Dan Rufer

If I'm about to put on new Front Brake Rotors, can I use my old Front Brake Pads that are only about 1/4 used? Or should new rotors always get new pads too (I'd hate to trash to old pads). This is for an '87 Carrera with OEM Rotor replacements. Thanks. Dan

Stuttgart

If you had slotted or drilled rotors, i'd say using the old pads is fine, they seem to wear them in faster. With non-slotted or non-drilled rotors it could take a really long time to wear in the pads and you might want to put on new ones or take the old ones to get machined at a brake pad shop, depending on how evenly the pads were worn.

Bill Gregory

Dan,

Go with your existing old pads. General rule of thumb (maybe wives tale ) is old pads on new rotor or new pads on old rotor, but not new/new.

jet911

Hi Bill,

I find your statement interesting:
"General rule of thumb (maybe wives tale) is old pads on new rotor or new pads on old rotor, but not new/new."
What about new vehicles? I've always heard new rotors or machined rotors deserve new pads. I really don't know if it true or not, but I've always followed that rule with my BMW with great success and because pads are relatively inexpensive, thus they wear more evenly. However a BMW is not a Porsche.........

Regards,
Jim
'86 911

Alan G.

I can not speak for or against the standing wives tale, but I would use new pads and save the old ones. If you do any track events a spare pad is essential, as I nearly learned the hard way this weekend.

Alan 86 Coupe

Bill Gregory

Wives tale aside, this month's Road and Track, in their tech Q&A section talks about bedding in rotors and pads, and says there is benefit to doing new rotors and pads together.

I second Alan's comment on spare pads at the track. I carry an extra set of front pads as part of my track spares.