bert

Am I so old that I am missing something?

Every dealer that I have talked to about doing my brakes (rears @ 20% left, no rivet / squeeler grinding) wants to turn my rotors. One says that the new pads are so soft and the used rotor is so hard that there will be problems. Another one says that the 'rust line' will cause grave damage, premature wear and possibly squeeling of the brakes.

A couple of hundred kilometers (20-30-40 brakes) of soft-easy braking has always worked for me.

Am I missing something?

JAIMECBR900

Rotors only need to be resurfaced to have a better gripping surface for the new pads or because they are warped. Keep in mind that the more times you turn them, the less total life they have. Dealerships make money on new rotors, so the more they turn the more you have to eventually buy. Why are you going to the dealer for brakes anyway? Unless under warranty, I would opt to either do it myself or take it to a brake shop. Brake pads are very cheap and to do the job is very simple really. If the rotors are not warped or gouged, then put on the pads and enjoy. If they need to be turned, the brake shop or even auto parts store will turn them for minimal cost. If you do the job yourself, total outlay is probably around $100 even if you have to turn the rotors. Good luck.

bert

It was in there for some waranty check, which surprisingly I had no hastle with. Changing the front linkages (tie-rods?) under 60K KM, 2000 SE. (not impressive durability)

The fronts are warped (again) but they won't do the work (again) saying they only have to do it once. I am not worrying until I have to change the pads, then I'll get me a set of Brembo disks or something like that, hopefully with some Porterfields, if I can find some in Canada somewhere closer to Montreal than richmond Hill. It'll probably cost me less anyways.

1MAX2NV

iTrader: (5)

Smooth broken in rotors are better for new pads. Only time the rotor should be machined are:

1. Deep Grooves deeper than 1.5mm
2. Thickness variation exceeding specification and a brake paedl pulsation complaint.
3. Heavy rust that has corroded the friction surface.

Freshly cutted rotors will not have as smooth finish as a broken in one.

The reason machanics push for them because the time it takes to turn them. One rough cut and one fine cut will take aleast 30 mins. That's 30mins the machine is working that they are not.

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

also...
-cut rotor is thinner
-thinner means it'll warp faster
-warped rotor means you're going back in 6 months for a NEW rotor.
-new rotor means higher cost for brake job
-higher cost means more money for the shop
....and the cycle continues.

Eric L.

Actually, it used to be that rotors were expensive and it was more cost effective to turn them than to replace them. If you have a rotor that is really warped or has deep grooves in it, definitely price out how much it would cost for you to buy new rotors from the store (or online from Courtesy) rather than turn them. If it costs the same or even a little more, get the new ones.

Ben4bamaMax

I was needing new pads and had a mild vibration only when braking off the highway. The shop told me that if there was ANY vib at all it would be worse with new pads. I didn't listen so just put the pads on myself and the vib. was WAY worse. I bought new rotors at dealer and brought them to the shop just in case the existing ones couldn't be turned anymore. They had one more turning left so I paid them $80 to turn the rotors (which includes the labor to replace the pads and everything) instead of paying them $40 to put the rotors on plus the $176 I paid for the rotors (including tax) and just kept the rotors for my next set of pads. Turning the rotors also helped my steering wheel vib at highway speed that I had w/o hitting brakes.. I'm sure these will warp(hopefully not soon) since they are about down to min. thickness so next set of pads I'll put the new rotors on myself. What happens much of the time when a shop turns rotors is they just cut them down way more than they should just to get it over with and usually do this below the min thickness of the rotor and this is why warping occurs shortly after turning. just make sure they don't turn more than they should...it took the shop a while to do mine because they just did it over and over taking a little off each time rather than 1 huge cut in that might have ruined the rotor...my .02

Frank Fontaine

One of my buddies who is meticulous and does everything himself told me to always turn my rotors when replacing pads. Parts and labor are cheap. If you replace your pads without turning the rotors the life of the pads wont be as long. My brakes are original at 58.5 and there are no pulsations. Look at the surface of the discs and they are scored.

Some people like to do only what's necessary, but there is also the saying penny wise and pound foolish. On cars with timing belts, why would you replace the belt and then say the tensioner needs to be changed "every other time?" One of those things, you have it apart you're in their anyway, you gotta close the deal!

White96MaxSE

My 96 Max is 6 years old, has 176,000 miles on it, I've changed the pads three times (fronts first then backs later on), I've never turned my rotors at all during the life of the car and I can slam on the brakes exiting the highway on the ramp and stop without my hands on the wheel (maybe a small white lie).

I always hand torque lug nuts with my Craftsman Torque wrench when I rotate tires. First, I go around the car using the wrench set at 30 lb/ft, next 60 lb/ft, then finally 87 lb/ft. I always retorque to 87 lb/ft. after another 250 miles down the road.

Always used stock Nissan brake pads, no squeak ever.

I'm not messing with success.

White96MaxSE