TrevorSt

Shops always turn the rotors, doesn't matter whether or not they are true -- it just guarantees a clean surface and they get to charge. The resurfacing without turning approach (garnetpaper, steel wool, Brakleen) seems to work, but that probably isn't cost effective for a shop -- just an owner. After doing my own rotors, it's clear to me that what felt like warp wasn't.

xtnct

iTrader: (33)

I never found resurfacing (on a lathe) to be effective on my cars. If I resurfaced due to a slight warp, the warp would come back anyway after a month or two. If I resurfaced for new pads, I just wasted disc material as I could never tell a difference. I stopped wasting money on resurfacing. I just make sure to re-bed the pads when I swap them and never had a problem (that includes switching from track pads to street & vice versa multiple times a year). My personal conclusion, based on my personal experience, is that resurfacing is just for looks and that I wasted a lot of $ on resurfacing in the past for no reason at all.

I do not sandpaper/steel wool, etc. my discs either, but I do sandpaper my used pads to take off the glaze and shine. This makes sure that when I bed the pads in, the pad material is properly transferred on to the disc and that the pad is flat so it can seat itself into the already present groves on the rotors (I have grooving on rotors due to using track pads). Never had an issue with noise (even with Hawk HPS/HP that many other people seem to experience).

Jazzie604

iTrader: (1)

have any of you guys every measured your rotor thickness when you decide to resurface or not? maybe those who are saying resurfacing is a waste started with rotors that were already to thin to safely reuse. I know for a fact that resurfacing does help. I tried to replace the rotors on my car last week without replacing the pads, you could easily see where the olds pads had a concave pattern worn in them causing improper contact on the new rotors. this means the old rotors had the same UNEVEN wear pattern, and had I just pad slapped those I wouldnt be getting full contact.
FWIW, on almost every BMW I have serviced in the last few years(admittedly less that 100-we dont do a lot of european) the rotors are often worn below safety specs by the time the pads wear out.
Lastly, is it really possible to build up .010in pad material just by transfer alone?

Xearo

iTrader: (4)

Some questions: Just bought my 04 Evo gsr. My brake pedal pulsates pretty bad. (not as bad all my old 88 subaru GL though =)

Took a look at the pads and there is alot of dust (shavings) built up on the top of the pad where it angles away form the rotor. Sometimes when I come to a stop, there is a horrifyingly loud squeeeek!! Not just a normal brake squeek, but a badddd one!! Scares girls away

I will take a closer look at my pads and rotors. Rotors feel grooved but no more than my integra, and my integra didnt pulsate or squeek.

What should I do about this? just sand papaper the rotor or pads, resurface (cant afford that this weeek so something else in the meantime). Is it normall to have so much brake dust buildup on th top of the pads? should i blow it out with an air compressor or osmething?

Thanks!

Smike

iTrader: (8)

You can try and sand the rotor some. Micrometer the rotor thickness. If too thin it will need to be replaced. Also check the tie-rods, they can wear out and cause that feel also. Finally, make sure all lugnuts are torqued to spec.

MR. EVO MR

iTrader: (9)

When a system has both new rotors and pads, there are two different objectives for bedding-in a performance brake system: heating up the brake rotors and pads in a prescribed manner, so as to transfer pad material evenly onto the rotors; and maturing the pad material, so that resins which are used to bind and form it are ‘cooked' out of the pad.

Does anyone here know what temperature this is?

Smike

iTrader: (8)

That burnishing temperature would be dependent on the pad manufacture and materials.

MR. EVO MR

iTrader: (9)

just replaced my pads this past weekend, (fastest brake job i ever did) my brakes would shake like crazy with the smallest tap at highway speeds, she would stop but shake like crazy.
Even my mechanic that repairs my company cars said they need to be cut. I nstalled the pads, did the 60-10mph stops (about almost 30 times and over 11 miles of road at 4-5am) MY BRAKES DO NOT SHAKE ANYMORE, INFACT SHE STOPS ALOT BETTER
my oem pads still had about 1/4" of meat left at 26xxx miles.
thank you uniquephoto in Fairfield, NJ for my new pads unique photo FTW !
for the record I DID NOT REMOVE MY ROTORS

Xearo

iTrader: (4)

get some sleep fool.

