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🔧 Technical Replacing Brake Pads and Rotors: Should You Turn or Buy New?

FirstWorldProblems

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Haven't kept a vehicle long enough to do this in a while, i'm out of touch with boring vehicle brakes. At 40k miles the Atlas has the typical rotor warping that always seems to start prematurely on OE rotors.

Do you normally turn your OE rotors or just buy new ones? I used to just buy new so I could get it done quickly without waiting for them to be turned, and because they were cheap. Where do you buy? Any brands for pads & rotors that you recommend or those to stay away from?

Vehicle is a 2021 atlas cross sport.
 

Shawn1112

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I cant recall the last time I've had rotors turned, I honestly didnt even know that was still a thing.
I do a lot of brake side jobs at home. I always tell them to buy new rotors and ceramic pads. If its a cheap fucker, they always buy the cheapest shit and they dont last. If my vehicles, my kids, or someone that will spend the money. I buy the better options and they usually last a good amount of time. I'm not brand or store specific, I'll go wherever has everything in stock.
 

LikeABauce302

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Rock Auto is generally the cheapest place for rotors even after shipping costs. Occasionally though Amazon is a little cheaper or ships faster for about the same price so it's worth doing a quick search there before placing an order.

I've had hit or miss luck with some aftermarket pads being noisy. I've had the best luck with Raybestos EHT Element 3 pads when I have used aftermarket. Otherwise I try to buy OEM if it's available for a reasonable price.
 

Fish

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Last 2 times I changed brakes I used Napa premium blank rotors and they seemed to hold up very well. Paired those with EBC yellow pads on the Regal and she made no issues when I hit the brakes. It was a year or 2 later when it was totaled but the braking didn’t seem to change at all from install till then.
 

FirstWorldProblems

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There's basically no options to buy just the front rotors. Drilled/slotted is completely unnecessary but it's cheaper? Weird



Missed the brand difference, no clue who powersport is but it's prob generic garbage meant to look fancy for the blowhards.

Duralast rotors are $111/ea so that powerstop rotor/pad package seems like a fair deal at $280

 
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GLADIATOR

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VATOZONE LIFETIME WARRANTY

Oh I forgot, you don’t go to stores anymore.
Ed Bassmaster Nascar GIF by Insurance_King
 
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FirstWorldProblems

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Crown point, IN
VATOZONE LIFETIME WARRANTY

Oh I forgot, you don’t go to stores anymore.
Ed Bassmaster Nascar GIF by Insurance_King
Same price for powerstop on prime as duralast at vatozone, delivered to my house with amazon 5% cash back card, yeah no brainer.

Nothing against autozone but convenience ftw. I'll shop in store for small items because I hate amazon packaging but bigger stuff that's on prime, gimme.
 

CMNTMXR57

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Sep 12, 2008
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I don't think many places actually turn rotors anymore. It's just cheaper/easier to get new ones. I know the Napa by me will do it during the week, but not on weekends as the person that does them isn't there. The Advance, AutoZone, O'Reilly's, etc, don't turn at all.

Like mentioned, Rock Auto is 99% of where I go. Powerstop is fine. As far as the stores, anything you get will be fine. In this world, most auto parts are made by a couple manufacturers, in China, and the brands like Wagner, CarQuest, Powerstop, etc, all just put their name and slap them in their box maybe with minor tweaks to the part for the brand/price point.
 

FirstWorldProblems

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I heard they cant turn most of them now days anyhow. they make everything just thick enough to work and if it gets even the slightest bit out its junk beacause thre isnt any extra material there to safely continue to use.
Interesting, did not know this.
 

Gav'sPurpleZ

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I also heard on a gear head type show that rotors these days are made thinner to help reduce weight, which would help MPGs
This would explain why older cars were heavier and rotors could be resurfaced 1-2 times.

I usually go with raybestos coated rotors and akebono pads on DDs.

I honestly may be swapping out the EBC red stuff pads on the car for Akebono.
The EBC pads squeal at lower speeds and are not what I would consider low dust.
 

Fish

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I also heard on a gear head type show that rotors these days are made thinner to help reduce weight, which would help MPGs
This would explain why older cars were heavier and rotors could be resurfaced 1-2 times.

I usually go with raybestos coated rotors and akebono pads on DDs.

I honestly may be swapping out the EBC red stuff pads on the car for Akebono.
The EBC pads squeal at lower speeds and are not what I would consider low dust.

I don’t know about the reds, but the yellows were ceramic and I don’t recall having much dust with them.
 
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