911 in Boston

I am thinking that changing disk brake pads routinely might make sense. Most of us normally wait for audible indication of thinning pads but this often results in scored rotors. Do any of you do this sort of maintenance and if so, does it work out well or do you need to resurface the rotors anyway.
Thanks.

Geoffrey

There are several thoughts on this. On a normal car the audable warning is from a little metal tab that rubs on the rotor and makes a screeching noise when the brakes are APPLIED. If you change the pads at that time, the rotors are usually fine. The grinding noise that you hear and feel is when the brake pads have worn to the point where the rivets that hold the pad material to the metal pad backing is rubbing and therefore ruining your rotors.

On my Porsche 930, I run a set of pads for the street and switch to a different set for track time, back and forth all summer. They do not have the metal tab to indicate them being worn, but they do have a slot in the pad. When the slot is no longer visible, its time to replace the pads. Most Porsche brakes are similar and you can look through the spokes of some wheels to see. Later Porsches also have a brake pad warning light, I'm not sure what year it started, but it was in the mid to late 80s.

Geoffrey

Oh yea, don't ever resurface a Porsche rotor, purchase a new one when it is a) warped, b) no longer meets the thickness specification, c) if you have drilled rotors and there are cracks that run from hole to hole.