Do I need to turn Rotors while replacing pad?

[dipNrip]

After I got my good laugh at the local dealer ship ($650 to replace front and back pads and turn rotors), I've decided to do it myself.

I know you SHOULD turn the rotors when replacing pads, but do you necessarily HAVE to do it? I don't have any issues with them, as the vehicle brakes smoothly so they don't appear to be warped. They are also no large grooves in them.

Also just curious what you guys are paying for pads. At the same dealership i was told $80 for front and $70 for rear OEM pads. If you've guys used aftermarket pads also let me know what you used, how they worked, and how much they cost ya.

 

[lackofguilt]

Well even though the rotors seem straight and not warped your current break pads and rotors have kind of worn together. In other words the pads and rotors have matching grooves and wear spots. When you put new pads on they are perfectly flat and will cause excessive vibration when braking and premature wear due to the non flat surface of the rotor.

I did this with my Civic because I was lazy and it vibrated and shook especially when stopping in a short distance.

If you have the time and a second vehicle you can take the rotors to a local shop and have them turned for alot less than the stealership.

 

[dipNrip]

Well even though the rotors seem straight and not warped your current break pads and rotors have kind of worn together. In other words the pads and rotors have matching grooves and wear spots. When you put new pads on they are perfectly flat and will cause excessive vibration when braking and premature wear due to the non flat surface of the rotor.

I did this with my Civic because I was lazy and it vibrated and shook especially when stopping in a short distance.

If you have the time and a second vehicle you can take the rotors to a local shop and have them turned for alot less than the stealership.

Ya, I kind of figured that. I don't have another vehicle so whatever i start I need to finish it the same day. Plus I heard the rotors are a b**ch to take off. I'm thinking i would almost be better just replacing them so I can have them cleaned up and ready to put on once the old ones come off.

I may just try to get the parts and have some local shop do it that doesn't charge and arm and a leg for labor labor like the dealer.

 

[ABooker]

NO, if it's not causing problems don't do it. Pads are cheap. I just replaced my pads in about an hour and all is well. Just don't let them get down to the metal and the rotors will be fine. I have done this on several cars over the years and saved big time.

 

[K.C.]

If your break pedal isn't shaking when you brake & when you slide your nail on the rotor like if you were scratching it & it doesn't feel like it's catching your nail....then it's smooth, so you don't need to resurface your rotors.

I usually resurface every other pad change.

That's from all my previous cars.

I haven't had to replace the brake pads on the 4Runner yet.

 

[Uneek]

I don't think it's an absolute must, though most would probably recommend having them turned.

I have never turned any of my rotors on any of my cars. None of them were warped, many exceeding 100k miles and had six to ten pad replacements on the original rotors when I sold the car. Some of them have seen pads last only about 10-12k miles because it's all city miles--the brakes had a hard life. If they're not warped or grooved, I see no reason to shorten the rotor's life by having them turned. I always replace my pads when the wear indicator makes contact and brakes start to squeal.

In regards to getting the new pad surface to match the rotors, I bed my new brake pads after every replacement. This will be hard to do in traffic or busy areas. I get the vehicle up to speed, 40-45mph, brake, slowing to about 5mph, and accelerate upto speed again. Do not come to a complete stop. The faster and higher the speed you can get upto, the better. I repeat the process between 8-10 times and then drive around for about 10 minutes at highway speeds, letting the brakes cool down.

The dealer is gouging you on the pads. They're less than $44 and $48 at Partznet.com, front and rear, respectively.

 

[dipNrip]

I don't think it's an absolute must, though most would probably recommend having them turned.

I have never turned any of my rotors on any of my cars. None of them were warped, many exceeding 100k miles and had six to ten pad replacements on the original rotors when I sold the car. Some of them have seen pads last only about 10-12k miles because it's all city miles--the brakes had a hard life. If they're not warped or grooved, I see no reason to shorten the rotor's life by having them turned. I always replace my pads when the wear indicator makes contact and brakes start to squeal.

In regards to getting the new pad surface to match the rotors, I bed my new brake pads after every replacement. This will be hard to do in traffic or busy areas. I get the vehicle up to speed, 40-45mph, brake, slowing to about 5mph, and accelerate upto speed again. Do not come to a complete stop. The faster and higher the speed you can get upto, the better. I repeat the process between 8-10 times and then drive around for about 10 minutes at highway speeds, letting the brakes cool down.

The dealer is gouging you on the pads. They're less than $44 and $48 at Partznet.com, front and rear, respectively.

I will probably just get the pads from my dealer since I plan on doing it this weekend. They are $75. I'm down to 3/32 so I need to do it before I forget or get busy and then HAVE to turn the rotors. Y

Yes they are very smooth and that's why I'm thinking I could get away with not turning them. I never had any problems. I have 75K on the originals and probably could get another 10K the way I drive so I'm very happy with them. Especially since about 15K of it was in heavy stop and go trafffic.

I have 4/32 on the rears and will probably do those in the winter. The rotors look a little worse and possibly burnt a bit so they may need replaced.

 

[inscarguy]

i would cut the rotors.

new pads have a rough surface, rotors that have been used have a smooth surface. once they make contact the new pads act like sand paper and depending on the compound of the pads are actually stronger than the rotor. a good sign of this is look where the pad sits on the rotor, there will ALWAYS be a ridge on the outer lip and on the inner edge along the hub of the rotor. also the rotors would have to be measured for thickness. if they are too thin even to leave alone they will have to be replaced. the amount of material cut off the rotor is minimal, in some cases its less than leaving the rotor alone and just doing pads because the amount of material taken off the rotor when the new pads hit it will be in some cases substantial.

when you have a cut rotor and a new brake pad they will "mesh" correctly and wear evenly provided they are "bed" correctly.

absolutely positively cut the rotors, the pads and rotors will last longer and will stop better.

 

[midnight runner]

No, you don't have to turn the rotors. See here about everyone's so called "warped" rotors.

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

Change your pads out to something more aggressive, and you won't have to deal with that warped rotor feeling anymore.