Re: Premature Brake Failure: was: brakes

From: Bob Mankin (bob@cadpros.com)
Date: Thu Jul 08 1999 - 15:13:37 EDT


"Sawyer, Travis" wrote:
>
> Aaron:
>
> Visually inspect the pads and shoes for uneven wear.
> Feel the rotors (take your thumb and middle finger. Make a 'U' out of them
> and run your finger tips over the rotor.) The rotors will have rings. The
> deeper the rings, the more wear. If you're really unlucky the rotor will
> look the the inside of a tree, with visable rings. (read: I'm doing my
> brakes today because the stock rotors are crap and have died on me).
>
> It is REALLY hard to inspect for warpage w/o a lathe. BUT you can feel the
> truck vibrate when braking from almost any speed. Your steering wheel may
> vibrate also at low speed while braking.
>
> I have the original rotors on my '97 at 75,000 miles. There is a gouge in
> one that you can put your pinky finger in.
>
> The dealer said not to bother turning rotors. These days the rotors are
> thin enough that turning them will speed rotor warp. I priced rotors at
> Autozone -- $53 each.

Travis,

FWIW, I just had to replace a rotor on the wife's Caravan last week. $36
at Pep Boys. Would have sworn their computer price was wrong, but I just
cut 'em the check and left ;) Didn't think to ask about a Dakota unit.

In my experience, most of the latest OEM stuff almost can't be turned
before it goes out of spec.

Bob



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:14:53 EDT