Under “normal” use, with no emergency stops or driving like a crazy person, how long should brake rotors go before needing to be replaced, resurfaced or turned? I got about 30K on my current rotors before they began pulsing. Thanks
Everyones definition of normal driving is different.
Did you use the $16 rotor, or the $116 rotor, or some where in between ?, you usually get what you pay for on brake parts.
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The rotors should be machined or replaced when the pads are replaced so there is a flat, smooth surface for the pads to mate to during braking. When I replace pads, I replace the rotors too. If you do the work yourself, you have to take the rotors somewhere to get them machined. If you buy new rotors, down time is insignificant. Just disengage one side of the caliper, push it up, pull off the rotor and replace it. That’s quick and easy.
Places that used to machine rotors don’t any more, I have found. Is that procedure on the way out everywhere?
I’ve never had any experience with this model, but I can tell tell you that across different makes of automobiles, brake rotor quality varies considerably. I do my brake work myself, so it doesn’t really break the bank to replace them when they go bad. I usually get one of NAPA’s better grades, as the ones from the dealer parts counter are very expensive and often not very good, and I replace them myself. Most cars these days have rotors that simply slide onto the hubs and are sandwiched between the wheel and the hub. If the rotors are “captive”, meaning held on the hub by another means, it can be a bear to replace them.
There are almost too many variables, when it comes to brake rotor replacement intervals due to pulsation, to enumerate. The types of driving (mostly city or mostly highway), the driving style, length of time vehicle remains inactive between drives, quality of parts, competency/talent of brake replacement mechanic, local climate, whether or not road salt is applied to roads, whether or not a caliper is dragging, whether or not pads are properly floating or sliding on their pins or rails, the particular make/model of vehicle, etcetera.
These “current rotors” went 30,000 miles before beginning to pulsate. What has been the history of replacement on this vehicle prior to these current rotors? Is it always around 30,000 miles or is that out of the ordinary?
Same brand of rotors and pads?
30,000 miles seems like very few miles, but it depends on some of the things I’ve mentioned, above.
CSA
Near me, our NAPA stores send rotors to a central warehouse and machine shop they have, Autozone has one store with a machine to turn rotors and I don;t think that Advance does them at all.
There are some manufacturers that don’t allow resurfacing, either directly in the service manual or indirectly by building cars with rotor thickness so close to minimum spec that by the first brake job they are worn out.
The shop I currently work at has 2 brake lathes. Every shop I have ever worked at has had a lathe and resurfaced drums and rotors as needed.
For a DIY driveway warrior with a typical family sedan it is often cost effective to replace the rotors when doing a brake job. Labor at the shop to resurface rotors is about $80 for a pair. But we work on lots more than econo sedans. The cost for a high quality rotor for an F350 can be $200. In that case it makes sense to resurface.