Seen it done both ways, turn the rotors of leave them alone?

Sandaholic

Sandaholic

Bangin' through the gears
So what's your experience with turning rotors? I just bought some new EBC sport rotors and yellowstuff pads for the front and the cheapie OE replacement type for the rear (ultimax). I was planning on turning the rears before putting the pads on. But as I was reading up on what people like as far as brakes I saw that quite a few guys don't like to turn the rotors. Just wondering if you guys are trying to save a buck or what? I can turn mine for free at the shop. I've always been told that cutting them is the correct thing to do.

Learn me somethin'
 
If you tow, I would buy new ones. Dont get the cheap ones, look at the run out specs before you buy any.
 
I run premium rotors and mid grade pads. When the pads wear out I replace them, 2 sets of pads to one set of rotors. If the rotors warp or get torn up replace them. If they're worn nice and smooth and still within service limits just put new pads on. Never resurface truck rotors unless you wish to open a new can of worms.
 
LReiff said:
I run premium rotors and mid grade pads. When the pads wear out I replace them, 2 sets of pads to one set of rotors. If the rotors warp or get torn up replace them. If they're worn nice and smooth and still within service limits just put new pads on. Never resurface truck rotors unless you wish to open a new can of worms.
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That's odd. I've always resurfaced mine with great results.
 
Always had mine machined without issues. But I can understand leaving them be if they aren't warped or don't have any gouges.
 
All rotors have a minimum safe thickness/operating limit. Why would you remove metal from a good used rotor to make it reach that limit quicker? If its good to reuse just reuse it, otherwise toss it and get new. If you ever seen an exploded rotor you will understand why I feel the way I do. I don't want to be the one behind the wheel when the brakes fail.
 
I always have the rotors turned the first time I change pads, the second time they get replaced. I like to tow safely and always use caution to prevent any issues.
 
LReiff said:
All rotors have a minimum safe thickness/operating limit. Why would you remove metal from a good used rotor to make it reach that limit quicker? If its good to reuse just reuse it, otherwise toss it and get new. If you ever seen an exploded rotor you will understand why I feel the way I do. I don't want to be the one behind the wheel when the brakes fail.
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I have a rotor here I removed last week that had been turned before. Ill take a pic and post it later.
 
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This was a set of rotors that were run from OEM for alot of miles with no trouble and this is after they were turned and run for less than a 100 miles. Im pretty sure the heat from turning was the root cause of this. Ill buy new for a few more bucks rather than ruin a set of new pads and a caliper and nearly cause a heart attack over crap like this.
 
Chris I've seen worse than that, the disc exploded cause the only thing left was the center piece. Some people stumble over dollars to pick up pennies, then spend cubic dollars later.
 
I thought it was going to be a picture of factory slotted rotors ( ie cooling fins only ). I am amazed turning them would produce enough heat in order to cause the hub to fracture.
 
If turning the rotors is producing that much heat, they are doing it wrong!!! I have had many rotors resurfaced/machined and worked in a tire shop through and after high school where we did many rotors on a regular basis. The ONLY rotor failures we ever saw in the shop was a set that the owner drove to the point of failure on OE rotors, ground the brake down to metal then kept driving and wore the solid rotor so thin it broke off the hub on a late 80s Nissan Sentra.

If the rotors look and feel straight and have never been run metal to metal you can get away with slapping the pads in. But you will get best performance by turning the rotors to get a good straight surface that has not be glazed or any other problems. If a pattern is worn into the rotor the pads will eventually match the wear pattern, but at first braking will be limited as the contact area is greatly reduced when the pads ride on the high spots only!!!

If you can afford it new parts are best, but if the rotors are in decent shape and not below the minimum, turning won't hurt them! If they are close to the minimum turning them will put you under the limit and that would be bad! Always use a reputable shop and operator to turn rotors!!!

My 2 cents...
 
Chris Tobin said:
If turning the rotors is producing that much heat, they are doing it wrong!!! I have had many rotors resurfaced/machined and worked in a tire shop through and after high school where we did many rotors on a regular basis. The ONLY rotor failures we ever saw in the shop was a set that the owner drove to the point of failure on OE rotors, ground the brake down to metal then kept driving and wore the solid rotor so thin it broke off the hub on a late 80s Nissan Sentra.

If the rotors look and feel straight and have never been run metal to metal you can get away with slapping the pads in. But you will get best performance by turning the rotors to get a good straight surface that has not be glazed or any other problems. If a pattern is worn into the rotor the pads will eventually match the wear pattern, but at first braking will be limited as the contact area is greatly reduced when the pads ride on the high spots only!!!

If you can afford it new parts are best, but if the rotors are in decent shape and not below the minimum, turning won't hurt them! If they are close to the minimum turning them will put you under the limit and that would be bad! Always use a reputable shop and operator to turn rotors!!!

My 2 cents...
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My thoughts exactly.
 
CSnyder said:
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603127_10151675512468662_1831694987_n.jpg


This was a set of rotors that were run from OEM for alot of miles with no trouble and this is after they were turned and run for less than a 100 miles. Im pretty sure the heat from turning was the root cause of this. Ill buy new for a few more bucks rather than ruin a set of new pads and a caliper and nearly cause a heart attack over crap like this.
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That is shocking!!!!
Maybe just weld them back together!!! LOL!!!
 
Chris Tobin said:
If turning the rotors is producing that much heat, they are doing it wrong!!!
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yupp...

only drawback with turning a rotor, IMO, is placing the caliper piston further out in the bore, risking a failure.

then again, never turn a warped rotor, that is a totally different story
 
I've always thought turning rotors was a bandaid. Take a rotor warped from heat, then remove material. It will warp that much faster. Replace them.
 
So if the rotor is not warped
Has enough minimum thickness
And is cut by a competent person

Is it safe to say that turning it is the proper thing to do? Or could you still run across issues?

Seems like a happy medium is just knocking the ridges down with a sanding disc. Anybody go that route?
 
Sandaholic said:
So if the rotor is not warped
Has enough minimum thickness
And is cut by a competent person

Is it safe to say that turning it is the proper thing to do? Or could you still run across issues?

Seems like a happy medium is just knocking the ridges down with a sanding disc. Anybody go that route?
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Properly turning the rotor will provide a flat "true" surface for the pads to make contact with. Using a sanding disc by hand will likely yield a non-flat and definitely non-true surface and will probably give you pedal vibration or worse.

Either turn them, replace them or run them. Do not try to mickey mouse something else...
 
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