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what are the symtoms thats your rotors are worn/warped?

1502 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  145mph
Under heavy braking ( 120 down to 60) my steeting wheel shakes alittle. is this a sign the rotors are worn/ warped or do you think the brake pads are worn down ?
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you will feel bumps when braking if the rotors are warped.
if the brake pads are worn down you can usually hear metal grinding, cause thats literally whats going on.
Rotors don't get warped. They get worn down or have deposits on them.

There are a few signs.
1) Glazing on the rotor will feel like you have a difficult time stopping.
2) deposits or uneven wear you will feel a pulsating in the brake pedal
3) pad problems usually result in metal griding or difficult time stopping.

Sounds like it is time for you to do a brake overhaul.
Pads, rotors, and brake fluid.

And there is no reason for you to be driving 120mph unless you are at the race track, so drive respectfully!!!
I appreciate everyones advice......im going to changes the pads today and ill update you tom....
I appreciate everyones advice......im going to changes the pads today and ill update you tom....
you need to clean up the rotors, although i don't usually recommend it, you're probably best off having them turned (resurfaced).
The pads are worn down but not to the point that the metal is grinding......excessive heating and cooling of the pads caused it to crystalize?
ceramic pads can get crystalized?
its called "glazing". but that's probably not your issue.
Rotors don't get warped. They get worn down or have deposits on them.
I disagree... my 94 GSR started warping rotors and the dealer said it was a common problem. I solved it by replacing them with Wilwoods.:thumbsup:
I disagree... my 94 GSR started warping rotors and the dealer said it was a common problem. I solved it by replacing them with Wilwoods.:thumbsup:
oh the common diagnosis is that they "warp"... but the reality is that uneven pad deposits cause hot spots on the rotors which can cause the creation of Cementite (Iron Carbide), which has drastically different wear characteristics then the rest of the Iron in the rotor... which then leads to that pulsing feeling in your brake pedal.
usually u will have a brake pulasation from the steering wheel when ur front brakes are worn and if ur back brakes are worn then u will have a shake in the body of the car when u brake
Have to agree with everyone above. You have classic symptoms of pad deposits from overdriving the thermal range of whatever pads you have on there now. Not surprising if you are doing 120 - 60mph braking events. Brake rotors rarely if ever warp despite what many people including mechanics and service managers think. They may honestly believe they are telling you the truth, or they may just want to sell product and service. Most have a limited knowledge of physics and materials engineering. And their solution will always work temporarily but you will be a repeat customer unless you change your pad selection or your driving style or both.

To the guy with the GSR who disagreed because his service manager said they were warped. He is just wrong which wouldn't be the first time that happened. Before I learned a bit about brakes at the track from knowledgeable people who had actual track knowledge and not a vested interest in selling you new rotors I had a GSR that I thought had warped rotors about every 6mos. I was constantly having them machined which always fixed the problem for a month or so. Problem is that the GSR has a nice motor and completly inadequate brakes for the cars speed and handling. This results in everybody who is the least bit agressive with the car getting pad deposits on the rotors which are permanently cured by upgrading the pads to a higher thermal range which is what you should do. The Type S brakes are better than the GSRs but they can be overdriven on the street particularly if you are prone to reckless behavior.

Any brake pad, ceramic or other, can cause pad deposits if you get them hot enough.

Get some Axxis Ultimate pads or similar and slow down and confine your high speeds to the track.
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you need to clean up the rotors, although i don't usually recommend it, you're probably best off having them turned (resurfaced).
I would first bed in your pads if that dosn't fix your problem then I would have your rotors cut.
I would first bed in your pads if that dosn't fix your problem then I would have your rotors cut.
exactly this is even a better idea, my first recommendation was just less work.
Thanks for the knowledge just jim.......well i changed the pads and so far so good. im a see if i find the thermal breakdown for the pads im using.
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