Lines (F/R)
ATE Racing Blue Fluid (2L)

---

Add a $1 single-use packet of Permatex Synthetic Caliper grease to your list. Apply a thin layer to the pad abutment points, caliper slide pins, and the brake pad shim itself for to eliminate noise. Do NOT use the orange, tacky "Disc Brake Quiet" (or the equivalent aerosol version) on HPS pads as they contain shims.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:

---

Do NOT use the orange, tacky "Disc Brake Quiet" (or the equivalent aerosol version) on HPS pads as they contain shims.

---

I'll second that as I just had to replace pads and rotors due to the shims coming loose because of this type of thing.

Ceram lube is the best brake grease I have seen, but it is hard to find locally.

 

[JHZR2]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Do NOT use the orange, tacky "Disc Brake Quiet" (or the equivalent aerosol version) on HPS pads as they contain shims.

---

I'll second that as I just had to replace pads and rotors due to the shims coming loose because of this type of thing.

Ceram lube is the best brake grease I have seen, but it is hard to find locally.

---

Interesting... Ive used the orange tacky stuff on two applcations, my BMW and my father's toyota previa. The BMW does not have shims. The toyota does. I used it on both, and did not have an issue on either, and both are dead quiet.

Perhaps it is because the shims on the toyota clip onto the pad a bit, to hold them in place???

Thanks,

JMH

 

[PT1]

I use semi-metallic high quality pads that eat the rotors and have had no issues with pulsation since. The rotors on my wifes toyota have 115k on the front and will be replaced with factory spec aftermarket NAPA brand. The rear rotors on all my vehicles here usuall rot out by 60k due to salt corrosion in Winter and the fact that the rear wheels just don't generate enough heat to self clean.

 

[The Critic]

Quote:

---

I use semi-metallic high quality pads that eat the rotors and have had no issues with pulsation since. The rotors on my wifes toyota have 115k on the front and will be replaced with factory spec aftermarket NAPA brand. The rear rotors on all my vehicles here usuall rot out by 60k due to salt corrosion in Winter and the fact that the rear wheels just don't generate enough heat to self clean.

---

What brand/model semi-metallic pads?

 

[The Critic]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Do NOT use the orange, tacky "Disc Brake Quiet" (or the equivalent aerosol version) on HPS pads as they contain shims.

---

I'll second that as I just had to replace pads and rotors due to the shims coming loose because of this type of thing.

Ceram lube is the best brake grease I have seen, but it is hard to find locally.

---

Interesting... Ive used the orange tacky stuff on two applcations, my BMW and my father's toyota previa. The BMW does not have shims. The toyota does. I used it on both, and did not have an issue on either, and both are dead quiet.

Perhaps it is because the shims on the toyota clip onto the pad a bit, to hold them in place???

Thanks,

JMH

---

If the pad does not contain a detachable or "pressed" shim, then the RTV-like disc brake quiet product (or the aerosol equivalent) is the correct product to use. The problem is that over time, with pads containing detachable or pressed shims, the disc brake quiet product will glue the shim so tightly to the caliper that it may separate from the pad, thus defeating the purpose of the shim.