doing my front brakes...

You'll have to check the thickness of the rotor. It's usually stamped in the inside what the minimum thickness is. Some rotors can be turned, while others are throw aways.. Ceramic pads are harder than semi-metallic pads. They have less dust too. It might be cheaper just to purchase new rotors. If they are warped turning them may take the warp out, but it may return over time. I'm sure the pads he threw on were probably an inexpensive set.

If the rotors are warped, get new rotors. Don't cost much. Go with ceramic pads. They wear longer, don't heat as quickly, and usually squeal less. But some say they are harder on rotors. Brakes are easy to keep up, including pad changes. Unless rotors are warped or deeply cut, just reuse them. We never turned rotors for our family cars. The ones that got warped or deeply cut were replaced with new ones. Chevys. New rotors run about 20 bucks. The F-150 rotors should be maybe 30-40 bucks.

--Vic

Are Guardian/One Source rotors any good? RA has them on closeout for $25. The name brands that I recognize start at $50 and go up from there.

nate

On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:32:29 -0700, N8N rearranged some electrons to say:

Hell, they're all made in China or India, so take your pick.

Dont use the bottom of the line pads. Ceramics, or whateverthehell the upper level pads are, can be worth the money.

You have to measure the rotors. Take them to the machine shop and ask them. There is no use to replace a rotor that can be machined smooth and parallel....BUT dont let any jakeleg use a f***ing impact wrench on your lugs... Clean the lugs, the surfaces, etc, before you install new or machined rotors.

I have a Dodge truck that has plenty of beef to machine... Only time I have had any problems is when shitteauxx tire companies rotate and use impace wrenches...even with TorqStix... Use a torque wrench.

Sometimes it IS cheaper to change the rotor or caliper but not EVERY time.. Study the problem.

What he said. These aren't precision parts. Just take an old rotor to compare. The parts guys sometimes get it wrong. Sometimes there are different rotors put on the same car/truck. My '88 Celebrity sedan had heavier duty station wagon rotors for some reason. Quite a bit bigger. Maybe it was an option. Got the car 2 years old. Made for an extra trip to the parts store.

--Vic

te:

Well, I have heard of some "made in China" rotors being warped out of the box, and I was hoping to avoid that effect.

Of course, we're talking about a vehicle that I drive on average once every two weeks or so, and less than that lately...

nate

Honestly, on a work truck, I don't care if the rotors are warped as long as I know it has friction material and it's gonna stop.

On the rotors you are gonna find a "machine to" spec stamped/cast into 'em. Thinner than that and you need new rotors (gotta set of calipers or a mic? Go measure.).

I have had great luck rebuilding Ford calipers in my garage with a hone and emery paper. I have even gotten good enough to reuse the rubber seal.

The trick to even brake pad wear is in the caliper's sliding action. If it doesn't slide, you are going to wear the inner pad.

In situations where the vehicle is not worthy of a $500 brake overhaul (parts cost), I use "groovy" rotors and cheap pads (and rebuild/cleanup the calipers).

Ceramic pads are great if you are using "all new" everything. Most of the time I am keeping rolling junk on the road so "new everything" does not apply.

Even Autozone pads will work and last well if you use the good quality ones. I agree with you on the calipers...I have rebuilt many of them, but now it may be cheaper to buy the caliper sets with pads ready to go. You are dead on about the piston movement. I would never reuse rubber parts on brakes.

I have lived with shuddering rotors, but dont like it, and as long as Ihave the wheels rotated and torqued up, I dont have the problem.

I got the calipers for $9 apiece from Rockauto, that's cheaper than I could buy the seal kits. So now I have a "spare" set of calipers on deck... if I even keep this truck through another brake job!

nate