New rear brakes and rotors at ~42k miles. Too soon? Rusty rotors?

[VK6ZGO]

Rear disc brakes do need to be replaced sooner than rear drum brakes. Drum brakes are exposed to much less weather being concealed inside the drum and the material used in the drum being much thicker than a rotor. I just did the brakes on my 2001 Ford Escape. At 50,000 miles the original drums and and rear brake shoes look fine. I did however have them turned and installed new shoes, now good for another 50,000 cost 35 bucks. I replace the front pads and rotors every 25 to 30 thousand miles if it needs them or not.

I never have the discs turned. Discs tend to warp before 50,000 anyway. I do the work my self, the front is easy and takes about 20 minutes for each side. The cost for the all US made parts front and rear were about 120 bucks. Total time in the garage including clean up about an hour & 15 minutes. Knowing they are done right, priceless!

I've been wary of getting things turned (or "skimmed") since a supposedly reputable company "skimmed" my clutch pressure plate & flywheel years ago.
They took too much off the pressure plate,then adjusted everything up till it was "just working".

Within two weeks,the clutch started slipping .
I hoped to make it through the week,but the thing marooned me in the middle of the city on the way to work.
I was aghast when I dropped the gearbox off & got a good look at the damage.

You should have seen the stress cracks on that flywheel!

That was also the last time I let anyone else get near the clutch!

People said "Go back & get it fixed under warranty!",but I felt that if they made that much of a mess the first time,would they get any better the second time around?

At least with brake discs/rotors you could check them before fitting.
I gave up having them "skimmed" when I found I could get new "after market" ones just as cheap.
It made the job quicker,as I was fitting them myself anyway!

I get too many aches & pains after grovelling around under cars these days,so I have to get it done by others.
Most of them replace rotors,rather than skim them now--machinists cost more than mechanics!

73,VK6ZGO

[NA0AA]

That seems odd to me but there are a few facts.

Road salt is harsh on iron brake discs - which they use because it's the BEST braking short of carbon fibre. Discs are MUCH thinner than they used to be - how do you think they shaved all that weight off the cars? Now, if you get ONE turning out of a set of discs you are lucky and most shops are too lazy anyway with the low cost of replacements and owners who don't ask.

Rather than turn a disc, I just replace pads the first time and wear 'em in aggressively, then the next time they just get replaced. No point in wasting a turning that won't last.

I find it odd you wore out rear brakes with such low miles, in most of my cars I get at least 90K out of the rear brakes - the only time I've done less than this is when doing a LOT of towing - my Subaru wore out the rear brakes after towing a teardrop 20K miles but the back end was fully loaded so it obviously makes a huge difference.

[NI7I]

Machinists could very well cost more than mechanics but machinists dont turn the drums/rotors/flywheels... The mechanics do it. I havent heard of surfacing
a pressure plate.. I have always replaced the disk and pressure plate.. by the time the disk wears out, the heat has killed the springs in the pre3ssure plate
anyhow. Sounds like the guy took too much off the flywheel.. Perhaps he was trying to get the hard spots off.. and you really cant do that with a normal
turning.. You would have to grind them off with a grinder chucked up on the lathe.. I would have just replaced the flywheel if it had hard spots on it..
On older rigs, surfacting the drums/rotors and flywheels helped to ensure that the brake linings/pads or clutch disc would "wear" into them nicely.. Of
course, you would measure them to ensure that you didnt take more off than the specs would alow. Doing stuff yourself is great if you have the necessary
knowledge.. For instance, I never replace my brakes without also rebuilding or replacing calipers / wheel cyls and master cylinders.. Just doesnt
make sense.. And.. stopping is about the most important thing you can make your car do.. doesnt pay to play roulette with brakes..

Just my 2 cents worth

Lee
NI7I

I've been wary of getting things turned (or "skimmed") since a supposedly reputable company "skimmed" my clutch pressure plate & flywheel years ago.
They took too much off the pressure plate,then adjusted everything up till it was "just working".

Within two weeks,the clutch started slipping .
I hoped to make it through the week,but the thing marooned me in the middle of the city on the way to work.
I was aghast when I dropped the gearbox off & got a good look at the damage.

You should have seen the stress cracks on that flywheel!

That was also the last time I let anyone else get near the clutch!

People said "Go back & get it fixed under warranty!",but I felt that if they made that much of a mess the first time,would they get any better the second time around?

At least with brake discs/rotors you could check them before fitting.
I gave up having them "skimmed" when I found I could get new "after market" ones just as cheap.
It made the job quicker,as I was fitting them myself anyway!

I get too many aches & pains after grovelling around under cars these days,so I have to get it done by others.
Most of them replace rotors,rather than skim them now--machinists cost more than mechanics!

73,VK6ZGO

[KC8VWM]

I think the last time I replaced some brake rotors last year they were around $20 bucks each.

