YACT: How to tell if brake rotors are warped?

[tnitsuj]

I have a 98 Integra with around 133k on it. I have only had to change the brake pads twice. Once at around 60k and once at around 110k. Recently I have noticed that at highway speeds 60+ mph thier is a very noticable vibration if I hit the brakes. Enough to shake the cups in my cupholder. It seems to be coming from the brakes. At low speeds I notice nothing.

How do I tell if my rotors are warped?

 

[JC]

I think you already know they're warped It's just a question of which ones are warped, front or rear. Chances are it's the front- if the steering wheel shakes noticeably when applying the brakes, it indicates that the front rotors are warped.

JC

 

[Viperoni]

At low speeds, try applying the brakes very lightly, see what happens. It's not neccessarily your rotors though, but probably.

 

[teckmaster]

I would probably change your calipers out also

 

[Vette73]

Yes it sounds liek your rotors are warped. It does it higher speeds as your brakes will be hotter the faster you go and that is why you feel it at higher speeds.

A GOOD brake job you should turn or replace your rotors witht eh brake pads and brake fluid. Rotors on your car should not be that much. Autozone now as a lower priced rotor called valueline (or something like that) but they are made by the same people that make their reg. rotors.

Also while in ther check your rubber brake hoses and calipers for cracks or dry rotting. Replace if needed.

 

[Cal166]

You can tell when your rotors are warped, you car shakes like your applying your brakes.

btw when i had warp rotors my car shakes at 80mph.

I recently replaced my rotors with the ones from autozone and seems to work great.

 

[Lifer]

yup, warped.

 

[tnitsuj]

Well a set of Brembo Blank rotors and Hawk High Performance Street Pads are on the way. Goodbye original OEM rotors and 15k old OEM pads.

 

[LAUST]

Pulsing in the pedal when you push it? then they are warped, my GF's car had warped rotors this past summer, took them down to Napa had em machined for $10 each, job took a total of 2 hours to do, 15 min to get the nuts tires calipers then rotors off, 1.5 hours to drop them off get machined and pick em up and 15 min to put em back on. It's not a big deal at all.

 

[StageLeft]

Mine are warped on the maxima. Is it damaging to continue using warped rotors? Bad for alignment or anything like that? It's only under moderate -> hard braking at high speeds, but it's pretty significant. The rotors in my maxima are notorious for warping before their time. If I get them turned I'll need new pads right? Maybe I'll just get new rotors - and will I still need new pads?

 

[iamwiz82]

How to tell if brake rotors are warped?

They start telling jokes about dead babies!

ba-doom-chh!

 

[Linflas]

Maybe mechanics here can settle this but I also understand now that proper torquing of the lug nuts is essential to keep rotors from warping on modern cars.

 

Maybe mechanics here can settle this but I also understand now that proper torquing of the lug nuts is essential to keep rotors from warping on modern cars.

In the quarter century of working on vehicles, I have not once warped a customers rotor or any of mine using either my Mac or Snap-On 1/2 drive impact wrench with them set to maximum.
In my experience, the only way you are going to warp a rotor is by missing a lug nut during the tightening sequence (yes you must follow a tightening sequence, on a 4 lug rim, tighten top and bottom, then side to side, on a 5 lug rim, tighten in a star pattern, on every other combo, tighten in a crossing pattern).


I do recommend that you follow the manufactures recommended torque settings for your particular vehicle.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Mine are warped on the maxima. Is it damaging to continue using warped rotors? Bad for alignment or anything like that? It's only under moderate -> hard braking at high speeds, but it's pretty significant. The rotors in my maxima are notorious for warping before their time. If I get them turned I'll need new pads right? Maybe I'll just get new rotors - and will I still need new pads?

The rotors are more likely to get heat checked (hard spots on the surface,caused by uneven heating).
Braking efficiency is reduced because the effective swept area is less.
The caliper pistons are moving back & forth in unison, this accelerates seal wear (leakage to follow).
Under heavy braking the fluid can cavitate(sp). (spongy pedal)
I have no idea what would happen when ABS was needed but it sure wouldn't help the situation.
No effect on alignment.
Yes, new pads on resurfaced or new rotors. (edit) Go new.


Read me, because some ppl think brake fluid never needs changing.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

pull them and hold a straight edge asgainst them

 

[Cal166]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Mine are warped on the maxima. Is it damaging to continue using warped rotors? Bad for alignment or anything like that? It's only under moderate -> hard braking at high speeds, but it's pretty significant. The rotors in my maxima are notorious for warping before their time. If I get them turned I'll need new pads right? Maybe I'll just get new rotors - and will I still need new pads?

Join the .org and read all about it

maxima.org

 

[mfuji55]

this too happened to me, once i changed the rotors, i wasn't getting the vibration at high speeds, you never notice the vibration at low speeds because the rotors are no turning as much as during higher speeds.

check out the video to change rotors, hope it helps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE-C2yveFB8


Locked - 9 yr old necro

EK
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