Rotor Turning?

Chris Brown · **Posted:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:55 pm

ok, so lay some knowledge on me guys.

i've always thought turning rotors was a waist of money. my general feeling is that removing material reduces the overall mass of the rotor, allowing it to heat up and cool down faster and warp that much sooner. it seems like it's just delaying the fact that you need new rotors anyway, so why not get new in the first place and skip the risk of ruining some perfectly good pads.

so it seems like there's a bunch of you out there that don't agree...what's the reasoning? do your opinions change if the rotors are for daily driving vs track?

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:58 pm

A lot of "warped rotors" aren't actually warped. Instead they are generally uneven build up of pad deposits. Resurfacing cleans these off. For the price, it hardly seems worth it though.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:03 pm

Yep, I agree with Michael. When I've turned rotors, you can definitely tell that at some points radially, you aren't turning off cast iron...it's just deposit/gunk/glazing. I usually only take off only a few thousandths so I mean the lost mass is effectively negligible....within the manufacturing margins of the rotor in the first place.

Chris Brown · **Posted:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:05 pm

Michael Westerfield wrote:

A lot of "warped rotors" aren't actually warped. Instead they are generally uneven build up of pad deposits. Resurfacing cleans these off. For the price, it hardly seems worth it though.

i guess i can see that...i think i'd still opt to just get new rotors.

Jason Tower · **Joined:** Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:31 pm **Posts:** 1173

you can also use garnet paper (ace hardware sells it in sheets) to remove pad deposits. take a little elbow grease but it works.

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 5:09 pm

also when i worked at carquest machine shop we turned rotors and if your are hard on your brakes it greatly decreases the time till they are warped again. Unless it was something high end or it couldnt be found, new knock off rotors for always.

i can tell you how many people come into wagners to buy rotors for$25 and they dont check the price of new ones. Oh well it is good for business.

jakepressley · **Posted:** Thu Apr 15, 2010 3:41 pm

The only true warping was done on a set I HAD to put stock pads back in and run in the afternoon. I had the set turned put em back on and within two sessions I had broken the right front (large heat check).

I agree that it mostly removes the junk that builds up from a more aggressive pad.

From where i sit, paying 15-25 bucks a rotor and having them turned still saves me at least 50 bucks each, as the hub/wheel bearing assembly is all together. Plus it takes me 20 minutes to swap them out.

I wonder if I could enter the UTCC this year under the "green" catagory as I'm using recycled and reconditioned parts... plus my wife off sets my carbon by purchasing carbon credits every year for christmas through Terrapass...

I know I'm opening myself to getting picked on now... :oops:

Somehow right of center and left of center seems to blend nicely at my homestead!!!

THSCC Forums

Rotor Turning?

Who is online