brake rotors

niral622 · 03-10-2004, 11:14 PM

I was clicking away the other day and came across this website: http://getautohelp.com/automobile_repair_t...leshooting.html

according to the website, the reason why the rotors warp is that the garage takes off the tires b4 the brake disks have cooled and so they are still hot. the explanation seems to make sense especially since most people take their cars in after like 10-15k miles to have the tires rotated, etc. and metal is easier to bend when its warm....the only way to find out tho would be to make sure your brakes are cool everytime you go to get your tires removed for whatever reason.

Redog · 03-11-2004, 12:54 AM

Never heard that one. Brakes do get up to 900 degrees but ssomething like that won't bend being push or pressed until about 2000.

The reason people upgrade rotors: No matter what car, stock rotors are garbage

brsexton · 03-11-2004, 08:05 AM

Its just not Alero's that have massive rotor problems. My girlfriend has a Suzuki Esteem ( which is a small car) and her rotors warp. Also my mom Ford Taurus has the same issues. It has 40k on it and the rotors have been turned 3 time and replaced once. Plus there have been many more different makes of cars in my family with the same rotor problems. I just think that rotors are too thin to save money.

niral622 · 03-11-2004, 02:41 PM

yeah, they try to save every dime these days....but i have to say...my sister's ford taurus has 17000 miles and she drives like a nut but yet her's havent warped and my mom's ford winstar has like 90,000 miles and she only had hers changed once....so gm is definately worse than ford for thin rotors...i think my dad's car, grandprix, had about 20000 miles and his were totally gone...oh well, aftermarkets are the way to go.... B)

03-11-2004, 03:57 PM

I have heard that if you do not torque the wheels properly when you put them back on, you can eventually warp the rotors.

03-11-2004, 04:40 PM

How does that have anything to do with warped rotors? Am I missing something here?

The stock rotors warp because a lower grade of steel is used to save money. End of story.

Yes, many other factors can contribute to warped rotors, like washing your car right after you drive it a good bit. Cold water + hot brake rotors = warped brake rotors. But in our case, it is cheap materials.

03-11-2004, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 3.4Alero@Mar 11 2004, 04:40 PM
How does that have anything to do with warped rotors? Am I missing something here?

The stock rotors warp because a lower grade of steel is used to save money. End of story.

Yes, many other factors can contribute to warped rotors, like washing your car right after you drive it a good bit. Cold water + hot brake rotors = warped brake rotors. But in our case, it is cheap materials.

Thanks for someone with sense and reasoning posting...

Redog · 03-12-2004, 01:13 AM

^^I second that

03-12-2004, 07:10 AM

Hey all I know is my '92 Lesabre has the original rotors with 165,000 miles on them, they are slightly warped, but sitting in MI for 11 months will do that, so they are warped from rusting up. An my '96 bronco with 119,000 has the original rotors on the front as well.

That just goes to show it's got to be cheap metal on these alero's GA's and Pre-2004 Mali's.

03-12-2004, 07:17 AM

What it shows is that over the years GM has done nothing to improve the braking on their cars even while the cars have gained weight.

That's the major reason why the rotors warp. More mass to stop (energy), creates more heat, and creates a high potential to warp the rotors.

Redog · 03-12-2004, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by overdrive75@Mar 12 2004, 07:10 AM
Hey all I know is my '92 Lesabre has the original rotors with 165,000 miles on them, they are slightly warped, but sitting in MI for 11 months will do that, so they are warped from rusting up. An my '96 bronco with 119,000 has the original rotors on the front as well.

That just goes to show it's got to be cheap metal on these alero's GA's and Pre-2004 Mali's.

Yeah you can keep the orignal rotors if your good about changing pads. I just changed my pads in the knick of time, another week and I was cutting the rotor. I have PowerSlots

03-12-2004, 10:24 AM

"they use lower grade steel to save money" :rolleyes:

Rotors are made out of iron. No metal can retain as much heat as iron...

"D00der I just bought some aluminum brake rotors! They're so much lighter than my stock cast iron ones!"

Hmmm... that gives me a great idea, I should sell "lightweight aluminum racing rotors" to dumbasses (I'll have to offer them in a 4x100 bolt pattern for those with civics)... they'll buy anything

freeze12 · 03-12-2004, 10:27 AM

The rotors now warp more quickly because the manufacturers cut down on the amount of nickel that is put in them & the cheaper steel. Yes, overtightening the wheels WILL cause the Rotors to warp & will also cause fatigue of the lugnuts & cause shearing...that is why there is torque specs.

03-12-2004, 10:29 AM

Put me down for a set too...

No but seriously, I've got about 70000km (45k miles) on my original rotors and pads and no sign of warpage yet. I ride them pretty hard too...

03-12-2004, 10:34 AM

:rolleyes: Nickel does not help the rotors brake better.

They put that in there to help keep the rotors from rusting.

Christ, I swear you people just read the first damn post, then hit the reply button without reading any other posts. :rolleyes:

freeze12 · 03-12-2004, 10:38 AM

Yes,nickel does impair rusting but when mixed with a better grade of steel does also strengthen the metal..metalurgy 101.....!!

03-12-2004, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Final-Reality@Mar 12 2004, 10:24 AM
"they use lower grade steel to save money" :rolleyes:

Rotors are made out of iron. No metal can retain as much heat as iron...

"D00der I just bought some aluminum brake rotors! They're so much lighter than my stock cast iron ones!"

Hmmm... that gives me a great idea, I should sell "lightweight aluminum racing rotors" to dumbasses (I'll have to offer them in a 4x100 bolt pattern for those with civics)... they'll buy anything

Sorry dude, but if you think that there is just one grade of iron, then you are dead wrong. There ARE cheaper grades.

And no, rotors are not just made of iron. They can be stainless, too. Jeep actually recalled some mid-90's vehicles because of excessive rust on the iron rotors, and voluntarily replaced them with stainless.

Jeep recall

Fast Eddie · 03-12-2004, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Final-Reality@Mar 12 2004, 09:24 AM
"they use lower grade steel to save money" :rolleyes:

Rotors are made out of iron. No metal can retain as much heat as iron...

"D00der I just bought some aluminum brake rotors! They're so much lighter than my stock cast iron ones!"

Hmmm... that gives me a great idea, I should sell "lightweight aluminum racing rotors" to dumbasses (I'll have to offer them in a 4x100 bolt pattern for those with civics)... they'll buy anything

hrhrhrhr funny you should mention alum. I have a car with alum drums and It brakes just fine on the original drum only about 200K miles on em :huh?:

03-12-2004, 06:57 PM

You have an alero with aluminum drum brakes? I call BS on that...

BLK03GXS · 03-12-2004, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 3.4Alero@Mar 11 2004, 09:40 PM
How does that have anything to do with warped rotors? Am I missing something here?

The stock rotors warp because a lower grade of steel is used to save money. End of story.

Yes, many other factors can contribute to warped rotors, like washing your car right after you drive it a good bit. Cold water + hot brake rotors = warped brake rotors. But in our case, it is cheap materials.

Annother thing that can cause rotors to warp is hard braking, and not letting them cool b4 applying the brakes agen, For example coming off the highway, braking hard and stopping at a stop sign right away, and keeping the brakes applyed, this causes the heat of the rotor to be trapped in between the pads and the rotor.. thus the rest of the rotor cools faster than the section traped in the caliper.