RAMAIR

Quick question for you all... when replacing the brake pads did you guys also replace the shims? or just clean up the current ones and re-use them>?

Also.... new rotors, turn your rotors, or "What I have to service my rotors too?".... any consequences to each>?

Thanks guys!

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

I do new rotors when new pads are needed...just something I do.

New I installed my new StopTech Streets I just cleaned off the OE shims with brake clean, greased them up good, and re-installed. No noise at all. BTW, had only 34k on the car at that moment.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

If there's nothing wrong with the rotors there's no reason to replace em.

(and there's usually even less reason to resurface em)

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

Rotors don't go bad on a daily driven car that doesn't see track use.
I once replaced my shims but that's cause I bent the heck out of it on accident when removing them.

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

Also reminder... Bed in your new pads

ChickenIS

iTrader: (1)

No. New pads came with shims on them. No noises or ill effects.

BamaIS

iTrader: (3)

I re-used the factory shims. Cleaned them up and greased them between the shim and the pad. I don't have my rotors turned unless there is some evidence of them being warped. Turning them makes them thinner, which makes them more prone for warping in the future.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Rotors, barring improper install or defective parts, don't warp.

For what's really happening when people say "Your rotors are warped", and how to avoid it, see here:

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml


(but you're spot on about there being no need to turn rotors normally)

BamaIS

iTrader: (3)

From reading the article above, you can call it what you want, but in the end the rotor has different thickness issues (runout ) around its circumference. Constant stop and go with hard braking will warp rotors. Some vehicles are more prone than others due to thickness of the rotors. My 250 has 110,000 with the stock rotors that have never been turned and they are smooth. My wife's 07 Tahoe warps rotors about every 20,000 miles. Her driving style is considerably different than mine but the Tahoes, Suburbans and Yukons are notorious for having issues with warping rotors.

Driving style is the biggest factor for rotor problems. I honestly think that I could drive my wife's Tahoe and never have rotor issues. I brake slowly coming to a stop where she will wait till the last second and nose dive the truck coming up to a stop.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Yes, due to uneven pad transfer. The rotor itself isn't "warped" and you can not only prevent it, you can reverse it (if you caught early) with a rebed or a good garnet pad. You couldn't do that if the metal rotors were actually warped.


Again, unless they're installed wrong, they're not actually warping.

The guy who wrote that article spent decades working on brakes that saw much harder use than your wifes Tahoe and never, ever, saw a rotor "warp" from use.

(bold added)
What you call it matters, because what you are calling it is describing something that doesn't actually happen...whereas what I'm calling it (uneven pad transfer) actually speaks to the cause...which leads to how to avoid it.



Absolutely- and that's the same thing the stoptech paper is explaining.... which is why I recommend it- because it explains how to avoid uneven pad transfer (proper bedding, not sitting on the brakes when hot, etc) rather than folks just shrugging and say "Oh, that solid metal disc is warped now" when it's not.

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

I love it when Kurtz gets into these debates... Wealth of info Kurtz is.
This man speaks the truth

BamaIS

iTrader: (3)

Yours are all valid points and you seem to be very knowledgeable on the subject. I was just trying to tell the OP that there isn't any need to turn or replace rotors unless there is vibration during braking. Call it "uneven pad transfer" or whatever you want to.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

And you're right on that point...(which is an important one as well, since it'll save a lot of rotor life by not cutting them when they don't need it, and they usually don't need it)

It's just useful to understand what's happening for those cases where there IS vibration when braking (including what causes it, how to avoid it, and potentially how to fix it without replacing the rotors)....

Now, from the sounds of it, you brake properly in the first place, so it kinda doesn't matter, to you, what folks call uneven pad transfer, since you're not having any problem with it That's a good thing, but I want to make sure other folks enjoy problem-free rotors as you do, hence why I explain this so folks with the problem don't just keep shrugging it off as "Man, my rotors always warp, I need new/better rotors!" when in fact they're not warping at all, and the problem isn't the rotors, it's their driving.