Would You Turn This Rotor?

[OwnerCS]

In replacing the brakes that had 70,000 miles, and after checking the FSM, I wonder if turning the rotors is necessary. Sometimes you can end up with a turned rotor that may not be as good as before the turning.

Needless to say that me and the previous owner are easy on brakes.

Pictures of the pads at 70,000 miles compared to the new pads and rotors are below.



Outside Rotor View at 131,000 miles



Inside Rotor View at 131,000 miles

[qship96]

If there is no grooves deep enough to catch your fingernail in while feeling across the surface of the rotor,and there is no vibration or sheering wheel shaking when applying the brakes{symptoms of a warped rotor} i would not turn the rotors.Every time you turn the rotors,you make them thinner and therefor easier to warp from heat generated by braking. I would check the thickness of the rotor though to be sure it is greater than factory minimums,otherwise the rotor must be replaced.

[OwnerCS]

If there is no grooves deep enough to catch your fingernail in while feeling across the surface of the rotor,and there is no vibration or sheering wheel shaking when applying the brakes{symptoms of a warped rotor} i would not turn the rotors.Every time you turn the rotors,you make them thinner and therefor easier to warp from heat generated by braking. I would check the thickness of the rotor though to be sure it is greater than factory minimums,otherwise the rotor must be replaced.

I agree about making the rotors thinner leads to problems. The new brake pads feel great and no vibration or warping with any wheels. From what I can see and know from the previous owner the rotors have never been turned at 131,00 miles with thickness being above the factory minimum. I like to keep plenty of pad surface available as I believe avoids grooving out a rotor that would require turning to resolve. For the 4800 lbs Ridgeline the rear brakes had to be replaced at 115,000 miles. Though when I checked the front and the wear was about like the pads I replaced on the Q. The Ridgeline OEM pads are ceramics sourced by Akebono that appear to be like the ceramics we are using on our Qs.

As a braking technique, I tend to pulse/pump the pedal going into a stop (similar to an airline pilot's pulse breaking after a landing) as to keep the pad and surface temp as low as possible up to the final stop then release the pedal to again allow the brake surfaces to gain any potential cooling. That technique seems to increase pad life in general as it now becoming common for me to see over 100,000 from a set of front ceramic pads.

It looks like Studebaker (from South Bend Indiana) was the first American car manufacturer to offer modern caliper style disc brakes. The brakes were British Dunlop designed units, made under license by Bendix. The first car I ever drove with disc brakes was a neighbor's 1965 Thunderbird.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HML959snDrE[/youtube]

[Turbon8er]

the pads and rotor *look* good for all those miles. i keep searching the pics for a drum brake since you mentioned "shoes"... i'm guessing you're referring to the pads?

my Ex told me i "brake too early in traffic", lol. This is the same chick that went through a New set of pads in about 10k, and 2 rear end collisions... haha. hctib bmud

[OwnerCS]

Yep.. corrected Pads.. LOL