300M: Turn/re-surface rotors (or replace)

The rotors on the LH cars are bit undersize for the weight of the car. Theoretically if you remove metal, they'll dissipate heat worse, and warp sooner the next time. However I have had no problems turning the rotors on my Intrepid; have done each once, with no recurrence of the warpage. If you work on your own car, taking them off and having them machined at Pep Boys is just fine, costs about $20 and an afternoon's time.

If you have to pay $90/hour for removal of the rotors and machining them, the price of the parts is less important.

It is very important to torque the wheel nuts evenly to prevent rotor warpage. A torque wrench, a six inch extension and the correct socket costs about $20 at Sears. Any time, after having new tires put on ANY car, I drive away slowly, loosen every wheel nut, and retorque to specs. Most times the tire store guys will have most of them too tight and a few too loose, which invites rotor warpage.

Looking back at the situation, I don't think that my rotors were warped. I think that pitting and crater-ing on the back side caused uneven brake grab which caused brake pedal and steering-wheel shudders. Rotor surface was probably more glazed than it should be.

I think that the set of pads I put on a few months ago (crappy tire) are partly to blame. They have about 1/2 dozen deep rivit holes in the pads where (salt) water can site and maybe corrode the surface when the car is sitting for a long time (like at airport parking lots for 3 to 10 days at a stretch). Just a theory.

Anyways, I bought a set of "Performance Friction" pads (carbon metalic

- made in SC) and they are doing much better than the relatively new unknown-brand. The new pads were $80 for the pair. I could have gotten Napa brand organic pads for $120, but actually the guy at the parts counter talked me out of it. The organic's are supposed to be easier on the rotors, but they dust (or dust more?) and they tend to squeel.

When you look at a rotor and see how thick the central portion is that the studs go through, I don't think you're going to be warping that plate, especially when you tighten the lug nuts with a cross-type tire iron.