Brake rotor recommendation requested

My research shows that there are an incredible number of brake rotor suppliers offering a wide range of product offerings and prices. It makes my head swim.

What brand and product would you recommend for my machine?

If possible look for made in USA. The steel is stronger. Not looking for any semi-educated arguments either. Alot of the new foreign rotors recommend having them surfaced prior to first use.Don't say much for the quality does it?

Brembo.

Their OEM grade products are top notch and usually priced comparable to NAPAs ultra premium line.

How do you know it is time to replace them?

You would think they SHOULD be, but others here say no. It is, IMO, gravely important that the rotors you choose be properly machined and fitted, and that the wheels are meticulously torqued to the assembly. Just my 2 cents.

If someone approaches your car with an impact wrench to remount your wheels, have a "come to Jesus" talk with him.

I'm embarrassed to tell you that my rotors must be replaced because I neglected to check the pads, did not hear the warning chirp, and now metal to metal contact has occurred.

I will be the one doing the torquing. Do you recommend two stages of torquing or three?

(snip) I'll butt in and say 2 should be fine. Also, think long and hard to be SURE they are so damaged they must be replaced. It may be advisable to keep originals that are 94% flat than to even chance inferior quality that are

98% flat. Are you sure they won't clean up within specifications? Sometimes they can be resurfaced, clearing all but slight imperfection, remain in tolerance, and function quite safely and properly. May good decision-making be your friend. s

It doesn't make a lot of difference whether you do it in two or three equal steps, IMO. Use the recommended star pattern to torque them, however.

Some rotors can be machined, some cant (as they are near minimum thickness specs already). Depends.

I dont buy dealership parts, usually, unless I am forced to do so. I have been very happy with good quality parts from NAPA or other quality suppliers. Dealer parts can cost you several times higher, and may be no better at all.

You guys are killing me, I've done hundreds of brake jobs (ex mechanic) and a rotor is a rotor is a rotor. It's not brain surgery, it's a vented rotor cut to a certain width, covered in oil and shipped here.

Buy the cheapest thing you can (usually ~15-30/rotor) and change them every brake job. The only ones that are expensive are the big truck hub/rotor pieces. It's more time consuming/expensive to turn rotors at this point than to replace them. Those Chinese can sure do it cheap.

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Depends upon the rotor. Some are more expensive.

We can get them machined here for $15 or less, each.

A truck rotor can sometimes be machined several times before you get into thickness problems.

Similar to rebuilding calipers. A simple caliper rebuild can be very cheap. A new or rebuilt caliper set, with pads, etc, can also be pretty cheap.

I bought new rotors for my wife's car a year or so back. Napa only had the cheap chinese ones in stock so I took them. I thought I had left a bolt loose but could find nothing wrong, but the car when 'bank bang bang' really loud when applying the brakes. I took those chinese rotors back and they had the better ones in stock and those were fine. The brand new chinese rotors were worse than the 80k mile old rotors I was replacing.

It was likely not the rotors that caused any bang bang noice. Think about how a rotor does it's job.

Well, they did because I took everything apart and put it back together and still had it. I then stuck the old rusted and warped rotors back on and the bang went away it just had the pulsing like before. Putting new rotors on its fine. The only thing I could think of was one of the cheap chinese has a hairline crack or a spot they missed machining it, I couldn't see or feel anything though. It sounded and felt like someone was hitting the car with a hammer.

In defense of the Chinese, they CAN turn our quality items. But they are like rebellious children... You must take them to task and force them to comply with quality control specifications.

Did you see the "body" labs on TV this week? This sort of poop is totally unbelievable!

I just learned last week that they are making flavoring amino acids, for food products, from human hair.

When will we ever get our heads out of our asses.

When the Chinese mass produce the tool needed to do it and sell it to us for $1.99.

rotflmao!! I guess that is a special tool and it would not be to their advantage to market it to us.

Bought new Ultra Premium rotors from NAPA yesterday. Was expecting to see Made in the USA or Made in Canada on the boxes. Much to my bitter disappointment the labels said Made in China. I may have to look into the Bendix product next time.

Maybe the boxes were made in China? Or the labels?