I bought some new brakes for the front today and plan on putting them on sometime this week. My rotors aren't smooth in the front,should I get them resurfaced before I put the new brakes on? Will the resurfacing help?
Can't I take just the rotors off and take them to a brake shop and let them resurface them?
I really need to change the brakes soon. Also,can I go ahead and change the brakes now and resurface the rotors later(a couple of days)or will the new pads take shape to the rotors? I have never done brakes before so I just need a little info. Thanks?

 

Resurfacing the rotors depends on the mileage they have. If they have alot of mileage and are low then no, your better off buying a GOOD QUALITY set of rotors.. like Bendix, Wagner, Brembo etc... dont buy those cheap $20 ones they sell in most stores.. they will warp on you in no time.

As for changing pads, its a piece of cake. 2 caliper bolts.. or just one really. If you just take off the bottom one you can swing the caliper upwards. Take off the hardware and pads. The rotor comes right off. Use a C clamp to push the piston back and put everything back the together the same way it came off.

 

Yea if the rotors have meat to them then you can cut them but if not you should look into new rotors. They arent that much anyway.

 

yes i would definitely get the rotors done. otherwise, like you say, the grooves in the rotors will affect the pad surface. if you absolutely cannot get it done, at least take some sandpaper and scuff the surface pretty good. smooth is actually bad.

it might be cheaper to take them to an auto parts store. i guess it would be advanced auto parts there. but make sure they do a slow cut. remind them. otherwise, you will have problems with the pads trying to ride the small grooves to the outside of the rotor.

 

well, like they say, make sure the rotors are still within a safe spec for thickness. anywhere you take them to get turned will measure them and tell you if they are ok. if they dont measure them, dont let them turn them. take them somewhere else.
there is a minimum thickness for safety, you definitely dont want to go less than that.

 

The thickness of the rotors was what I was wondering about to. As far as I know they are the originals and my car is a 95. The actual changing of the pads doesn't seem to tuff but I will just need to get a ride so I can take the rotors somewhere.

Advance Auto will turn my rotors for me? I have one less than a mile from me.

 

If the rotors are warped you can resurface them. Or you can buy brembo blanks which are sexy.

 

well i dont know for sure about advance, i was just guessing at what was probably near you. kragen's does it out here in CA, but there arent any there. advance is the equivalent. call 'em

 

Everything has been said here. Except, how the hell do you still have originals on a 95? What kinda mileage you got? I very highly doubt they are originals. My vote is to get a good set of blanks or slotted. The $20-30 it will cost to resurface will put you a 1/4 of the way toward a good set of rotors.

 

six bucks each at kragen's

 

Well, I don't know if they are the originals but I was just guessing. The car has been in the family since it was new. It has 120,000 on it. I will probably go ahead and buy some new ones. I think that will be easier anyway.

 

No.
No.
And No.
Do not re-surface the rotors! This is just asking for them to warp.
Nissan designed these things pretty poorly, and once resurfaced, they are too thin to hold their shape. When I had mine resurfaced, I went 1k miles and they were warped again. That is just wasted money.
It is like $15 each wheel to have your rotors "turned" or "resurfaced."
It is only $20 for new blanks at your local parts store.
I know that some people on here would tell you to put nothing but Brembo or some other fancy/overrated brand on there, but I am telling you, the regular OEM-style blanks are just fine.
I have had mine for more than a year now, and they are not warped.
They were $20 each, and that is hard to beat.
More of what makes the difference in braking is with the pads. This choice is a lot more important. I don't think there is a need to get really technical with the rotors unless you go ahead and get a BBK.

 

Thanks! If I could get Brembo from Advance Auto I would but I think I will just get some Bendix.

 

just make sure they are the exact same spec as OEM