Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
#2927417
05/27/21 08:31 PM
05/27/21 08:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion
hp383
OP
Just a normal tag again
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OP
Just a normal tag again
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,043
State of Confusion
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I was discussing brakes with my favorite shop today. They work on a lot of older vehicles and I questioned why they had gotten rid of their brake lathe.
They said new drums and rotors, even those bought for older vehicles, are no longer made with enough material to turn and keep in spec. And the few that were able to be serviced the material was of such poor quality that it was nearly guaranteed to be a bring back for a warped rotor a short time later.
Are the available brake parts really that poorly made these days?
I'm running a set of Wagner drums and rotors purchased 8 years ago Drums were USA mfg. rotors are Canadian mfg.
I'm assuming I will be able to have these turned at least once if needed. But it's going to be several years before I have the miles needed to replace pads and shoes.
Join the Penguin Liberation Front!! Stop the Hippo Occupation!
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: hp383]
#2927423
05/27/21 08:40 PM
05/27/21 08:40 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,408 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,408
Central Pa
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I was discussing brakes with my favorite shop today. They work on a lot of older vehicles and I questioned why they had gotten rid of their brake lathe.
They said new drums and rotors, even those bought for older vehicles, are no longer made with enough material to turn and keep in spec. And the few that were able to be serviced the material was of such poor quality that it was nearly guaranteed to be a bring back for a warped rotor a short time later.
Are the available brake parts really that poorly made these days?
I'm running a set of Wagner drums and rotors purchased 8 years ago Drums were USA mfg. rotors are Canadian mfg.
I'm assuming I will be able to have these turned at least once if needed. But it's going to be several years before I have the miles needed to replace pads and shoes. I've found in most cases, the cost to turn is anywhere from 50-70% of the cost of a new rotor. I really miss the days of $5-$10 a piece turn a mom and pop would do for you.....also, you go into a lot of shops and they have no idea what you're talking about. "Yeah sir, rotors always turn when they're mounted on a car"...
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: AndyF]
#2927431
05/27/21 09:03 PM
05/27/21 09:03 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog
Striving for excellence
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Striving for excellence
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493
Granite Bay CA
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You most likely can't turn the rotors on anything made in the last 20 years. Everything has been valued engineered to the last penny. I've run into this issue with several different vehicles. Not completely true. I have aftermarket rotors for my 2007 Ram 1500. I got three "resurfacings" on each front and rear pair before they were under the spec.
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: moparjim79]
#2927494
05/28/21 12:45 AM
05/28/21 12:45 AM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 707 California
BigDaddy440
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 707
California
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I really miss the days of $5-$10 a piece turn a mom and pop would do for you.....also, you go into a lot of shops and they have no idea what you're talking about. "Yeah sir, rotors always turn when they're mounted on a car"... I used to run an auto repair office and do service writing for a small shop in California. I still know the owner and his wife. To this day they turn rotors at $10 a piece! Great people, fair prices and a super mechanic.
1969 A12 Roadrunner 1970 Plymouth Cuda 1968 Dodge Dart
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: BigDaddy440]
#2927496
05/28/21 12:55 AM
05/28/21 12:55 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 70,126 Here
DirectSubjection
Tacohead. The First and Only
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Tacohead. The First and Only
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 70,126
Here
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Rotors for my Saturn run as low as $10.94 for Raybestos and $11.59 for Bendix - tough to beat that price
Ride eternal, shiny and chrome
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: DirectSubjection]
#2927504
05/28/21 02:24 AM
05/28/21 02:24 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,043 State of Confusion
hp383
OP
Just a normal tag again
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OP
Just a normal tag again
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,043
State of Confusion
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With rotor/hubs at $60 each I can pay NAPA to turn them a time or twu before dropping cash on a new pair.
I understand the newer stuff that runs the hat rotors it's not cost effective, but after buying a premium name brand rotor I was hoping I could get a few cuts on them.
Join the Penguin Liberation Front!! Stop the Hippo Occupation!
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: hp383]
#2927546
05/28/21 09:14 AM
05/28/21 09:14 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,160 Benton, IL.
DaveRS23
Special needs idiot
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Special needs idiot
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,160
Benton, IL.
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Aftermarket replacement rotors warp much easier than their OE counterparts. The rust problem is common on both aftermarket and OE. We buy insurance cars which may set a year or more due to negotiations and title snafus. The rotors are often deeply rusted where the pads sit on the rotor for that long and you can really feel it in the pedal. We used to have the local O'Reilly's turn them because they turned them for free for commercial customers. But, the help was so incompetent, that they ruined some rotors, damaged others, broke bits, and finally damaged the bearings in the machine which O'Reilly's decided not to have repaired. We just decided to buy our own machine. $500 for a nice used unit. We don't do a lot of rotors, but now we know they are done right. And don't have to wonder when they will get done.
Master, again and still
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: DaveRS23]
#2927588
05/28/21 11:13 AM
05/28/21 11:13 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,479 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,479
north of coder
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i turn rotors and drums on the lathe. i get a much better finish than a brake lathe, and i can do the job when i feel like it because i have "extras" on the shelf. i turn them, put a thin layer of grease on the fresh surface, then put into a small garbage bag and on the shelf ready for the next time needed. that gives me something to do so i stay out of trouble.
