There is debate about whether rotors should be resurfaced. Vehicles are more reliable today than they ever have been. People are starting to decrease their belief in routine maintenance. All the mileage guarantees and high performance vehicles, give people a false sense of security.

When you have your brakes serviced, it is always verified that your rotors are not warped. They must meet a certain standard for thickness. Rotors can then be taken and placed on a lathe. They are sanded on both sides to provide a smooth finish. This is the correct procedure for rotors that need to be resurfaced. It gives a good working service for new pads. The problem with this is that by resurfacing all rotors that meet requirements, people lose precious rotor surface. Rotors naturally become smooth with use.

People are losing rotor life because otherwise good rotors are being resurfaced too frequently. The more modern rotors are thinner than those of their older counterparts. As a rotor thins, it has less ability to dissipate heat. This will eventually cause warp, so keeping rotors sturdy is vital.

There are now many manufacturers that stand behind the fact that their vehicle rotors do not needs to be resurfaced during pad replacement. Ford and General Motors both now recommend reusing rotors as they are as long as they meet the thickness requirement.

There are rotors that still need to be resurfaced. These include rotors that are warped, scored, or not up to thickness standard. Another reason a good rotor may need to be resurfaced, is if you must have its partner on the same axle surfaced. They need to be equaled out to prevent pulling.

How are mechanics supposed to know whether a rotor needs to be resurfaced? If a vehicle owner does not complain of pulsating brake pedal, they should be ok. This means that they are not warped. They do still need to be checked for thickness standards.

One secret to not wearing rotors during resurfacing is to adjust lathe speed. They should be set at about 100-120 RPMs. The cutting tool should be fed across the rotor at a low speed. This will allow for the shallowest surface groove possible. In order to achieve 40 to 60 RMS finishes, every rotor should be sanded in a pattern that is not directional for at least one minute. The grit of the sandpaper should be 120/150. If you must use a hand sander, make sure that it is set to the speed of the lathe. Plastic surface comparators are then used to determine when the rotor finish is smooth.

All resurfaced rotors should be washed with soapy hot water and dried. It is then time to reinstall them. Washing removes all the metal accumulated during the resurfacing process. The small particles can affect brake performance. It is preferred that paper towels are used to dry the rotors. This is because they contain none of the oils that other cloths often do. Consult a trusted mechanic about the pros and cons of resurfacing rotors.