Do you always turn your rotors when doing a brake job?

[Duck'n]

I am about to R&R the CV half-shafts on my 03 T4R. When I rotated my tires last, I checked the front pads and noticed they are getting fairly thin. I figure I might as well replace the pads while I have the caliper off doing the axles. My question is, do I have the rotors turned or just replace the pads? The vehicle is braking great right now, no pull or vibration, and stops great. I just don't know if it is advised to turn them every time or leave them alone since there are no apparent issues. Thank you.

 

[nevada]

I am about to R&R the CV half-shafts on my 03 T4R. When I rotated my tires last, I checked the front pads and noticed they are getting fairly thin. I figure I might as well replace the pads while I have the caliper off doing the axles. My question is, do I have the rotors turned or just replace the pads? The vehicle is braking great right now, no pull or vibration, and stops great. I just don't know if it is advised to turn them every time or leave them alone since there are no apparent issues. Thank you.

there is a GOOD chance that all that will change if you just slap pads on.

it is recommended to atleast resurface the rotors any time you change pads.

if you decide to NOT, it will still stop, but you'll likely end up with a pulsation, and maybe even squeaks. and will then have to have the rotors resurfaced.
with fresh rotors, you want to put fresh pads...so basically the pads you installed the first time, when you didnt turn the rotors are garbage.

again, you could reuse those pads too, and it will stop. but, you will likely see the same issues above. its a cyclic affect.

new pads are flat, and true. your old rotor and pads have worn into eachother, and likely neither are true, or flat.

 

[Duck'n]

Makes sense! Just the info I was looking for, thanks!

 

[fourwd1]

I don't do it unless the rotors are damaged (scored, burned, etc) or worn too thin.

 

[Atlanta_man]

shops turn them without exception
1/ if too thin to turn they can sell new ones
2/ stops most 'come-backs'

 

[<<<<]

With all rotor and caliper issues on 4th gen I wouldn't ignore then. Check runout with dial gage, if any - resurf or get new ones because it'll get worse. That's only if you seek best braking, but if you happy with what you have and not planing to use stock rotors to its limits and there is no pulsing or jerky stops with light pressure then you're good.

 

[theizzardking]

if your going to bother to get them turned get them done "on hub" this is 100000x's better than just checking the relative flatness on a bench or what have you, flatness is achieved relative to the hub which is what really matters, you can have your rotor turned to a micron in flatness but it won't matter if you have some sort of stack up happening on the backside of the rotor...sure you're probably fine, but why risk that being the issue? i learned this long ago when chasing down an vibe issue, had the rotors turned 3 times before i just did it on the hub and it magically fixed everything.

turning on the hub is typically the same price, it's just a matter of finding a shop that can do it on hub, so search around.

Rotor runout is the relationship and trueness of rotor to the hub mating surface. If compromised, even replacing or turning the rotor will have little effect, unless an on-car lathe is used to true the rotor to the hub of the vehicle

 

[ChaosStarter]

I always prefer a fresh surface with new pads. But I'm in the business so it helps that I have access to the pro-cut (on-car brake lathe) and it doesn't cost me anything but the pads.

Even when I machine rotors due to pulsation and the pads still have good life, I still sand down the pad surface instead of just slapping the old surface on the fresh rotor surfaces.

 

[Goocherrific]

waaaaaa?

I have always heard that you don't want to resurface rotors. mine were scarred from brake pads wearing too thin. the thinner rotors allow the brake pistons to travel farther causing sticking calipers and tweaked pistons. if it aint broke, don't fix it!:lookout:

 

[TechWrench]

If in doubt, I prefer just replacing the rotors instead of turning the old ones. Since I do my own brake service repairs, it is much easier to just get new rotors when I get the pads. Otherwise, I would have to make two trips to parts store (1st to drop off old rotors for turning, 2nd to pick them up along with pads and any other parts needed). Also, since the cost to have them machined is about half the cost of new ones, it seems, IMHO, to be easier to just replace them.

 

[Dylan]

if your going to bother to get them turned get them done "on hub" this is 100000x's better than just checking the relative flatness on a bench or what have you

Where were you able to get your rotors turned on hub? O'Reilly uses a lathe, but I asked the techs and they were unaware of anyplace in KC that does them on hub.

 

[THEDK]

I never turn rotors. I swap them out every other brake change. If they pulse, I just bed them in and it straightens it out.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

I never turn rotors. I swap them out every other brake change. If they pulse, I just bed them in and it straightens it out.

Me too........

 

[jwkilgore]

This is the thread I needed to find. I'm replacing my brakes and was wondering about turning. I've always turned or replaced rotors when replacing pads, but looking at the math this time it just doesn't make sense. OEM-grade pads were about little over $15/wheel, and turning at a local shop is roughly the same.

I realize that turning the rotors adds life to the pads, because unturned means the pads first have to seat into the rotor grooves which wastes a bit of pad material. But the numbers I'm working with means that I could buy an entire set of pads for the price of turning. To make the numbers work out turning the rotors would have to double the life of the pads, and that's just not realistic.

So tomorrow night I'll just replace the fronts and take a leisurely drive down the highway to gently seat them. Then come back to repeat with the rears.

Incidentally I got 55k out of my original set, but my wife drives in the least efficient way possible. She stays on the gas until the last second then she hits the brakes hard.

 

[STLVince]

I've never had much luck getting rotors turned. I always feel it is a better idea to just have them replaced.