LXOGOOD

Guys, my front brake pads are about 30%. When it comes time to replace the pads next month, should I have the rotors resurfaced too? What have you guys done?
thanks

Ken

bluelex

hmm I have no idea but I want to suscribe to this thread so I can know what to do later.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

I would (and have). IMO its best case to have the new pads mated to a fresh surface rotor...

Remember you need to bed them in again.

mikal

Usually it's not ok to resurface drilled/slotted rotors. Recommended to replace. But some people will do it anyways. Some machine shops acually will turn it for you and some wouldnt. If there's no signs of score on the rotors or warpage ..i think it's fine to just replace the pads. However, if this was a regular oem rotor, I would resurface it everytime pads are changed.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

I've resurfaced mine for years with no issues at all. Even had it done at my local Lexus dealer that happens to have some new top notch equipment.

They've done my old drilled / slotted Supra TT rotors many times as well as my Brembo 14"s drilled.

JacobT

I always keep 2 sets of x-drilled/slotted rotors around for my Supra TT brake. I usually re-surface them once before they go the the trash which is about every 30k miles.

LXOGOOD

Dave, I'm with you. It was always my understanding that when replacing brake pads, you should also have a clean rotor surface (new or resurfaced) to bed the pads properly.


I just talked to my guy at Rotora tonight and they suggest I DO NOT resurface the rotor because it will shorten the life of the rotor and may cause problems down the road (i.e. warping, stress cracks, etc.) They told me to do the normal break in just like before. Rotora did say that if you do resurface the rotors for any reason, you only get 1 time to do it. After that, the integrity of the rotor is no longer good and you will have to replace. As some of you may already know, 14" 2 piece rotors are not cheap!


My issue is that I run the Rotora H6 Ceramic track pads (retail around $300). They are very common pads in the drift and track cars. I just have a gut feeling that when I replace these pads with the new ones, I'm going to cause my rotors to get chewed up and possibly warpped from the bedding process. I guess the flipside is that if the rotors do get damaged, I could use my 1x to resurface it to fix the problems. lol The install won't happen until next weekend so I'm still curious to hear what others do/have done.

Thanks for all of the replies so far! Keep them coming...

rominl

iTrader: (4)

ken, i suggest surfacing it too. in my case, i didn't surface it and actaully everything warpped afterwards. got new rotors and new pads again and i am very happy

it's true that if you surface the rotors you might shorten the life of it, especially since these pads are more aggressive, you actually hav eto take away quite a bit of rotors. but in my case, it definitley better than warping the rotors, and then i had to basically throw away my pats as well

LXOGOOD

Thanks Henry... See, this is some interesting stuff. Lots of good info!

rominl

iTrader: (4)

also more stuff to keep in mind, ken.

the racing pads you talking about, they are very aggressive for sure. if those pads warp the rotors, it's probably not just little warp, it will warp bad. and i don't agree that you always get one time resurface. if the warpage is too bad, i think you can't resurface it anymore, your only option is to get new rotors last time i checked, i paid 600 bucks for rotors for my ap racing brakes

oh and btw, 300 bucks for pads that's pretty pricey the hawk pads set me back 200 and i was crying already the ebc was like 100 bucks and the pads on my stoptech are like 100 too (i asked about the pigid pads that come stock with the ap racing brakes and they are like 300 too btw)

SoCalSC4

My gut says to NOT turn the rotors when replacing the pads on a brake set-up with multi-piece rotors. Since most of these systems use fixed calipers, they "float" the brake rotors by using separate rotors and rotor hats that are attached to each other with special floating hardware.

My concern is that the rotor surface might float (wander laterally) during the turning process due to the force exerted by the cutting tool (the rotor assembly is held on the turning lathe by the rotor hat usually). This may actually cause the friction surface of the rotor to become out of plane (not parallel) with the rotor hat.

I'll call the guys at StopTech this weekend and get a definite answer on this.

Also, the 'warping' issue is usually not warped rotors at all, but uneven pad deposition. This is why breaking-in the pads is so critical for stock or big brake systems.
StopTech has an excllent article explaining all this, a must read:
StopTech white paper on disc "warping" and judder

-Bob

rominl

iTrader: (4)

good points there bob, if you can get more info it's always good.

for sure in my ap racing case turning the rotors only helped the problems, so i can't complain. a note though, when i changed my pads the first time i did break it in according to instructions, and actually nothing happened, everything worked well

but 2 months later i started to get vibration and it got worse and worse

HKGS300

Best and easiest thing would be to consult your brake (pad) manufacturer.

There are many different kinds of pad compounds and rotors available and you cannot use the same way to handle all of these.

For instance, some really racy pads (Mintex F Compound, used for Formula racing, Endurance racing, ...) . Note these are RACING pads.


------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended Bedding Procedures for Mintex F Series Racing Friction Materials

Whilst the entire line of Mintex Racing Friction has received a Pre-Burnishing procedure at our factory, there still will be a bedding requirement. Conditioning of discs and establishing the friction to disc interface are the primary reasons for this procedure. Prior to bedding ensure that these few simple rules are followed.

Never place or lay the brake pad face down on anything. Contamination from oil or oil like substances will seriously degrade the friction performance.

Always bed new pads on used rotors and new rotors with used padsRecommended Bedding Procedures for Mintex F Series Racing Friction Materials . Do not use new pads on any disc that is grooved or is not in good condition. Follow the disc manufacturers recommended procedure on bedding in new discs.

It is best to not start a race with virgin discs or pads and never start a race with both, Always use the warm up sessions to bed discs and pads.

If using new discs ensure that they are properly cleaned with approved cleaners so as to remove any machining fluid or packing (preservation) oil.

Always inspect all caliper piston seals to ensure that they are in good condition and that they are leak free.

A piston seal is relatively inexpensive so if in doubt replace them between every race. The failure of a seal in a race could not only cause you to DNF but would create instability with possible disastrous outcomes.

In addition to seals it is essential to bleed the brakes and replace the brake fluid often. Hydraulic brake fluid is very susceptible to moisture absorption. The higher the moisture contents the lower the boiling point of the fluid. If you are competing in an environment where it is raining or there is high humidity, replace the fluid between each session. If your brake fluid is brown or darker replace it regardless of how recently you put it into the system. Tracks that are known for high brake temperatures will require frequent fluid changes.

Finally before the wheels go back on the car ensure that all the brake bleeder screws are secure and leak free.

To have a brake bleeder screw loosen up has been the cause of some severe incidents and all could have been prevented with a little attention to detail.

After the wheels are placed back on the car ensure the nuts are properly torqued into place. This is very critical for stock/Group N classes that are required to be equipped with the non-floating (solid) disc and bell. If the wheel nuts are not torqued properly the disc becomes susceptible to warping under high temperatures and loads.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

Repalcing the pads with new rotors is the way to go.. iF you try to resurface them it may cost you more money done the road.. Especially if warping and cracking can occur on the drilled/slotted rotors after turning them. As much as these BBK kits go for if i had them i would get new rotors.. I guess you have to pay to play...

LXOGOOD

Bob, if you get the chance, please let us know what Stop Tech recommends for their setup. When Stoptech owners change pads, do they just replace the rotors or do they surface them or just leave them alone? Thanks bro

Ken