[ktk3438]

Last time I did the brake on my car, I used drilled & slotted rotors, and it's the first time I did not experience the typical pad build up/rotor warp problem I always got in the past.

Since I've never owned a car with these, I was wondering since funds are low, can I just just buy pads this time, and maybe keep the rotors?

I know that's a no-no for regular rotors, but does that rule apply to these as well? I'm a drilled/slotted noob.


Thanks

 

[loudsho92]

I do that all the time for my cars. If the rotors are good I just swap pads.

 

[austex04]

Turn the rotors, or buy new ones. If you don't at least turn the rotors, they're going to mess up the new pads you put on, since the new pads will not be able to "seat" properly to the rotors, and stopping power will greatly be reduced. If you can, just nurse the brakes along until you can buy new/turn the rotors before putting pads on, you'll wish you did later if you don't.

 

[loudsho92]

Turn the rotors, or buy new ones. If you don't at least turn the rotors, they're going to mess up the new pads you put on, since the new pads will not be able to "seat" properly to the rotors, and stopping power will greatly be reduced. If you can, just nurse the brakes along until you can buy new/turn the rotors before putting pads on, you'll wish you did later if you don't.

It isn't needed. I have done it many times on many different cars. On top of that when I race I switch pads and I still do fine.

 

[machineop]

Same here, old rotors will do just fine!

 

[sheila]

^ +1

 

[tesmith47]

agreed,that old rotors are just fine (the old pads smoothed the rotor real good) UNLESS you wore the old pads down to the rivets and the rotor got gouged

 

[egiroux]

Don't cut the rotors. The new pads will wear in, just break them in by doing a few miles of low speed driving with frequent gentle stops to seat the pads.

 

[03FordTaurus]

I've had just my pads replaced if the rotors are good.

 

[DLC360]

As long as your rotors are not damaged in any way, I would swap out thepads and be done. I have dont this many times myself and never had any problems. **Results may vary depending on you and your car**

 

[KhanTyranitar]

I'll add my two bits. If the old rotors are not warped or glazed, just reuse them, no need to turn them. Turning them will only serve to make them thinner, and more likey to warp. The new pads will seat fairly quickly, just factor in that until they seat, your brakes may not work quite as well as you are used to.

 

[sfblacksel]

I have always just did the pads. I did however, switch to the EBC slotted rotors a few years back and have had put on 3 sets of EBC Green Stuff pads so far. I do know that some pads can actually put a layer on the rotors and you could not switch pad types with out either sanding or turning your rotors. I think that was the old style organic pads though. I feel even better that EBC has the "brake - in" coating on their pads that clean up the rotor as the new pads seat on the old rotor.

 

[84FordMan]

A Bendix-Honeywell trainer taught me a little over ten years ago how to seat their pads and it's worked for every other brand I've used over the years. 30 stops, under 30 MPH with 30 seconds between each stop.

I would go with everyone else, do not have them turned down, especially if they were off-brand, cheap cross-drilled rotors. Quality companies, like EBC, Brembo, dBA, etc, CAST the rotor with the holes. Cheap knock-offs take an already casted blank and drills them, which weakens the structure of the rotor. Then you go and have them turned down, remove more metal, it makes it even weaker and then you will start seeing the rotor crack apart.

 

[sheila]

Cheap rotors, quality pads.