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: moparx]
#2927685
05/28/21 02:12 PM
05/28/21 02:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,419 Kalispell Mt.
HotRodDave
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,419
Kalispell Mt.
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I charge $10-$15 (depending on size, how many passes to get em flat and weather there is greasy hubs to deal with or not) each to turn them and most have some extra material to do so, a shop not wanting to do it is because they are lazy/greedy... there is a bigger profit margin on selling new ones, they mark it up at least $15 each anyhow, they don't pay the tech any labor and the job gets done faster.
On the other hand I prefer to machine them for several reasons 1. The chinese material is junk on new rotors and they frequently come back warped where the originals or even used chinese ones have been heat cycled a ton o times and are not gonna warp quickly under most circumstances. 2. I live 2 hours from a real parts store (NAPA directly accross the street from my shop is a joke, they have to order everything, even have to order me ATF+4 so I can get the job done faster by doing it myself. 3. It saves the customer money and they love me for it when I save em $50-$100 even on some brake jobs.
I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: HotRodDave]
#2927701
05/28/21 02:25 PM
05/28/21 02:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 667 Los Osos, Ca
CKessel
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 667
Los Osos, Ca
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One thing that sets up rotors and especially drums up for issues is how they are stored at the store/warehouse. They need to be stored flat, not vertical. Most places store vertical as it eats up less space. How long were they sitting like that? When I worked at a NAPA store in the early 90's we stored them flat and had no warp issues. This was after finding out we had more returns due to warpage from being vertical. Add the prevalence of overseas manufactured units, like now, with questionable machining and you have your current results of issues. Maybe buy better made units? Hard to say. Even major brands get stuff done offshore. For sure though, once you cut them to true them up, you lose material that would have been there to help absorb the friction heat thereby making it much easier to warp the units when you are on the binders hard or for a long period.
Carl Kessel
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: CKessel]
#2927727
05/28/21 03:18 PM
05/28/21 03:18 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696 Bitopia
jcc
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
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If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
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My third Tacoma has 500,000+ miles on rear original drums and shoes, I'm not turning them.
Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: hp383]
#2927769
05/28/21 04:03 PM
05/28/21 04:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,048 U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,048
U.S.S.A.
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I was discussing brakes with my favorite shop today. They work on a lot of older vehicles and I questioned why they had gotten rid of their brake lathe.
They said new drums and rotors, even those bought for older vehicles, are no longer made with enough material to turn and keep in spec. And the few that were able to be serviced the material was of such poor quality that it was nearly guaranteed to be a bring back for a warped rotor a short time later.
Are the available brake parts really that poorly made these days?
I'm running a set of Wagner drums and rotors purchased 8 years ago Drums were USA mfg. rotors are Canadian mfg.
I'm assuming I will be able to have these turned at least once if needed. But it's going to be several years before I have the miles needed to replace pads and shoes. I'm driving a ...cough cough ... 2018 F150 ... cough cough ... and the stealership turned my rear rotors when they talked me into letting them do the rear brakes last December.
running up my post count some more .
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: poorboy]
#2927940
05/29/21 01:54 AM
05/29/21 01:54 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,798 Castlegar, BC, Canada
That AMC Guy
master
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master
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,798
Castlegar, BC, Canada
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About 5 years ago, I bought some Raybestos front drums for my little '74 Hornet. I'm from the era where drums or rotors out of the box are bolt on and go. Well apparently, those days are gone. Front drums vibrated so bad, it was WORSE than the old drums. Took them to my favorite little mom&pop place, and Erwin had to turn the front drums SO MUCH to make them straight, I he said they'll be at throw-away spec the next time we turn them.
Though I see now Rockauto is carrying a new line of drums from a place called "Dynamic Friction". They claim to be "bolt on an go" and are even high-heat painted right out of the box. When I've got the money, I'm going to buy a front set for my Gremlin and will report back with my findings.
Last edited by That AMC Guy; 05/29/21 01:56 AM.
Bloody Mary, Full of Vodka, Blessed art thou among cocktails....
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: hp383]
#2928327
05/29/21 09:47 PM
05/29/21 09:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,068 Irving, TX
feets
Senior Management
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Senior Management
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,068
Irving, TX
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Some manufacturers like BMW and Merciless Bends have rotors that are surface hardened. If you turn there there's a good chance you'll cut off the hardened surface. That dramatically shortens the lift of the rotor.
We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon
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Re: Shop says new drums and rotors are not turnable
[Re: feets]
#2928390
05/30/21 06:54 AM
05/30/21 06:54 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,886 ohio
ruderunner
master
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master
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,886
ohio
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M After 25 plus years in the business, most shops don't know what they're doing when turning rotors or drums. It's all in the setup and keeping the mating surfaces and lathe parts clean. Most guys just toss the rotors on and let the machine go at it. They usually end up taking a good rotors and making it wobbly.
If you don't currently have a pulsating pedal, just scrub the friction surfaces with some 80 grit to remove residue from the old frictions and reassemble.
Angry white pureblood male
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