Protect the races, blast the rotors and calipers(while assembled and with the hole for the brake line plugged)sand the glaze off the pads with sand paper, clean everything with brake clean, put fresh seals on the calipers, paint the cast surfaces, and carefully put it back together. Check for any binding, warp or other signs of problems. These are your brakes after all.

You can also scuff the glaze off your rotors between pad changes. I have really never had rotors turned unless they are warped or heavily grooved. There is little real need, and it just makes them thinner/weaker. If they are warped or damaged, I just replace them with new ones as they are relatively cheap.

I also typically use cheap organic pads for the first 3-4k miles on new rotors , then swap in a fresh set of semi-metalic pads. It gives the organic pads a chance to burn off the oils etc from new rotors.

It is very important to bed your brakes in as well. You start by using multiple stops with light pedal pressure at low speed and gradually increase both speed and the stopping effort until you bed them in. Make sure to let them cool during the process. Don't let them get too hot while your doing this! You should also do this to your parking brake. It will hold a lot better afterwords.

Be careful and be smart, which it sounds like you already are.


1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's
1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)