Break recommendations/help

[gardengirl38]

Hello,
I have been reading the forums for a while learning all I can Here is my issue. I need new front rotors on my 06 unlimited. I have never had to buy these before and since I have become proficient at changing my own break pads I think I can do the rotors too. What I wonder is should I spend more to get rotors with the added features such as machined slots etc or just go with the oem style rotors. I noticed at quadratec the more expensive ones have a much longer -in some cases lifetime -warranty. Does this really come into play? I have 55K miles and this is the first time ever with any vehicle to have to replace rotors and I pretty much run my vehicles to over 100k or more before changing rides. I read some things that said 30K is what to expect out of rotors, does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Also- the other things which I think is brake related is when I reverse out of my uphill driveway - when I get to the bottom and break a bit harder at the end there, I hear a sort of scraping noise from the back end. My brakes and pads look good back there- any thoughts on why I would get that?

Thank you in advance and go easy on me I am new to my own repairs.

 

[blkrubi88]

I`ll start by saying welcome to Z. Did someone tell you that your rotors needed to be replaced? Only asking because I have 74,000 on my jeep, never had rotors replaced. I think the main difference in slotted rotors vs oem, is slotted rotors don`t get has hot.

 

[gardengirl38]

Hi thanks for the reply and the welcome, also let me start this off by saying sorry for spelling brake incorrectly in the title... ugg I always try to proof my posts that got by me.
Yes I had a guy tell me I probably needed new rotors because there is not much left on there and I have a really pronounced outer rim edge where the break has worn away and left what the break pads didnt touch. He said I might be able to get that ground down and be ok but at 55k he recommends just getting the new rotors. I was told also by my mechanic at my last state inspection I would need new brakes before my next inspection so I replaced my brake pads which yes were worn out. Here is how I arrived to today: I put on the ceramic brake pads they stop so great! but they started squeaking almost right from the start. I HATE THAT so I researched that... took the pads off and put some stop squeak on the backs of the pads and reinstalled. Worked great for two days but then back to squeaking. I started asking around and got a friend to look at them they commented on the ridge said maybe I needed to get them turned and have that ground down etc... He was suprised at the wear as was I. It was like that when I put the pads on but I am not an expert and they worked great so ? maybe not the best part of the vehicle for me to be learning on but I really did not want to pay someone 100 bucks for labor to put those on when I can do it myself. NOW over the last week I have driven about 150 miles and when I am going about 45 or more and give a good push to the break pedal I get a shimmy/shake as I decelerate. Its not the death wobble which I have actually had the lovely experience of feeling (really badly out of alignment once) but it is enough to be scary.
With all that said- no I have no idea if they really need to be replaced but I am not really "into" blindly taking my jeep in and asking what is wrong. I want to know everything so that I do not get taken advantage of. I can tell you that ridge is big on both sides but not one bit on the back disks at all. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[blkrubi88]

Well if you have a shimmy when you apply your brakes, then your rotors are wraped. Some shops where I live, if you take it in and have the oil changed will do a free brake inspection. There is a number stamped on the rotor, mechanics use a gage to see if it can be turned. Maybe you can just have them turned.
I never noticed that you spelled brake wrong.

 

[gardengirl38]

That is what I figured by the shimmy wobble that they were warped. I do a LOT of in town driving and also it seems like all this started back when I had my alignment problem and had a tire place put on some new tires but not before they moved some wheels around -- I think that they may have caused some rotor damage by putting the lug nuts on with the torque wrench if that is possible. I think I read somewhere that it causes uneven pressure on the rotors.
What do you think the cost of turning them would be approx?

Also the second half of my original post had another issue in it, does that strike any ideas in your mind?

___ Leave it to me to point out my mistakes ha ha!! I may have been able to slide by on that.

 

[blkrubi88]

Around her I have paided between $8 to $15 bucks per rotor. If you have a second vec. or other transpotation, you can take the rotors to be turned at a shop, they should check specs. and tell you if they are bad before they try to turn them.

 

[gardengirl38]

Thank you- I will get them checked out.

 

[54cj3b]

:mrgreen:from what you wrote above that rotors have major grooving I would just go ahead and buy new rotors prob run about $50. each or so rather than spending $45. to have those cut if they are even salvagable , also I would use the metalic pads rather than ceramic since ceramic will over heat faster and wear faster but thats my opinion everyone has there own lol just a future FYI brakes should be changed aprox every 25 to 30 thousand miles to save on major repair costs that youll prob incure this time around 20 thousand if you got a heavy foot or ride the brakes and I would go ahead and change out the rears at the same time for better braking performance
HAPPY JEEPING STEPH Hope to see you out on the trails sometime:shades:
john

 

[buckaroo kid]

And a note for useing a torque wrench to tighten lug nuts will not affect your rotors. The only time any damange is done is when you have a light duty steel rim and someone or a tire shop doesn't get the rim on correctly or they over tighten the lug nuts inproper. That's why they use torque tools and use the proper pattern to tight your lug nuts. The harder and faster you hit the brakes will cause too much heat and cause your rotors to warp. I also agree that metalic pads are better than cermaic pads.

