jjbunn

I asked the local shop where I take my 964 to quote me for replacing the brake pads all the way around. The guy insisted that they wouldn't just replace the pads, they had to either resurface the rotors, or replace the rotors if there wasn't enough thickness left on them. They wanted $415 for resurfacing and $650 for replacing.

This seems silly to me. I have no reason to suppose there is anything wrong with my rotors: I just want new pads. I've never heard of having to automatically do work on the rotors or replace them when changing brake pads. I explained that but the they insisted that it was "unsafe" to not deal with the rotors since the old pads would have distorted them (or something - it didn't make much sense to me).

Am I out of touch, or old fashioned (or both!) ?!!!

Geoffrey

You can just install new pads as long as the rotor is still good.

MarkD

Like Geoffrey said, you can just install pads...

The shop is just trying to "do it right" which entails a nice clean true surface to bed the new pads. Most likely they don't want customers coming back and complaining about squeaking, vibration/pulsing under braking etc.
If they do the pads with rotors they know there won't be issues.
If the surfaces on your rotors aren't too uneven and you don't feel problems when braking, you should be OK. Braking will not be optimal until the pads are bedded.

That said, if you just want new pads installed, why not pop them in yourself? Relatively easy task.

Indycam

That shop may be right or may be wrong ,
it all depends on your rotors .
Have you looked at them ?

lmazzoli

You could check the rotors on the car with a dial indicator to see if they true, and also check the thickness with calipers to see if you actually have enough rotor level to turn down.

If they do need to be resurfaced, I would suggest removing them yourself and taking them to a good machine shop or good auto shop with a machine shop that can turn rotors. I had mine turned down for about $60 for all 4.

38D

Installing pads on used rotors is just fine. So long as the rotors are not cracked to the edge, there is no reason to replace them.

MisterRisky

They are full of... well... themselves.

If the rotors have worn oddly (lip on edge, untrue, cracked, etc) you would need to have them resurfaced or replaced. But resurfacing as a matter of course when changing pads sounds like a great idea if your business model is to sell more rotors. Doing that with every pad change, even if the rotor does not need it, just wears down rotors more quickly.

This is not a safety issue, this is a shop profitability issue, in my opinion.

This does not preclude you from being old fashioned and/or out of touch, however.

jjbunn

Thanks for all the replies, which seem to confirm my impression.

It seems wasteful and unnecessary to automatically skim the rotors or replace them every time the pads are changed.

I have looked at my rotors, and they look in splendid condition! I also have no problems braking, no juddering, or any abnormal behaviour.

I *do* have some squealing, though, from time to time: I can't predict when I'll hear it, or what the conditions are that provoke it. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all, other times it happens whenever I use the brakes at low speed.

Steven C.

Squealing is a combination problem and a reason I do what your shop suggests each time. The sound itself is from the metal of the pad backing plate touching some part of the caliper. The pad will vibrate and cause the touching which causes the noise due to the contact attributes between the pad and the rotor.

Soooo...they can install new pads and add brake grease to all possible contact areas(backing plate to caliper) and re-use the vibration dampners (spiders) on the caliper pistons if they come off without bending and re-glue them to the new pads and you have about a 70% chance of not having squeal in the future. Orrrrrr you can resurface the rotors and have a 99% chance of no squeal. You pick

Bob Rouleau

1) It is best to break in new pads on used rotors. New rotors should be broken in with used pads.

2) The shop you are dealing with is questionable. Find one which services track and or race cars.

3) Resurfacing rotors (or new rotors) for that matter has never fixed squealing brakes on my cars. Instead, once you have a few hundred miles on you new pads, do a series of fairly hard braking from 80 to 40 MPH don't allow more than 30 seconds between braking episodes. After ten or so, park the car and leave it along for an hour. That will probably cure the squeal.

jjbunn

Again, thanks for the input.

I have 28mm on the rotors. As far as I understand, 23mm is the minimum, so that looks good. No idea how constant the thickness is, as I don't have equipment to measure it.

I think what I will do is have a go at replacing the pads myself, and see if the squeal goes away ... if not I'll try the hard braking. In fact I have noticed that, when I have a squeal, then after some hard braking it tends to go away, but not always.

Now I need to go and do a search on recommendations for brake pads

Indycam

Are they flat or do they have a lip on them ?

MarkD

Bob, interesting... why is that?
I think I understand for track purposes, quicker break in of either pad or rotor but for street?
Just takes longer, right?

jjbunn

They are as flat as a pancake In fact I wonder whether the PO had them replaced at some point, because they look very nice.

Indycam

You are good to go then .
What pads caught your eye ?