Turning brake rotors/drums

[bobdole369]

Does anyone turn brake rotors/drums anymore? Used to be that the parts stores would but I haven't seen that in a while.

 

[punjabiplaya]

machine shops maybe? or stealership or other service centers

edit: I assume you mean rotors

 

[jtvang125]

Many parts store still do. You just have to ask since they don't always have signs up saying so.

 

[hanoverphist]

edit: I assume you mean rotors

and drums. my truck has drums on back, rotors in front and its a 2001

 

[etrigan420]

Find a local mom-n-pop.

The one I used to work at turned rotors for $12 each...provided they were already off of the vehicle.

 

[kornphlake]

I was looking for a used tool room lathe about a year ago, there were a bunch of brake lathes that came up in my searches. I know the lathes are still out there, but the shops that provide the service are becoming scarce. I do know of a couple shops nearby that do turn drums and rotors, last time I checked it was cheaper to buy new rotors than to have the old ones turned, at least for my vehicle.

 

[yottabit]

Most rotors are so cheap and shitty now it's a dying thing

The only thing I'd really get turned these days is a flywheel

Unless you're talking about some 3 piece rotors or something, those would be worth turning if they wear

 

[T2urtle]

for the average DIY guy its too time consuming. take rotor off, use 2nd car to drive and get it cut that day assuming you do it during normal working hours.

actually it might not be worth it cost wise either, cheapest price to cut a rotor is $10. some of the very common smaller rotors cost like $20 for a new rotor. People like the word NEW and that is a selling point. Even if the OEM one is normally better in terms of thickness then the new one.

Some places have them, i saw a on car brake lathe about 3 years ago. I dont know how it works exactly but on a lift and the rotor stays on the car, cuts it in 5 minutes.

 

[Rifter]

If going cheapies i wouldnt bother, not worth time effort or gas to drive and get them turned. If you are running brembo's or other expensive rotors then for sure its worth turning them. Every brake shop around here will turn them for you for 10-15$.

 

[fr]

I saw a sign a few days ago outside O'Reily Auto Parts that says they resurface brake drums and rotors.

 

[exdeath]

Problem with turning is it doesn't get rid of any unbalanced mass distribution / runout or hard spots, it just squares the surface to the hub and restores the friction surface. If there is runout from being warped or bent, you'll get bad vibration issues with just turning, as it will usually shave off opposing faces 180 degrees from each other and throw the mass off making the car feel wobbly like you are driving down rail road ties. Gets worse with each brake job as the rotor gets thinner and is less capable of dealing with heat.

To really do a good brake job you're supposed to clock / index the rotor on the hub and measure for least runout with a dial indicator in each of the 4-5 positions, then use shims and *then* cut it. But it's not really worth the effort when you can buy new rotors for $10.

New Raybestos rotors for my Camry were $10 each and it's smooth as glass now after turning the OEMs 3 times with 166k miles on them.

 

[SithSolo1]

If going cheapies i wouldnt bother, not worth time effort or gas to drive and get them turned.

At what price is it considered a cheapie rotor? $50 a corner? $125? $250?



One of the tire shops around here does it for $15 a rotor, the stealership wants $50 a rotor.

 

[Rifter]

At what price is it considered a cheapie rotor? $50 a corner? $125? $250?



One of the tire shops around here does it for $15 a rotor, the stealership wants $50 a rotor.

cheap as in china cheap, like 30-40$ a rotor. Not as in brembo expensive, 100-200$ a rotor.

 

[Squisher]

A portion of new vehicles come from the factory with rotors at minimum spec. They can't be turned, legally. It is done to reduce rolling resistance.

 

[Rifter]

A portion of new vehicles come from the factory with rotors at minimum spec. They can't be turned, legally. It is done to reduce rolling resistance.

Thats retarded, will make them warp ALOT easier.

 

[SithSolo1]

A portion of new vehicles come from the factory with rotors at minimum spec. They can't be turned, legally. It is done to reduce rolling resistance.

I read somewhere that Jettas are like that.

 

[Squisher]

Thats retarded, will make them warp ALOT easier.

I'm not sure if that's the case or not. The manufacturers built it with this in mind so maybe that is taken into consideration. Although, the laws of physics are pretty hard to break.

It's funny, they probably saved a pound of metal semi-close in to the center of the rolling mass and someone probably put 21" wheels on the thing with 5 extra pounds most of it further out to the perimeter. :biggrin:

 

[sdifox]

just buy new ones. cheaping out on brakes is the last thing you should do.

 

[JCH13]

cheap as in china cheap, like 30-40$ a rotor. Not as in brembo expensive, 100-200$ a rotor.

TireRack has Brembo premium replacement front rotors for $36 and rear rotors for $30 for my Miata. From Rockauto they're $7-$28 depending on mfg. and quality.I'd never have brakes resurfaced for my Miata because even top-of-the-line rotors are so cheap.

 

[alkemyst]

IMHO the amount of life you get out of a set versus the prices even for Brembo blanks is it's not worth it.

Now if you have a rotor that's $300+ to replace, then turning it once between replacements is a smart choice.

Many rotors are made to not be turned anymore though....

 

[KMc]

Pep Boys charges $15.

 

[brblx]

if you have hard spots or other issues that make your rotors unturnable, you're either racing the car or you suck at driving. and i would much rather roll on good turned rotors of adequate thickness than brand new cheap chinese ones, fwiw.

any shop with a brake lathe can do it. when not working somewhere, i've always used napa.

drums don't typically need turning. many cars, you'll get 100k out of the rear shoes and 200k out of the drums...that stuff just doesn't wear very much.

 

[bobdole369]

Good tip on the pep boys. More than once I've had to get something pressed out, or a pulley pulled or installed and a $20 bill to the first guy I walked up to fixed it. In any event I'm going better than cheap rotors this time around - so we'll see how it works. The biggest problem in my wifes car is her lead foot. Both on the brakes and on the gas. She couldn't handle ceramic pads because of the difference in braking effort, and I think the chinese rotors just couldn't deal with the heat. She complained and complained that the brakes weren't stopping the car until I swapped them with my own wagner thermoquiets (we both have pt cruisers). I didn't even tell her I did it, she just came back and told me the car was stopping again. I still have the ceramix pads on my own.

 

[arrfep]

Pep Boys charges $15.

New Raybestos rotors for my car cost $16 from Rockauto.

 

[thescreensavers]

I read somewhere that Jettas are like that.

The Audi we had was like that, new rotors when we got new pads.