 

[54cj3b]

think she meant impact gun!!!!!!!!

And yes steph its always good to see a young lady wanting to learn how to wrench on her own jeep I got my wife doing it shes even done a head gasket ,eng swap,replaced a trans , and much more just to be safe have someone who knows about brakes double check to be sure you did it right

YOU GO GIRL

iratenanner:

 

[gardengirl38]

Yep I did mean impact gun. oops. I wish I had asked around here before I bought those ceramic pads, I really put them on like a month and a half ago. The reason I got them was the horrific amounts of break dust all over my front wheels... simple as that. I will not get them again. I definitely will get a double check on any brake work I do from my knowledgeable friends. Yes I am going to replace these rotors with new instead of getting them turned because its just not that big of a difference in cost here.
THANKS for the vote of confidence and sharing your info about your wife I say right on to her as well!! I actually love working on automobiles especially my Jeep now. I have changed fluids, put on new shocks and break pads -plus a new bumper after someone hit me in a parking lot and drove off... I learned all about alignment and upper and lower control arms etc. On other cars I have replaced alternators, wiring, lights even helped my father replace a fuel pump that was in the gas tank of my old 77 oldsmobile starfire gt. I am going to try to learn how to do it all it is VERY empowering to me for some reason. I almost died this past winter when my son shows me the receipt from the local muffler shop and there is a 95 dollar charge for them to install the brake pads he had in the back seat. Oh boy.... Thank you for all the info and tips I will def. hang around.

 

[gardengirl38]

Oh and I forgot to mention I like the "young lady" part

 

[jfrabat]

Keep in mind that sloted rotors cannot be turned... That is a downside they have. Overall, they do help get the gases out quicker, which is good if you have oversized tires, haul, or need to brake a lot (live near hills and such).

 

[cidd]

Ok brake shoes first.when you buy shoes the cheaper ones wear out quicker because they are softer this leaves a lot of dust but doesnt chew up the rotors. The higher up the price scale the harder the shoe material is ( less dust longer life) but the rotor get eaten up faster. The harder pads also cause more heat on the rotor this in turn warps the rotor. Ceramic pads while they last a long time will chew up the rotors and probably warp them thats why they make sloted rotors there trying to get rid of the heat caused by the hard pads. I find it cheaper and easyer to just use regular stok rotors and bendex silver series pads and then change out the front pads every 18 months. I just put new rotors on at 60,000 miles and these should last until 100,000 miles. Pads are cheap and easy to replace just time it so your not doing it in the middel of winter and keep an eye on them so you dont chew up the rotor when mine get to a 3/8 of pad left I change them.( miles and time may varry depending on your driving style)

 

[gardengirl38]

Thank you to everyone for the replies and great information. I did the rotors this morning and it took an hour and a half only because I had a really hard time getting the first rotor off. Anyway - after that it went like clockwork and I have brakes that work like new now !! I took a couple of pictures of the old rotor close up and I will post to this thread shortly when I upload them.:shades:

 

[gardengirl38]

Here are a couple of pictures of the worn rotors and the new Not sure if you can see how bad these rotors were from the picture but I thought I would share. Thank you again for the assistance.

 

[54cj3b]

Steph ,
If you need help with something feel free to give me a hollar

 

[buckshot500]

Old ones don't look that bad to me, I'd see if they can be turned first but it also looks like you got the new one already.
Might hang onto the old one if it's still turnable, may be a good spare.

If it was only the one side, you may want to be sure the caliper wasn't hanging up.

 

[gardengirl38]

Thank you 54cj3b ;-)

And buckshot 500- it wasnt just one side it was both sides. I had my mechanic friend use a drum micrometer on them and he said they would have just barely enough thickness after turning. So I decided just to replace them now while its nice outside. I do a lot of driving to the mountains and I just feel better having new brakes. :shock:

 

[buckshot500]

Thank you 54cj3b ;-)

And buckshot 500- it wasnt just one side it was both sides. I had my mechanic friend use a drum micrometer on them and he said they would have just barely enough thickness after turning. So I decided just to replace them now while its nice outside. I do a lot of driving to the mountains and I just feel better having new brakes. :shock:

OK, sounds like they were just worn out.

I can't blame you for wanting to fix it right, brakes are important & not something to band-aid fix.

Gotta be able to stop once in a while!