Time For a Brake Job

sld · May 13, 2013

Time to do the front brakes on my 2007 Superduty and I have a question. In 9 or maybe even 10 of the last brake jobs I have done, in the family or for friends, I have bought new rotors. They are usually cheap and it makes the job go faster.

New rotors for my truck are about $100.00 and I was thinking I might just get them resurfaced. There is only 52k on the truck but I noticed when pulling the boat they have degraded some.

New rotors are double ground - both sides are cut at the same time. This ensures that the sides are parallel. When getting them turned, like at O'reillys, they only cut one side at a time. And this is usually by a kid that may or may not be very experienced.

Am I overthinking it? They will turn them for about 15 bucks apiece. I am assuming they will still have the required thickness after turning due to the low miles.

Any input would be appreciated.

DT86 · May 13, 2013

I wouldn't let just anyone turn mine.

I take them to a Mom n Pop shop that mostly does tires, brakes and exhaust. The same guy always turns the rotors. If he deems they're too far gone he won't touch 'em, no discussion.

Are you sure they even need turned?

Johnp33 · May 13, 2013

I just did my 2007, 3500 GMC the brakes were not worn out, the rotors were rusted badly.
If you look up the specs for grinding it is very minimal. I bought a set of rotors, drilled and slotted, and ceramic pads from Rock auto,for $420. Power stop was the company. I reused the front calipers, the rears I bought.

stuckmotor · May 13, 2013

Unless you have an old set from this truck to have turned, you might consider buying a new set this time. Then find someone who trues them the way you want, and have the old ones turned and ready for the next brake job. I hate not having them ready once I get started too.

Diamondpilot · May 13, 2013

I do about a dozen brake jobs a year and I get 90% of the stuff I use off the net. My favorite is Brake Motive out of Chicago. I usually have the stuff in hand in 24 hour's.

Chris

HHR · May 13, 2013

Johnp33 said:
I just did my 2007, 3500 GMC the brakes were not worn out, the rotors were rusted badly.
If you look up the specs for grinding it is very minimal. I bought a set of rotors, drilled and slotted, and ceramic pads from Rock auto,for $420. Power stop was the company. I reused the front calipers, the rears I bought.

Rust seems to eat the rotors if you are in a state that uses salt/chemicals in the winter. I helped a buddy change his rotors last week because his truck sounded like a B-26 bomber flying over at 100 feet. The inside of the rotor was completely missing and the piston was out so far that it was cocked to the side.

Diamondpilot · May 13, 2013

That's the worst I have ever seen. Looks like he should have realized he had sticking calipers way beforehand.

Chris

HHR · May 13, 2013

Diamondpilot said:
That's the worst I have ever seen. Looks like he should have realized he had sticking calipers way beforehand.

Chris

The brakes had only been making noise for a few days and I think the inside of the rotor shattered and fell off while he was driving. The piston cocked sideways because it was almost all the way out and what was left of the pad (steel backer plate) wasn't grinding on the rotor vanes parallel.

crazyal · May 13, 2013

Years ago they would make rotors with lots of extra thickness so the could be turned. Over the last couple of decades it seams like they are now disposable. I wouldn't be surprised to find that you can't have the rotors turned because they aren't thick enough. I'm not sure if it was a place that mfgs could save some weight, productions techniques improved, or it was just to save a few bucks.

Gem99ultra · May 14, 2013

Crazyal, that's been my experience on the last two brake jobs. Most shops, perhaps all, don't turn brake rotors any longer. They're disposable. And also to my surprise, some come with the bearings, race, etc. already installed. It's a throw-away world anymore.

Hat's off to sld for not joining the wasteful practice of replace rather than repair.

AlexMarshall · May 14, 2013

They might not need to be turned. Does the truck rattle when braking now? If not, you might be all set.

clemsonfor · May 14, 2013

My father in law closed his auto shop. He had a brake lathe. I turned it down, not haveing a place for it inmy rental house and in my new house not a place for it either. I could make one in my house i bought now but with them as cheap as they are and no more than i would use it, its not worth keeping the machine around in my opinion, and i have 5 vehicles that i maintain of my own so i do a few brake jobs!

sld · May 14, 2013

In my opinion, it is always best to resurface the rotors if installing new pads. Can you get away with not doing it? Sure, but the brakes will never be as good as if you start with a fresh rotor surface. I have done it both ways and it always seems like new surfaces are better. But it could be the same thing as when you wash your truck it seems to run better and ride smoother. :laughing:

I like the idea of buying new this time and having the original set turned at my leisure for the next time. Only problem is I have my eye on a 2015 Ecoboost and may not put that many more miles on my F250!

dodge man · May 15, 2013

I agree, I always turn my rotors. I had the fronts on my Dodge truck turned, and they will need changed next brake job, this is at about 112,000 miles when I did them. I think trucks have a little more room for wear in the rotors then some cars do.

clemsonfor · May 15, 2013

I can see some of you with a tow vehicle useing brakes up often or on a work truck, as my work truck eats breaks, but on my personal vehicles i dont have to do brakes on the front but every 80 000 or so miles? I cant beleive the amount of break jobs it sounds like some of you are doing?

Peacock · May 15, 2013

I always machine the rotors unless they are either too rusty or too thin. Rarely replace a rotor on a Honda with less than 100k on it. Not the case with domestics. They've usually rusted away by then around here.

I cut them with an on-car lathe. It cuts them true to the hub, rather than to the cone in rotor. Much better overall brake job when done this way.

Keep the hardware and pads lubed with Sil-Glyde and they will stay pretty free for quite a while.

All rotors are designed to be thick enough to cut several times. Most are either too rusty to cut again or the shop is too lazy to do the job right.

sld · May 15, 2013

Most of my towing miles come from pulling the boat in the Ozarks of Missouri. The boat is really not that heavy but the hills are what will eat your brakes alive. I think this 52k miles might be the most I have ever gotten from front brakes.