Brake Rotors

Wayne Cox wmc_sr20@bellsouth.net
Sat, 3 May 2003 12:34:50 -0500


At 10:03 PM 5/2/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>(seriously over torqued the lug nuts), I have to replace my brake rotors.
>Wayne actually made the call on the rotors being warped... thanks, Wayne.

They didn't pop back after correctly torquing?  Bummer.  Sorry to be the
bearer of bad news, but ...

>The one thing I didn't find(poor research methods, I'm sure) was a decent
>but relatively inexpensive rotor to buy... you know, maybe something at
>Autozone, Pepboys or other retailer. My car doesn't see any track time and

The ones from A.Z. / P.B. /  A.A. are cheap junk made in China with a
[relatively] rough lathe turned surface.  To keep the inferior alloy from
rusting on the way over, they're usually gooped with Cosmoline or similar
anti-corrosive gack that requires extra labor and a couple cans of solvent
to remove before you can even install them  :(

Most import parts specialty stores and some on-line vendors sell Brembo OEM
replacement rotors.  They Rock!  Blanchard ground friction surface, no gack
on them, run-out is usually under 0.0004" <VBG>  The times I've had any
significant run-out in them, it turned out to be rust on the wheel hub.  I
clean up the hub with a scotch-brite / roloc disk in the die grinder, then
measure run-out with a dial indicator mag-based to the strut to ensure
they're running flat.  If not, I've used machinist's shim stock (thin sheet
metal in a variety of thicknesses) to get them flat.

Oh yeah - the Brembos don't cost much more than the crappy ones!  The local
parts place where I used to live in Ohio even had the rears for $20/ea!  I
had the wife buy four the last time she was back there  :)
    -WC