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The pads they put on at the factory are generally not the same pads you get at the dealer. I had several Tacoma pads I had to source from the dealer for a short while many years ago. The OEM pads lasted 35k-40k miles. The OES pads I bought from the dealer were no better in terms of performance or life than subsequent after market pads.
OEM parts are designed to exceed the warranty period. Anything after that is icing on the cake.
Measure twice, cut three times, start over. Repeat as necessary.
Contributor
When replacing pads, rotors should ALWAYS be turned, why put a worn surface against a new surface. Would you edge glue a freshly jointed piece of oak against a rough sawn piece of oak? Same difference in my book. Measure the rotors and if they are close to the disgaurd tolerance, then replace them. We turn rotors on about 60% of brake jobs we do.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
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I'm going to take the fifth on that. BTW, what is the statute of limitations on such an act, if one were to be committed. Just asking for a friend.Originally Posted by Jeff Monson
Measure twice, cut three times, start over. Repeat as necessary.
Contributor
I'll have to let the SMC jury decide that one Greg, I'd say something along the lines of a loss of a finger, toe or some type of digit.I'm going to take the fifth on that. BTW, what is the statute of limitations on such an act, if one were to be committed. Just asking for a friend.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
Member
Nope. I run them through 2 sets of pads and then toss them. Not worth the risk and they aren't expensive. The Brembos or Centrics are both only about 50 bucks each. Get about 30-50k miles out of them. They probably could be turned but its not worth the risk.
Contributor
" Back in the day", when I used to do brake jobs and front end work to supplement the income, we used to turn rotors/drum. However, they were turned to remove the liability of brake failure more than anything else.
The state required that the brake to rotor contact area had to be 100%. The only way to guarantee that there was 100% pad to rotor contact was to turn the rotor/drums.
Each vehicle is different, and with the cost of a replacement set of rotors, and the ease of installation, it makes more sense to replace them with the pads and bed them in together.
I don't turn rotors, I just replace them. But then, I do my own brakes.
In Ken's case, I don't see a set of "typical" cross drilled rotors. It is true that the cross drilling disapates heat, but there are many instances of premature cracking of rotors at the holes in extreme heat situation. A 3/4 ton truck pulling a trailer, on mountain passes, needs brakes.
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
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Occasionally I’ll catch a segment of Goss’ Garage on PBS Motor Week.
Goss cautioned on one show about brakes that most aftermarket rotors are basically inferior to OEM rotors and that you’re better off turning and reusing a OEM rotor rather relying on a knock-off made in China or some third-world country where the emphasis is on “Cheap” rather than quality.
New doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better or even safe.
He also said that quality replacement rotors are still available but I don’t remember him offering any suggestions on where to find them.
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Gluing wood and using brakes are not similar.
Member
with the cost of rotors so cheap it does not make sense to turn them...i replaced front brake pads several time and never had a problem with rotors...but in the case of a warped rotor it should be scrapped as it is inferior.
Contributor
Rotor prices vary dramatically depending on what vehicle you drive and what rotors you put on that vehicle. Check out the prices for a rotor for a 1 ton Ford F-350 pickup and tell me they are cheap.
There is nothing wrong with turning a rotor if it is thicker than the "discard" thickness established by the manufacturer. In the case of my F-350 rotors were $100 each over 15 years ago....and those rotors were not from the OEM but rather a local Napa dealer. At the time I could have both rotor turned for $20.
2ndly......don't take it for granted that new rotors are perfect. The set I put on that F-350 wasn't and I had to turn the new rotors.
Last edited by Ken Fitzgerald; 08-09-2011 at 9:51 AM.
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
There is OEM, OES and aftermarket. It is not uncommon for the OEM part to only be available at the factory where the assembly is done. Those parts are not usually made available to dealerships or aftermarket channels. OES (original equipment supplier) is usually what dealerships and aftermarket distributors carry, although there are some exceptions. Then there is aftermarket supplier, often times an OES. Aftermarket parts can be low quality or higher quality than the OEM. A quality aftermarket manufacturer has the distinct advantage of designing around any flaws in the field tested OEM part.
Yes, there are cheap knock offs out there. Most of us can remember a time when Made In Japan meant poor quality. China is getting their processes together. The quality depends in large part in diligent they are in overseeing QA at the factory. I think Grizzly is a good example of this arrangement.
All things being equal, I would prefer manufacturing in USA, but in fairness, any poor quality coming out of China is a reflection of the companies desire to produce a good product rather than ability.
Measure twice, cut three times, start over. Repeat as necessary.
Member
I am another one who used to supplement his income by doing brake jobs. The standard 25 years ago was to turn them. The new rotors were $70+ and turning was only $10. No brainer back then. Today the rotors are $25-35 and turing in my area is $15-20. For the $10-15 per corner savings I just replace now. It saves time. I can walk out of the auto parts store with everthing I need to get the job done instead of dropping off the rotors and coming back 1-2 hours later to pick them up.
Member
Maybe I'm just lucky but I've never seen a bad rotor out of the box. Not saying it never ever happens but I've read and talked to people who have claimed this and then you find out that they didn't take a wire brush to their hubs or bother to clean and lube everything so the rotor never sat right in the first place...
I just replaced all my brakes a few months ago and it took me over 5 hours to do the rotors, pads, replace all the fluid, and go over the calipers. Smooooooooooth very firm gripping.I just took the Centric rotors out of the box and cleaned all the shipping oil off of them, no turning.
Last edited by Bryan Morgan; 08-09-2011 at 12:39 PM.
Member
Speaking as an ASE Certified, former professional mechanic with extensive experience is braking and suspension systems, I can say with some authority, that it depends on a LOT of factors, not the least of which, the thickness of the rotors themselves, and the OEM specs on those same rotors.
New rotors should be turned with a light pass to remove any surface imperfections caused by the manufacturing, and any warpage caused by shipping and storage.
OEM rotors typically use seriously old technology. For my own personal vehicle, due to other modifications I made. I felt I needed more stopping power, with better heat dissipation than OEM could provide, so when the OEM rotors warped (35" tall rubber will do that...) I replaced them with Cryoslot cryogenically treated slotted rotors, and fitted them with EBC Greenstuff 6000 pads. Hauls my heavy truck, and the heavy loads I haul down to a stop quick...
Trying to follow the example of the master...
Contributor
I drop 700' in elevation to get to the rest of the city here. One of the streets has an 11% grade.
We climb 2000' in elevation to get out of town in any direction. The song "Hot Rod Lincoln" written by Charlie Ryan as attributed at his website was about the old Lewiston Grade. He performed in a local bar and wrote the song after racing a friend to the top of the canyon rim. The current Lewiston grade drops 2000' with only 1 major turn and 5 "runaway truck ramps" in it's 6 mile descent. THe upper part of the descent is 6% grade and the last half is a 7% grade. At the bottom there is a 45 mph "Y". There have been 9 truckers killed at the bottom of that hill since we moved here 29 years ago. They failed to gear down and burned their brakes up before they got to the bottom. Then rolled their trucks at the bottom.
We have to take brakes seriously.
I change brake fluid every 2-3 years too.
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
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