Rusted Rotors

I have 180k on a 97 Blazer.. Drums rear, discs front. Rotors are OEM, never turned. I just replace pads. No pulsating, noise, etc, brakes work fine - abs works also. Rear drums never turned.

Have a lot of gripes about this GM product, but brakes have been OK. First set of pads "only" made it to 50k (90k is usual for me), so I used best Raybestos at the first and 2nd pad-change. Ditto for the brake shoes.

I had that happen on the 89 Regal. Roads were salted, but rear disc brake configuration was also a part of the problem. It is just part of the price you pay to drive certain models.

I'll guarantee ya that those rotors and drums are worn past minimum specs at that mileage. That means they are unsafe even if they aren't pulsing. Rotors and drums are a wear item along with linings. Lunch ain't free..........

That's not necessarily true. Much of it depends on the driver's braking style. I replaced my FIRST set of brake pads at 135K on a Nissan Murano recently and the rotors still looked like new and didn't require grinding. I've got 40K on my current 09 Jetta and the brakes are hardly worn.

My wife's 07 Equinox however just had the REAR pads replaced and the rotors turned yesterday at 50K, even though the front pads (original) still have plenty of life remaining. No one could provide a logical explanation as to why the rear brakes needed replaced first, although 2 different mechanics suggested rust may have been a factor.

My point being, my wife drives differently than I do. Not that she's a heavy or late braker, but simply brakes MORE than I typically would.

The second issue being my brake replacement experiences have primarily been on non-GM models where it is very common that I go at least 80K before any form of brake service is required.

My Chevy's have all needed new pads a little sooner, but I've never had to replace the rotor.

Wes

Looking OK is not the yardstick. Measuring the thickness or diameter is the determining factor. As the original poster said at 187k miles IMA those parts are worn out. I routinely get 60k out of a set of linings on my vehicles and can get 2 sets of linings before rotor/drum repl. is needed if not warped/worn. It may be possible to got almost 200k if one only drives highway miles in Kansas (flatlands) but that's a rarity not the norm. When pads wear, the rotor wears also. The friction of one against the other wears both parts. Linings wear more but the metal wears also. The shop that turns rotors/drums measures the part before and after machining, if below minimum specs it's trash. That's why it's now federal law to mark those parts with a minimum dia. / thickness as back in the day drum failures due to over cutting happened. I've seen broken drums back in the late '60's. Average DIYer doesn't have a rotor mic. or drum tape to measure these vital parts so to imply that looking good, not warped, etc. means they are OK is wrong. I've had rotors worn to min. spec. and not be warped but that doesn't mean they are safe to reuse. Brakes are THE most important system on a vehicle, not a place to cheap out..........

Totally agree with you. I find it troublesome that so many individuals slap on a pair of pads without considering the REAL condition of their rotors. In fact I have a friend that just did that, and his car has nearly 150K... and it's almost all city driving, and on a Buick... and I'm thinking to myself, DUDE, "looking" at the rotors is NOT the answer!!!

Wes