I recall they could have "turned" the old ones for $15 bucks, but what's the point of all that when brand spanking new replacement rotors were around $20 bucks each?

...I guess I am left wondering why it's even a concern regardless of the mileage they should wear out?... If a $40 set of brake rotors lasted for 43k , I would have to say you probobly got your moneys worth huh?

...I think by comparison, I paid around $40 bucks recently for a lube, gallon of motor oil and an oil filter during a regular 3,000 mile oil change.

Comtrary to popular belief, $20 brake rotors don't last for 100,000 miles but they are far cheaper than replacing your tires..

[WA3LKN]

Honda OEM parts and labor for this job:

Rear rotors: $110.11 each: $220.22
Rear pads: $62.20/pair
Brake Cleaner: $6.84
Labor: $144

Do the math.

[KC8VWM]

Honda OEM parts and labor for this job:

Rear rotors: $110.11 each: $220.22
Rear pads: $62.20/pair
Brake Cleaner: $6.84
Labor: $144

Do the math.

What...You don't own a socket wrench or something? Takes about 30 minutes to do it yourself. (Takes about the same amount of time as it takes to complete two oil changes) Were takling about removing the tire and unscrewing two bolts on a brake caliper with a socket wrench here. In fact, it takes more effort to remove the 4 bolts to take off the the tire itself by comparison.

There's no way a set of rear wheel brake pads parts would cost you $62.20.

Man you're getting raped... Not only in labor, but they're also inflating the parts costs on top of that.

Call an automotive parts store for yourself and get a parts replacement quote to see exaclty what I mean.

[N0WYO]

I've been wary of getting things turned (or "skimmed") since a supposedly reputable company "skimmed" my clutch pressure plate & flywheel years ago.
They took too much off the pressure plate,then adjusted everything up till it was "just working".

Within two weeks,the clutch started slipping .
I hoped to make it through the week,but the thing marooned me in the middle of the city on the way to work.
I was aghast when I dropped the gearbox off & got a good look at the damage.

You should have seen the stress cracks on that flywheel!

That was also the last time I let anyone else get near the clutch!

People said "Go back & get it fixed under warranty!",but I felt that if they made that much of a mess the first time,would they get any better the second time around?

At least with brake discs/rotors you could check them before fitting.
I gave up having them "skimmed" when I found I could get new "after market" ones just as cheap.
It made the job quicker,as I was fitting them myself anyway!

I get too many aches & pains after grovelling around under cars these days,so I have to get it done by others.
Most of them replace rotors,rather than skim them now--machinists cost more than mechanics!

73,VK6ZGO

I think it's dangerous to do that anyway. It's a good thing the flywheel didn't come apart. I've seen pieces come up through the floorboard rather violently on other cars.

[KC8VWM]

As an aside, having excess weight in the car not only cuts down your gas mileage but increases brake wear as well. So, to save money at the pump and replacing pucks, shoes, rotors, etc., lose some weight if you're morbidly obese, and rid of excess baggage...like your spouse. ;>

"It's only five miles, honey. You can walk that before nightfall, no problem."

One of the cars I am currently driving uses a 1000cc - 3 cylinder engine and has a curb weight of approx. 1300 pounds. It gets 44 mpg city and 53 mpg highway.

Basically, it's a gasoline powered golf cart on steroids and it weighs a little more than a Honda Goldwing motorcycle, but it has 4 wheels and it's a car. Filling up the 8 gallon fuel tank costs around $20 bucks at the pumps and it lasts almost two weeks of daily commuting to work.

It's number #3 on the list...

http://www.motherearthnews.com/green...0z11zblon.aspx

Here's some photo's of my actual 53 mpg car...

[W5BIB]

I put 267000 miles and 10 years on my 2001 Toyota Prius, and just replaced the brakes for the first time back in February

Just goes to show ya how 'planning ahead' can not only save fuel but brakes as well. I routinely get a couple of hundred thousand miles out of pads & rotors. I use my brake pedal mostly to alert the car behind me that I'm decelerating / slowing down & can usually catch most traffic lights green. Even in Ozark Mtn driving (NW Ark. with some 11% grades 2 & 3 miles long ) With a six speed auto tranny,... it's simply a matter of downshifting a couple of gears. Of course that can decrease your fuel mileage a bit. Anticipate, plan ahead, don't follow too close & try to keep rolling goes a long way towards increasing longevity of everything. Even if you purchase "new' rotors, have them turned, spend a little extra for the best pads & you should be good to go for a long way. But then I don't tow anything with either of my Hyundai Sonatas or my old 1981 C3 corvette. (JMHO as a 'ROAD SCHOLAR') sk dit dit

[KC8VWM]

I guess my point is..., in order to maximize fuel mileage, a reduction in vehicle weight should be a consideration. Also it should be noted a reduction in vehicle weight also reduces brake pad and rotor wear.