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How do you know when to replace rotors?

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Old 02-04-2007, 07:47 PM
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Default How do you know when to replace rotors?

I know it's time when it's very obvious and the rotors are thin, cracked, or you can see the ribs coming through the face of it. But, what if the edges are just rusty-ish and brittle? Should I just hit the edges with a wire brush and maybe even paint them with the left-over caliper paint just so they don't look so bad?

I can get a full set of blanks here for $134 which seems pretty damn good to me.

What do you guys think?
Old 02-04-2007, 09:42 PM
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if you see ribs coming through, you are WAY past the rotors life. the only way to check is take them off, read what the minimum thickness is (imprinted on the rotor somewhere), and measure the thickness with a caliper or micrometer. rust on the edges/vanes doesnt matter. every rotor has rust on it, it doesnt affect braking. if its so old the rust is actually rot, then yeah replace them, but im sure its not that bad.
Old 02-05-2007, 05:39 AM
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Yeah the rust isn't terrible and I can't see the ribs through the face but I'm not sure how good brittle edges are.

Oh, and do I need to loan a special caliper tool for the rears or will a simple c-clamp work for them just like the fronts?
Old 02-05-2007, 02:58 PM
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I would find a set of Brembo blanks....even if it is not essential due to wear and tear to replace them. If you are like 99% of the fbod owners on here......we all had warped stock rotors after no time at all
Old 02-05-2007, 05:23 PM
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I just use a c-clamp and haven't had any problems.
Old 02-05-2007, 06:15 PM
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to remove the caliper, yeah a c-clamp. but i meant if you want to measure the rotor thickness yourself, youll need a micrometer, some people call them calipers, dial indicators is another term. that will measure the rotor thickness and tell you if its still good or bad. that is, of course, AFTER its been fully cut by a machine shop.
Old 02-05-2007, 07:28 PM
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You use the micrometer BEFORE the rotor is turned to determine whether or not there is enough material left to make it worthwhile to have them turned. If not you must purchase new rotors.
Old 02-05-2007, 07:37 PM
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When they're like mine, with 20+ cracks in them, and I still haven't changed them yet
Old 02-05-2007, 08:53 PM
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I know how to measure them lol. I have a set of calipers that my dad gave me a year ago. I will probably just order the blanks this weekend and replace both when I receive the rotors. I've got a set of Hawk HPS pads sitting here ready to go on.
Old 02-06-2007, 04:21 PM
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you dont know how much meat youre going to take off when you turn the rotors. thast why you measure AFTER you cut them. i worked in a parts store, we turned rotors, sometimes a dozen every day. every rotor was measured, before, yeah, but mostly AFTER the cut. if you measure before a cut and its fine, then turn them, only to cut them down under the min. diameter, whats the use of measuring before?!? only after doing the full cut and then measuring will you find out if the rotor is still within its set thickness.
Old 02-06-2007, 10:37 PM
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I should have mentioned the last person I measured rotors for had a heavy brake foot. He would were his brake pads down past the pad material and start eating away at the rotors themselves. I'd measure the rotors where they had been gauled out by the backing material to see if there was enough material left to even bother to have them turned which there ususally wasn't. A person like that deserves to have to buy new rotors, but most people change pads long before that happens so all they need are a few thousandths taken off. In that case it is a good idea to measure AFTER as well,.
Old 02-07-2007, 12:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Kalgorn
I can get a full set of blanks here for $134 which seems pretty damn good to me.

What do you guys think?
let me tell you something....i ordered a set of blanks from that vendor you mentioned ^ on 1/25/07...i have yet to receive the rotors and communication with anyone in that company is mad slow and ineffective...i ordered some other stuff from WS6store the same day and they are sitting right here collecting dust waiting for the rotors to arrive (if they ever do)...it sucks
Old 02-07-2007, 02:57 PM
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Mine had cracks in them @ 8000 miles. Now 49,000 and still braking fine.....
Old 02-07-2007, 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by eallanboggs
I should have mentioned the last person I measured rotors for had a heavy brake foot. He would were his brake pads down past the pad material and start eating away at the rotors themselves.
that makes a little more sense. when i worked at the store, i saw a set of rotors that came off a full size dodge SUV, the older ones, not sure what they were called. from the 70s and 80s. they were worn completely down to the fins, so far down that you could break off a piece of rotor with your fingers. how he stopped, and didnt notice the horendous sound it made, i dont know. some people are just stupid.
Old 02-07-2007, 06:14 PM
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Originally Posted by toofless916
let me tell you something....i ordered a set of blanks from that vendor you mentioned ^ on 1/25/07...i have yet to receive the rotors and communication with anyone in that company is mad slow and ineffective...i ordered some other stuff from WS6store the same day and they are sitting right here collecting dust waiting for the rotors to arrive (if they ever do)...it sucks
I've decided not to order them anyway since they want $40 to ship 4 rotors. That is ridiculous. I know it would be much cheaper than that. No thanks.
Old 02-07-2007, 08:55 PM
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^good man...those people are lazy or something...
Old 02-08-2007, 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by billybadd
Mine had cracks in them @ 8000 miles. Now 49,000 and still braking fine.....
What I mean by that is, LARGE cracks, not little ones, my rotors are warped and cracked all to hell.



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