Hey I was just wondering how I can tell if I need to replace my rotors and/or pads.

I have front and rear disks (00 Si) and I can tell the rotors are starting to get some scratches in them. Also, when I brake I can sometimes hear a slight rubbing sound.

What are tell tale signs of needing to replace them? I'm gonna go get some pictures right now, and I'll post them up.

 

easiest way, take a look at the pads close up, take the caliper off if you gotta. the rotors themselves can be resurfaced if they are only slightly scratched but the pads go with normal wear you just need to check the thickness

 

Well the rotors do have some scatches in them. They are not very very deep but i can definitely feel them with my fingers when i rub them against the rotor.

Can I just do pads, even if the rotors are a bit scratched? Will it damage the new pad, or will the rotor get worse if I dont get it resurfaced?

 

The pics:

 

cut them and new pads call it a day that way you will have peace of mind when someone cuts you off you can stop trust me good luck

 

You still got like 40% on there but you didnt check the other side. There are 2 pads on each side. Sometimes the inside can wear more than the outside. either take a mirror and look through your wheel or take the wheel off and you will see the other side.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SICKEST@EM1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">cut them and new pads call it a day that way you will have peace of mind when someone cuts you off you can stop trust me good luck </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

to be honest those rotors dont even look bad... atleast telling from the pics. rotors are not going to be as smooth as a new paint job. and if you got new pads and not rotors, yes it would damage the new pads and of course the rotors would not get any better. you cant just assume that replacing one will make the other wear more evenly. and not sure if you're aware, but brake pads will make a really high pitched squealing sound when they need replaced, called the wear indicator. and your pads look like they are fine. pads will wear faster in the front than in the rear and rear pads are typically smaller/thinner than front pads.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JeffBro &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You still got like 40% on there but you didnt check the other side. There are 2 pads on each side. Sometimes the inside can wear more than the outside. either take a mirror and look through your wheel or take the wheel off and you will see the other side.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Im sure this is what Jeff meant but just for clarification's sake... there are 2 pads PER ROTOR, and i have seen the inside wear faster on some cars.

 

you really dont need to worry about scratches or grooves in the rotor. thats normal. you need to check the thickness of the brake pads.. theres a little metal bit on the pads called a squeaker or indicator. when that hits the rotor then you need a brake job. when you do a brake job you need to use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the rotors. if they are too thin they will warp and cause your brake pedal to pulsate. however if they are not too thin then you can have them "turned" or cut so they have a smooth surface to match the new pads. we charge 15$ a rotor at my shop other places should be around there. new rotors themselves really are not that expensive really like 100$ for both sides on the front.