Spork MarketingWhen it comes to the brakes on your vehicle, you want to be confident they will offer continued stopping power in any conditions. There are a few things to consider, aside from the replacement brake pads, when replacing your brakes. You can also choose to replace, resurface, or reuse the rotors on your vehicle.
While each decision offers a different price point, it’s helpful to know a few things about each. As time goes on, some of these options are becoming less and less worthwhile for vehicle owners. Rotor technology has developed immensely over the decades, but with some modern vehicles getting bigger and heavier, it forces many rotors off the roads much more quickly.
Reuse, Resurface, Or Replace?
The option you choose will be impacted heavily by the type of vehicle you drive and the age of your rotors. Worn-out rotors are just that – they’re past their life and should be replaced. However, if you still have some life in your rotors, consider one of the options below.
Reusing Brake Rotors
As your brake pads squeeze against the rotor, the pads and the rotor can break down and become less efficient. The rotors have a metal makeup designed to be much more sturdy than the materials in your brake pads.
If you do decide to reuse your rotors, it’s not a good idea to do so for more than two sets of pads before replacing the rotors. If a rotor gets too thin, it can’t dissipate heat as well as it should. The excess heat transfers to your wheel bearings, which can cause them to fail prematurely. If you’re going to reuse your rotors, check out this guide highlighting how to clean your rotors and ensure good stopping conditions.
Resurfacing Brake Rotors
For many years, resurfacing rotors was a widespread practice. Each rotor is run through a lathe to give the new pads a nice, clean surface to make proper contact. This also helps to prevent vibrations that would occur if the rotor weren’t resurfaced.
Again, because of the breakdown of rotors over time, it is not recommended that you resurface your rotors more than once before a complete rotor replacement.
Replacing Brake Rotors
With heavier, larger vehicles, reusing and resurfacing brake rotors becomes less and less viable. Heavier vehicles see much more rotor breakdown than lighter vehicles did in the past.
Especially in many SUVs and trucks, it’s safest to replace the rotors when you replace the pads. You may be able to see a second life out of your rotors with a resurface; however, it’s a costly process, and it is often more cost-effective to replace the rotor from both safety and price point perspectives.
Just as upgrading to bigger brake rotors alone is not typically a good idea, trying to reuse or resurface brake rotors that are beyond their life expectancy is always a risky decision. No amount of resurfacing will bring used up rotors back to life, so proceed with caution!
Brake Rotors From BuyBrakes.com
When you are ready to replace or upgrade your rotors, shop BuyBrakes.com. We stock leading brands like Brembo, EBC, Wilwood and more. We have a full range of complete brake kits as well as stand-alone components like pads and rotors from trusted names like PowerStop and DFC. We carry a huge selection of the best braking products for your vehicle:
- 5-Star Concierge Service: Real brake experts are available by phone, chat, text, or email, from 6am to 5pm PST Monday through Friday.
- Broad Range Of Top Brake Brands: We carry APP, Brembo, EBC, DFC and many other top braking components for almost any make or model.
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As a veteran-owned business, we bring decades of hands-on automotive experience to the table. Contact us today with any questions, and order online to get the best parts at the best prices.
Rick Carlton
