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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / January 2007Brake Rotors-Are They All The Same?
I'm ready to redo my brakes on my 95 Buick Century. The front pads have about 25% meat left on them, but I don;t want them to go much more. Plus, I'm getting a pulsation from the pedal upon braking. The funny thing is these front rotors were new and never turned down. They were fine for about 20k miles then they started to develop this pulsation (warped, obviously). These were cheapie AutoZone rotors purchased for about 16.00 each. When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy, mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy rotors. If I had bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this warping problem? I mean, how much different can the rotors be? They can't be any thicker, so I really don't know what you get with the premioums, other than a longer in store warrenty. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks! Jay The problem normally is with the torque on the wheel lug nuts. They are supposed to be hand torqued down these days and some garages or $tealerships still use impact guns for it. The guns even with 'torque sticks' on them are not accurate enough to prevent rotor warpage. Then sometimes you get what you pay for, ones that warp easy or hard, but the most I have seen bitched about are the good ones with shitty wheel techs..... Mike 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page) > I'm ready to redo my brakes on my 95 Buick Century. The front pads have > about 25% meat left on them, but I don;t want them to go much more. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > appreciated. Thanks! > Jay > The problem normally is with the torque on the wheel lug nuts. They are > supposed to be hand torqued down these days and some garages or > $tealerships still use impact guns for it. The guns even with 'torque > sticks' on them are not accurate enough to prevent rotor warpage. Listen to Mike, dude. There are a couple of reasons for pulsation, but if you have calipers working as they should, good brake pads, true rotors, and free moving slide pins, part of the battle is won. You must be very careful about torqueing the wheel lugs. If you see a SOB coming at your wheels with an impact wrench, stop him. I dont care if he has torque stix out the butt, dont let him use the impact wrench. There are articles which discuss rotor warping, taper, etc. Either of the two is bad. You can measure the rotor for warpage and taper, and see what the basic problem is. At the end of the road, you have to bring everything back to 'true', but it is good if you understand what the root causes are. >> The problem normally is with the torque on the wheel lug nuts. They >> are supposed to be hand torqued down these days and some garages or [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > There are articles which discuss rotor warping, taper, etc. Here's the best one I've found yet. http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm  SignatureTegger > Here's the best one I've found yet. > http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm It is a good article, and it blows holes in so many of the myths that float around these newsgroups. Regulars, read this article and learn! Ian >> Here's the best one I've found yet. >> http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Ian I couldn't agree more! Bob > > Here's the best one I've found yet. > > http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Ian I agree, Ian. I have read this article several times and, maybe I am a slow learner but, I get a little different perspective every time I read it. Some of the principles are sometimes misquoted or misinterpreted by people on these groups but the principles are important and will show you how to do a good job in preventing brake pulsation and buffeting. > When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy, > mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system > from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy rotors. If I had > bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this warping problem? Premium: Modern factory, pure high-grade iron poured into precision-aligned molds in a temperature-controlled environment, allowed to cool slowly in oven, cooling slots cleaned of all casting slag, fully machined and balanced on CNC machine. Mid-grade: Ex-sewing machine factory retrofitted with a small furnace, "used" iron with a few minor impurities poured into almost worn-out but still serviceable molds, air-cooled on wood pallets, most casting slag removed using hammer and chisel, surfaced on a lathe in the local high school's auto shop after last class. Economy: Third-world yokel in a grass hut, old wheels, cranks and tin cans thrown into a big pot, heated over an open fire until they sorta melted, got granny to help pour into home-made carved wooden molds, cooled by dropping them in the creek beside the hut, "machined" by spinning on a stick while the kids held rocks against the sides. > I mean, how much different can the rotors be? Not much difference, really. Honest. > > When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy, > > mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Not much difference, really. Honest. And the funniest part of all that is that the 'economy' ones are known to hold true where the 'premium' ones warp if they even see an air gun in the shop.... Mike 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page) I posted a complaint about a low brake pedal a while back, after checking and fixing all the hydraulic stuff, caliper sliders etc. The pedal was still quite low along with pulsations. I took the wheels off and let the engine spin the disks (bolted on) to see what was going on. I could actually see the runout on both of them, about 1/8 of an inch. I removed the rotors and then watched the hubs spin, nothing noticable, but I would probably need a dial indicator. I then examined the hubs closely and noticed both had a bump of rust below the surface on one of the outside edges. I carefully sanded this out and replaced the rotors and pads. After a run in period the pedal is good and the car brakes well, hopefully it will stay that way. >> > When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy, >> > mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590 > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page) I had the rotors replaced on my full size car. They were low cost rotors. They were wearing thin after about 20,000 miles of use. Thats not good. You get what you pay for. > I had the rotors replaced on my full size car. They were low cost > rotors. They were wearing thin after about 20,000 miles of use. Thats > not good. You get what you pay for. Sometimes. |
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