Rotors warped again - any suggestions for new ones?

[Rob@USC]

Well, they're not completely warped, but I can feel them warping again. This is the second time they've done it (it's like there's a 10k mile timer on them). I've decided that I'm going to look into getting new rotors to solve this problem. I looked in the mod encyclopedia and there were only two listed. I'm looking for suggestions on what to get. I don't want to spend a lot, but this is one area on my car I don't want to compromise my safety because I was cheep. I don't want to take on the replacement process alone, so assuming none of my slacker friends want to help me replace the rotors, will a shop replace them for a fee (how much?) or no?

thanks in advance,
Rob

[ March 09, 2004, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: Rob@USC ]

[WishIHad$$$]

I went from knowing nothing about rotors last week to replacing them myself (with a friend) last weekend. DO IT YOURSELF it is not hard.

I went to AutoZone and paid $38.99 each for two front rotors.

Here is how to do it. You will need:

Jack Stands
Tire Iron
Adjustable Wrench
Ratchet set with various sockets
Brake cleaner (spray bottle)
C-clamp
6" or so metal rod

What I did:
1. Jacked up car & put on jack stands

2. Removed wheels, placed them behind the brake/rotor area, or just under the doors

3. There are 2 bolts on the caliper that you need to remove. They are on the side you can't see, one on the top and one on the bottom. You may need to hold the bolt with an adjustable wrench about halfway on the bolt as you use the ratchet to unscrew the bolt, so you are not turning the whole thing and getting nowhere. Take these two bolts out.

4. The caliper will slide off, be careful that you do not pull on the brake line. Set the caliper on the wheel, so that there is no stress on the brake line. I just put mine on the wheel which was nearby.

5. Take off the brake pads. Be sure you do not get the front and back mixed up, they look very similar.

6. There are 2 bolts on the remaining assembly, which should be the brace around where the caliper was. Take them off with the appropriate sized socket, you may need to use the adjustable wrench to hold the nut so the entire thing doesn't turn, I can't remember if it has a midway nut or not. Remove the bracing.

7. Take the old rotor off.

8. Put the new rotor on.

9. Put the bracing back on, with the 2 bolts in.

10. Spray the brake cleaner on the rotor, and rotate it so that there is no grease on the new rotor.

11. Put the brake pads back in

12. Now comes the tricky part. You will need to put the caliper back on. But since the new rotor is thicker than the old rotor, you will have to compress the rubber pistons on the inside of the caliper. You can either do them one at a time until it fits, or put a bar over both of them, and use a c-clamp to compress them. BEFORE YOU DO ANY COMPRESSING, pop the hood, take off the brake fluid cap. It is very important that you DO NOT TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE THE CAP IS OFF or your car will get air in the brake lines, and you have to bleed them. Once the caliper is compressed enough, put it on and use the 2 bolts to bolt it into place. You can put your brake fluid cap back on, and close the hood.

13. Once the caliper, brake pads, bracing, etc is in place you can put the wheels on and lower the car.

Only do one at a time, so that you can use the other side as a reference if you get confused.

Someone please check my procedure. If I have missed anything let me know, I did this sunday and that is all I remember.

Good luck, and be careful not to mess anything up. I did mine with the help of a friend in about 45 minutes. I did them myself because it isn't that hard, and it would probably be at least a hundred dollars to have a shop do them.

YOU MAY need to get new brake pads as well. That is what I heard. If so, I need to get some for next weekend...

[Ian]

Good writeup. I use KVR rotors, and although i dont like the pads i got from KVR, the rotors are great. I have a writeup of them on my website. Any questions, let me know. Thanks.

[WishIHad$$$]

Originally posted by Ian:
Good writeup. I use KVR rotors, and although i dont like the pads i got from KVR, the rotors are great. I have a writeup of them on my website. Any questions, let me know. Thanks.

What is the break in procedure? And do you need to replace the brake pads?

[Ian]

Break in procedure on teh KVR's was like 6 or 7 stops from 10mph to 0 i believe, then let the car sit until the rotors cool completely. I did that to a T, and also took it easy for a day or two on them before i really took them onto the backroads, and they are fine.

i got the KVR Carbon-Fibre Metallic Pads with them, and installed everything at once. The KVR pads suck. They are noiser than the dog pound during feeding time. I hate them. They leave less dust than stockers, and seem to grip a little better, but its not worth it. Go with a Hawk HPS pad, i heard they rock.

But i have no regrets about the rotors. And i am not positive about having to change the pads, but i would assume no, as long as the pads are still good.

[memphis_raines]

I feel ya....I warped one myself. I've been shopping around, and I'll probably go with the Brembo slotted rotors from TireRack or some PowerSlots from Thunder Racing....along with Super Blue Fluid and the Earl's steel-braid brake line kit I got in today

[img]graemlins/banana.gif[/img]

[99BlueSuperSix]

they have some slotted rotors in JC Whitney for the 98up fbody that are 69.95 a pair, i believe.

[Red2K1]

Rob, recently changed all rotors and pads to Power Slot rotors and Hawk Performance pads. Got the package from Thunder Racing. I highly recommend both.

[StudlyCamaro]

just out of curiosity when you put your wheels on do you just use a torque wrench and tighten them down to 100 ftlbs? if not that might be why you are warping the rotors so often.. if you dont torque them all to the same spec then the rotor will get different stress concentrations in it and will cause the rotor to warp when it heats up and cools down

[Rob@USC]

Originally posted by StudlyCamaro:
just out of curiosity when you put your wheels on do you just use a torque wrench and tighten them down to 100 ftlbs? if not that might be why you are warping the rotors so often.. if you dont torque them all to the same spec then the rotor will get different stress concentrations in it and will cause the rotor to warp when it heats up and cools down

I haven't taken them off myself - anytime thus far I've had anything done, it's been at a local tire shop. (The only time they've been taken off was when I got a nail in one and had it patched and had the tires rotated at the same time.) I guess it is possible the lugs are working themselves loose. I'll have to check that.