machine rotors

[wade623]

how do you know when they need to be machined and why do they need it

[bearcatdon]

Some people like to turn the rotors with every brake job. Personally I only do it when deep gouges are present causing uneven pad wear or pulsation of the brake pedal during braking due to warpage.

[wade623]

i heard you need to do it every time you get new pads

[bcopeland]

I agree with bearcatdon. Why turn your rotors when they are evenly worn? If you experience an unusual drive before you change the pads, then have then turned.

[wade623]

ok thanks

[Reg Saretsky]

Originally Posted by wade623

how do you know when they need to be machined and why do they need it

IMHO- DON'T. A new rotor is 42.00 here in taxCanada- Cheaper in the USA. If you are going to the trouble of doing your own brakes- just slap a new rotor in.

Machining a rotor that is warped removes more metal to compensate for the warpage, leading to a more quickly warped rotor .

[Ed_Strong]

Make sure you torque your lug nuts to the proper setting called by the manufacturer (usually 90-100 ft lbs). I used to get warped rotors every few months and since I started doing the torque procedure for about 6 to 8 years I've never had to turn the rotors on any of my cars.

Torque wrench are expensive but you can get a cheap one at Harbour Freight for about $20 and thats a lot better that guestimating your torque setting by hand alone!