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Using Sandpaper to Roughen up Brake Rotors

Jxfwsf

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As above, if the rotor is warped, have excessive run out or deep grooves then it's either machine or replace.
Problem these days is that rotors general don't have enough meat left on the bone to be machined by the time they get to this stage, machining would result in being below minimum thickness.
Once again as mentioned above, roughing up the surface to aid new pads to bed in isn't a bad thing to do, although unneeded.
 

ben315vz

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well that's certainly different...
I like how someone actually claims it's 'dangerous'.... I'd like to know how ?

Yeah thats why I thought. I was trying to help and then was told that it's dangerous. The place where I work has been doing it for 43 year and have never had a problem.
 

Jxfwsf

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no more dangerous than leaving the car for a week in a humid environment and the rotors get a decent layer of surface rust.
 
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ben315vz

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no more dangerous than leaving the car for a weak in a humid environment and the rotors get a decent layer of surface rust.

I have been to car yards and all the rotors are rusted up from the car just sitting there waiting to be sold haha.
 

1SIKR8

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I have been to car yards and all the rotors are rusted up from the car just sitting there waiting to be sold haha.


i got a bad habbit of washing the R8 then putting it in the shed, go to take it for a drive a couple of weeks later to find the front rotors have seized to the pads, the shed has 2 black marks from backing up till they let go, by god the first time it happened i nearly cried haha now after washing it i steal the ol girls hair drier and dry the brakes, works a treat haha
 

ari666

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My local brake shop is a 15 minute drive and charges me 10 bucks per rotor

Average price fir new rotors for an import is around 120 on the pair IF you can get them. Evo rotors were 900 for a pair.

But yeah 40 bucks to lose a bit of material or 1500 for new rotors all round you can safely bet that im going for a drive to the brake center.
 

ben315vz

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But what that guy was saying is that you don't need to machine brake rotors, you can just replace the pads and leave it at that. You can roughen the rotors up with sandpaper if necessary.

I also know what he is saying with the wheel studs breaking sometimes if done up with an impact gun, I have seen it happen at work a few times. I would prefer doing up every bolt/nut to the correct torque setting, but I also understand that if you are busy, then there is no time.
 

VS_Pete

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Good read thanks.

PS. Where do I find out the correct torque setting for thr VS/VE cars.
 
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ari666

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i have used the rattle gun for nearly 15 years and NEVER had a wheel stud break. the rotors thing very much depends on the car. i can tell you every car i have needed to change pads on has needed a machine.


i have been known to use a flat file on the contact surface before :p ive always been taught that pads need to 'bed in' and they need some cross hatching to get that process happening quicker.
 

Darren_L

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I've never seen a rattle gun break wheel studs (although I have no doubt some rattle guns are capable of it). However I have seen plenty of wheel studs stretched to shithouse by overzealous rattle gun operators - to the point where the wheel nut is too tight to wind on by fingers.

When I was in the trade, I had my rattle gun torque setting adjusted so that it would rattle the nuts up to just under the correct torque setting. Then I'd run around with a torque wrench, usually less than half a turn so they were torqued correctly.
 
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