Rotors same time as pads?

So I've got 53k on my Spec. B, and I need new pads, so I'm putting some Hawk HPS's on there. I have the original pads and everything on there. Do rotors typically need to be replaced with the pads, or do they last longer? Or is it something I just have to measure for myself?

 

On another note, any good "street" rotor suggestions? Thanks

You always want to turn your rotors or replace them when you replace your pads. You want to replace your pads when you replace rotors. It's a good rule of thumb. I always replace rotors and pads together, especially with a safety item like brakes.

 

I went with stainless braided brake lines, Hawk HPS, and new OEM rotors. I daily my car and I love how much more awesome my brakes feel now, compared to stock

So I was just told that the Spec.B has ceramic rotors, and they should last at least twice as long as the pads....thoughts??

Did Rao tell you that the Spec B. has ceramic rotors?

 

They are definitely not ceramic.

 

The very least you should do is turn the rotors, but I always do pads/rotors at the same time.

Spec B brakes are same as LGT... rotors typically last longer than the front pads. Consider Centric rotors if replacements are required.

The rotors are the same as the LGT.

 

I would not turn the rotors when you replace the pads. As a general rule of thumb having done 100s of sets of subaru rotors ans pads, you generally change the rotors every other set of pads. The way to tell is if you can feel a lip on the edge of the rotors, then it's time to replace the rotors. As for turning them, you just take off more metal and wind up wearing out the rotors quicker due to less heat sink. Obviously if you have deep grooves you'd want to replace the rotors.

 

The preferred setup we sell as a street/oem replacement is Centric Rotors w/Hawk HPS pads. As an upgrade we suggest Centrics w/Hawk HP+ pads.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-mike

How does the car feel when you brake?

 

If your wheel jiggles around when you brake hard then you will want 2 sand/turn your rotors

sand the rotors? i think not. you would want them turned at a bare minimum. but since they are not all that expensive, i would just spring and get new ones.

The rotors are the same as the LGT.

 

I would not turn the rotors when you replace the pads. As a general rule of thumb having done 100s of sets of subaru rotors ans pads, you generally change the rotors every other set of pads. The way to tell is if you can feel a lip on the edge of the rotors, then it's time to replace the rotors. As for turning them, you just take off more metal and wind up wearing out the rotors quicker due to less heat sink. Obviously if you have deep grooves you'd want to replace the rotors.

 

The preferred setup we sell as a street/oem replacement is Centric Rotors w/Hawk HPS pads. As an upgrade we suggest Centrics w/Hawk HP+ pads.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-mike

 

But you are only taking off thousandths of an inch. So long as you are above the minimum thickness, you should be fine to turn the rotors.

 

One could argue that, because you have less material you improve heat transfer from the rotor to the atmosphere. Not to mention that you have less rotating mass now.

 

I think the bad-wrap of turning rotors comes from hack-job shops who don't do it right. I turned a set of Front rotors on my old Forester in a way I would consider "right". I bead-blasted them, then chucked them on the lathe, pulled a thousandth off (using auto-feed) either side until they had an even run-out with no major pits, then tossed them on the rotary table of a Bridgeport mill, and ran a big end-mill over the surface of the disc, again taking off the same amount on either side. They came out looking brand new, were still above the minimum thickness, and lasted another 40,000 trouble free miles when I sold the car.

 

That was the first time I had ever not replaced rotors with pads, though. Likely the last time too. I turned them out of necessity more than anything. I had no money to pay for new rotors, and I'd rather have taken the 40 minutes to do it myself, and do it right, than pay someone to do a piss-poor job of it.

The rotors are the same as the LGT.

 

I would not turn the rotors when you replace the pads. As a general rule of thumb having done 100s of sets of subaru rotors ans pads, you generally change the rotors every other set of pads. The way to tell is if you can feel a lip on the edge of the rotors, then it's time to replace the rotors. As for turning them, you just take off more metal and wind up wearing out the rotors quicker due to less heat sink. Obviously if you have deep grooves you'd want to replace the rotors.

 

 

The preferred setup we sell as a street/oem replacement is Centric Rotors w/Hawk HPS pads. As an upgrade we suggest Centrics w/Hawk HP+ pads.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-mike

 

+1 on the above, and I will add the fact that there are just no machine shops (at least on the east coast) that can turn rotors with accuracy.

 

If your rotors are suspect, replace them and save yourself at lot of grief:)

I think it boils down to that more than generalizing turning as being bad. I've seen turned rotors done by muffler shops and brake-job places. You can run your finger along the surface and feel grooves.

 

Mine were perfectly smooth when I was done, but there isn't a shop in the world that'd take the care or time that I did, and I think the results spoke for themselves.

+1 on the above, and I will add the fact that there are just no machine shops (at least on the east coast) that can turn rotors with accuracy.

 

If your rotors are suspect, replace them and save yourself at lot of grief:)

 

Agreed, I don't know of anywhere to get them turned well, not to mention the cost to do that and time and effort is not worth it when replacement rotors are fairly inexpensive.

 

If you have access to the tools and time to do it, yeah one could argue that it's cheaper to do it yourself but as a general rule it's just not worth the time and effort in my opinion.

