Time For a Brake Job

AlexMarshall · May 14, 2013

They might not need to be turned. Does the truck rattle when braking now? If not, you might be all set.

clemsonfor · May 14, 2013

My father in law closed his auto shop. He had a brake lathe. I turned it down, not haveing a place for it inmy rental house and in my new house not a place for it either. I could make one in my house i bought now but with them as cheap as they are and no more than i would use it, its not worth keeping the machine around in my opinion, and i have 5 vehicles that i maintain of my own so i do a few brake jobs!

sld · May 14, 2013

In my opinion, it is always best to resurface the rotors if installing new pads. Can you get away with not doing it? Sure, but the brakes will never be as good as if you start with a fresh rotor surface. I have done it both ways and it always seems like new surfaces are better. But it could be the same thing as when you wash your truck it seems to run better and ride smoother. :laughing:

I like the idea of buying new this time and having the original set turned at my leisure for the next time. Only problem is I have my eye on a 2015 Ecoboost and may not put that many more miles on my F250!

dodge man · May 15, 2013

I agree, I always turn my rotors. I had the fronts on my Dodge truck turned, and they will need changed next brake job, this is at about 112,000 miles when I did them. I think trucks have a little more room for wear in the rotors then some cars do.

clemsonfor · May 15, 2013

I can see some of you with a tow vehicle useing brakes up often or on a work truck, as my work truck eats breaks, but on my personal vehicles i dont have to do brakes on the front but every 80 000 or so miles? I cant beleive the amount of break jobs it sounds like some of you are doing?

Peacock · May 15, 2013

I always machine the rotors unless they are either too rusty or too thin. Rarely replace a rotor on a Honda with less than 100k on it. Not the case with domestics. They've usually rusted away by then around here.

I cut them with an on-car lathe. It cuts them true to the hub, rather than to the cone in rotor. Much better overall brake job when done this way.

Keep the hardware and pads lubed with Sil-Glyde and they will stay pretty free for quite a while.

All rotors are designed to be thick enough to cut several times. Most are either too rusty to cut again or the shop is too lazy to do the job right.

sld · May 15, 2013

Most of my towing miles come from pulling the boat in the Ozarks of Missouri. The boat is really not that heavy but the hills are what will eat your brakes alive. I think this 52k miles might be the most I have ever gotten from front brakes.