So u just replaced your pads? I have the same thing plus a squeel sometimes when I hit the brakes. My pads still have lots of pad left. What your tellin me is u just threw some new ones on and it strtightened out? I might do the same. But if there is any other problems then the shake will come back!! Thats what I read anyway.

Xearo

iTrader: (4)

I solved all my problems. I took off the pads and sanded them with some 80 grit for about 20 seconds each, cleaned off the brake duust from the pads, calipers, pins, spring clip, etc. Then I took in my rotors and had them turned. Then I did a bedding in drive, it was tough, as portland streets are busy and im sleeping when they are not!! but i kind of got an allright bed in. So far no problems. no pulsaating, and the more i drive it the smoother they get it seems.
Cost me 26$ total to have the rotors turned.

SleepySamurai13

iTrader: (4)

Ok, so my rotors in the front have been resurfaced once, and never in the rear, the guy that did my brakes said they might squeal a lil bit in the rear, and they did a lil. Everything has been fine with my brakes, now im going to do my brakes my self and am thinking of removing my rotors and having em all resurfaced, but only if i have to. and since readin this thread, im just wondering if i really need to. My fronts have a lil bit of a lip on the outside edge of the rotor, but other than that just normal wear. is that normal? and should i have it resurfaced to have the lip removed? also ive heard of people using a high temp copper permatex for the shims to prevent squealing, does this work and which high temp copper permatex do you use?

Xearo

iTrader: (4)

I am updating my previous 2 posts. So after having a nasty brake shake and shimmy that even made the steering wheel dance like crazy, I resurfaced my rotors and and sanded my pads down with sand paper and put them all back in. After a bed in, they worked flawlessly. It was awesome.

1500 miles later, the shimmy is back and bad as ever!! No squeak this time thought =)

Heres what im going to try now. I didn't ever toque my lug nuts to spec, will do htis time, and will change out my brake fluid.

My latest theory is either the lug nuts are torqued differently from each other causing a super slight wheel wobble which also means the rotors are wobbling as they are floating rotors. So I will buy a 60$ torque wrench (which everyone should have anyway IMO).
And i think brake fluid loses its capacity to resist compression as its boils due to extreme brakeing, thin rotors, or just being old. The reason we use brake fluid is because it doesn't like to compress. I think if its already broken down this could be the reason my shimmying came back as they wont apply a consistent pressure to the pistons.

So I will try both of the above, and depending on how gung ho i am, i may resurface the rotors and/or just sand the brake pads down a little.

I think if turning the rotors can be avoided, it should. So i may not do that, but if i have caused them to warp, i may have to do tthem again anyway.

in summary, I think If i had done this right and wanted to avoid buying new rotors and pads (my pads have tons of life on them), i SHOULD have turned the rotors, sanded down the pads, AND changed the brake fluid out, and toqued the lug nuts to spec. I thought I was avoiding short cuts, turns out i was actually taking short cuts instead.. Will update soon.

Xearo

iTrader: (4)

If i wasnt layed off, I would have new slotted (not drilled) rotors, with some Satsified Gran Sport 5 pads. And new brake fluid and torque my **** to spec.

We shall see if these costs can be avoided. I think it will be interesting to see how salvaging all this stuff will work!!

SleepySamurai13

iTrader: (4)

bump for some info please, need an opinion asap thank you

Xearo

iTrader: (4)

Yes use the high temp copper stuff. Mine has some similar **** on it and I dont squeek anymore so i assume it works. No need to resurface them unless they are warped. I would anyway, but everyone else thinks it is unecessary. U take off maybe 6 months or longer of life off of them everytime u do it. Also, because they are thinner, I hear they dont cool off as quickly. Dunno if I believe it but Il go with it.