Front Brake Rotor

I purchased 00 SEL that had 69K miles. My State requires an inspection certificate to transfer ownership. I had a local shop checked it out and they told me the front rotors were too thin, not meeting the state requirements. According to the prev owner, the vehicle just had a brake job. That means it just gone thru one set of brake pads. How can a rotor wear down that fast? Is this normal? Do you replace the rotors when the pads are due replacement???

Hmm, well some places don't do a very thorough inspection on the components. They just change the brakes, and one place I recently called doesn't even bleed the lines when they do it. The rotors were probably under the limit but noone checked until now. And the owner couldn't done the brake job himself. That is all I can think off for them to be unpassable so quickly after a new brake job.

Jennifer

I mean to say "could've" not couldn't do the job himself. Sorry bout that.

Jennifer

I had to replace my rotors at 40k miles because I wasn't watching the pad wear as I should have. Now that I'm replacing front pads every 30k miles or so ... the rotors are not wearing very fast. I'm still on the second set of rotors at 155k miles.... they are showing very little wear.

I had to replace my rotors at 40k miles because I wasn't watching the pad wear as I should have. Now that I'm replacing front pads every 30k miles or so ... the rotors are not wearing very fast. I'm still on the second set of rotors at 155k miles.... they are showing very little wear.

I believe the vehicles come with semi-metallic pads and unless you drive like a maniac these should last more than 40K miles. It is unbelievable that you had to replace the rotors after only driving 40K miles. And replacing the pad every 30K miles thereafter... Either you have unusual driving habit (like riding brakes all the time) or something not quite right with your van. I see your point though... the prev owner of my van could have screwed up the rotors before he sold it to me... that is very possible. But most repair shop don't care about the thickness of the rotors unless it is paper thin. They made me replace them because it is state inspection criteria. Thanks for your comment. wa jang chang!!!!

To be more precise, my first pad set was probably replaced at more like 43k miles... noise brought my attention to the problem of pad wear. I should have paid more attention and been on top of it. The worn-out pads had gouged an ugly groove in one rotor and a slight groove in the other. I trusted replacement rotors more than machining the old ones. Ever since I have replaced pads when they were worn to their safe limits...usually at 30k, or slightly more at times.

Now the rear drum shoes are just the opposite. I replaced my first rear shoes at 120k miles ... and they could have gone further!

Granted, I drive mostly on expressway, in pretty hilly area ...and often pull my 2500 lb trailer loaded up.

Unless you are driving mostly in town at moderate speeds... be prepared to change pads frequently on this front-heavy vehicle.

This is COMMON, very common.

MANY shops perform a brake job and turn down the rotors to JUST above the bare minimum so the next time you need new rotors, the average person will NEVER find out.

BTW, how the H#LL does the inspector know you need rotors? Did they pull the tires and mic them? I'd bet not.

I live in Maryland state and whenever we change ownership on the vehicles (registration/new title), the state DMV (or MVA in some other state) requires a safety inspection certificate. This is not those annual inspection required by some states. It is very thorough inspection (i.e. a dime size crack on windshield will fail the inspection, which is a costly fix). Yes, they remove all four tires for brake inspection. They use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the rotors (i.e. 0.998 inch). If your tire wears unevenly and one portion not meeting minimum thread requiremnt, you have to replace the tire. If you have a tiny hole in the exhaust pipe, you have to fix it. In a sense the state is doing this for your benefit but some dishonest repair shops see that as opportunity to make easy money.

........ How can a rotor wear down that fast? Is this normal? Do you replace the rotors when the pads are due replacement???

I've had some parts store rotors warp or wear out quickly. Autozone, advance auto, pepboys can sell some real 3rd world junk. Better quality rotors (if you can find them) last much longer. I've had better luck with napa, carquest or OEM products.
G/luck
Joel

The rotors I replaced were original Ford parts that came with the vehicle.