 

-mike

IMO these days at any auto parts store they will have a good brake lathe machine to turn rotors and make them as smooth as new. I know around here in Evansville Indiana they all have them and can turn them for around $10 a rotor. Now that is removing the rotors and taking it to them. As long as your above the minimum specs on the thickness and you have them properly turned you should have no issues. When I turn mine I scuff the rotors with a scratch pad on an air angle grinder to take away any minute lines left from turning and slap on new pads. If you take your car to a shop to turn them then you might as well buy new rotors and replace them yourself because that's going to be a lot more. I work at the Nissan dealership in Evansville and I use a rotor lathe that turns the rotors on the vehicle all the time and have access to it for my own vehicles so it definitely makes turning them worth it for me.

 

Always remember to use brake grease on the back of your pads and the rubbing points on the sides to keep annoying squeaks away!

Do it all. You don't want to do it twice like me

No DRFT, elaborate. What did you have to do twice?

 

Also, I'm going to have to replace my rotors. Pads were just installed this past weekend, but noticed a crack in my rear rotor. While I was inspecting the rotors I noticed a good 1mm lip on the edge of the rotor-- time to replace them as they have seen better days.

Or going as i should said.

 

I've recently replaced the worn out pads on the car all around with stoptechs. I did check the rotors to see if there's any warp spots or large "lips" on the rotors. Visually they look fine so i went ahead with pads only. Shortly after a test drive, the ****** was vibrating so damn bad at 40 and below. Rotors were shot, now i need rotors all around. I'm replacing it with centrics.

So I was just told that the Spec.B has ceramic rotors

 

:lol:

Who told you this?

 

But you are only taking off thousandths of an inch. So long as you are above the minimum thickness, you should be fine to turn the rotors.

 

One could argue that, because you have less material you improve heat transfer from the rotor to the atmosphere. Not to mention that you have less rotating mass now.

 

I think the bad-wrap of turning rotors comes from hack-job shops who don't do it right. I turned a set of Front rotors on my old Forester in a way I would consider "right". I bead-blasted them, then chucked them on the lathe, pulled a thousandth off (using auto-feed) either side until they had an even run-out with no major pits, then tossed them on the rotary table of a Bridgeport mill, and ran a big end-mill over the surface of the disc, again taking off the same amount on either side. They came out looking brand new, were still above the minimum thickness, and lasted another 40,000 trouble free miles when I sold the car.

 

That was the first time I had ever not replaced rotors with pads, though. Likely the last time too. I turned them out of necessity more than anything. I had no money to pay for new rotors, and I'd rather have taken the 40 minutes to do it myself, and do it right, than pay someone to do a piss-poor job of it.

 

+1. If I turn rotors I do it myself at an auto parts store that I used to work at with the lathe. Slowly and evenly.

 

If you can't do it yourselves the trick to getting them turned correctly is find the old guy who has been at a parts store or machine shop for years and years. These guys can typically do a better job blindfolded than most people will ever do.

 

IMO these days at any auto parts store they will have a good brake lathe machine to turn rotors and make them as smooth as new. I know around here in Evansville Indiana they all have them and can turn them for around $10 a rotor. As long as your above the minimum specs on the thickness and you have them properly turned you should have no issues.

 

Yup. Roughly $10, but sometimes new rotors are only $20-$30. I still typically just replace them every time.

 

When I turn mine I scuff the rotors with a scratch pad on an air angle grinder to take away any minute lines left from turning and slap on new pads.

 

You shouldn't have any lines that are noticeable at all no matter how minute they are. If you do it means you are turning them too fast.

 

 

OP, as everyone else has pretty much said, do it all at once. If you don't at a minimum turn your rotors to get a true surface then your pads will wear faster. The only time you shouldn't do them both at the same time was if you were in a pinch and couldn't afford all of them at the same time. Even then you should finish the job with whatever part you didn't do as soon as possible.

The on vehicle rotor machine we use at work does cut a little fast so there are very very small lines goig around the rotor but small enough that a quick brush by with a scratch pad will take it away. As far as visually seeing warpage on your rotors you need a micrometer, you can't just eyeball it because it's such a small difference that you won't be able to see. And if your buying 30-$40 rotors from autozone (duralast) your going to have warped rotors even faster if you drive your car hard at all. Don't go cheap when it comes to something as important as brakes.

Been using hps pads for about 10k miles on the original rotors. Rotors are now warped and I will be changing them soon. Is it ok to use the pads with the new rotors?

Assuming the pads have life left and are in decent shape.

Yes as long as they show even wear and have no groove's or anything that shouldn't be there.

Generally your pads will conform to the rotors unless they are seriously grooved. You can lightly sand them down before installing on new rotors a well.

 

-mike

 

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Pads had grooves in them. Changed them for Wagner thermoquite. Night and day difference. Should have done this sooner. After using these, I don't think the hps were ever this good.

Pads had grooves in them. Changed them for Wagner thermoquite. Night and day difference. Should have done this sooner. After using these, I don't think the hps were ever this good.

 

My guess is they were never properly bedded in. Heat the thermo quiets up a few times and they won't handle the heat.

 

-mike

 

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11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

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