Why Do I Need New Rotors, Again?

Everyone knows that a vehicle’s braking system is essential to being safe on the road and when it comes to maintenance, things like brake pads and rotors cannot be ignored.

Outside of some of the electronic components now seen in brakes, the basic components involving the brake pads and rotors have been largely unchanged for decades. There are brake pads that are mounted on to calipers, much like a clamp. In between the calipers is a rotor, which is essentially a thick, smooth metal disc that the brakes clamp down on when a driver steps on the brakes.

These components work tremendously hard, going to work any time a driver brakes. Not only do they face wear and tear from grinding against each other, but they also face tremendous heat from friction.

In years past, car manufacturers would make rotors out of very dense metals that can withstand the abuse braking systems have to endure. Many drivers will remember a time when rotors could be grinded down, resurfacing the face of the rotors and removing residue and any pitting that formed. This was able to be performed at least once and perhaps even twice over the life of a rotor, saving the driver money on parts.

Today, rotors don’t last nearly as long as they used to, and resurfacing rotors isn’t nearly as common. There are a few factors at play here:

1. Rotors are not made as well as they used to. To keep down costs, manufacturers use metals that are far less dense. They wear out faster, and constant heat exposure can cause them to warp over time which makes resurfacing nearly impossible.
2. The rate of wear and warp on rotors mean that a new set of brake pads will wear that much faster against the old rotor. They will gauge, pit and wear unevenly, and drivers will have to be in for a new set of pads and/or rotors that much sooner
3. Increased labor costs in the industry means that resurfacing is more or less a thing of the past. Whereas the labor cost was low enough to make the repair worthwhile in the past, rotors are now inexpensive. The parts to labor ratio have more or less swapped places.

Rotors have therefore become disposable’ like so many other things in our lives, where it’s cheaper and easier to replace than repair. While we certainly understand why people balk when they hear that they need to get their rotors replaced, it’s really just an exercise in getting used to how car maintenance and the car industry overall has evolved. At the end of the day, we’re keeping the driver’s safety and wallet in mind, ensuring that they are getting the most value for the service they receive at our shop while keeping safe on the road.

BBack Car Care can provide expert brake and rotor service and repair. Ready to get started? Request an appointment online or give our front desk a call and a member of our team will be glad to assist you.