Rotor thickness

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Getting ready to change my brake pads and would like to know the threshold thickness for replacing the front rotors.

I have a 2001 Honda Civic 4 door

2

It is often stamped directly onto the rotor.

Either that or it would be in a repair manual.

Or call a Honda service dept.

Of course, someone here might actually know off the top of their head - but my own guess is that is more often something you look up - too many cars & too many specs.

3

I agree with cigroller. The minimum thickness is probably stamped into the rotor.

If it isn’t, the mechanic you’re working with can surely look it up.

4

I’m finding it at 19mm

5

For the Civic DX, autozone.com Specifications show the minimum thickness, after machining cleanup, of 0.748 inch; and a nominal thickness of 0.827 inch.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/repairinfo/specifications/specificationsMain.jsp?categoryNValue=24499999&categoryNameForTitle=Brakes+%26+Traction+Control&categoryName=Brakes+%26+Traction+Control# you’ll need to register your vehicle, at autozone.com, in order to see the information; then, click on this link, again.

6

Thanks for the answers, I will check on the rotors to verify than 0.827 is correct.

7

Rotor thickness isn’t the only specification that should be measured. The latteral runout should also be measured for the rotors. This is performed with a dial indicator.

Tester

8

0.827" is the ‘new’ thickness, 0.748" (19 mm) is the ‘minimum’ thickness.

9

If you are servicing the brakes yourself, why not just replace the rotors when you replace the pads? The rotors are not all that expensive, and you don’t lose the car while the rotors are turned. Note, too, that if there is any scoring where the pads rub the rotor, you either need to replace them or have them machined.

10

I would lean toward this myself with one extra note - new rotors are generally not that expensive, but don’t buy the bottom level “economy” grade rotors. Spend a little more and go at least to the middle quality range. If you leave the old ones or use new cheap ones I’d lay pretty good odds that you’re tearing the brakes down again for rotor “warpage” within the next 5-15K or less.