I've had my car (07 Civic EX) for just over 2 years, and now at 55K, the brakes are finally starting to pulsate just a little. Sometimes it's not even noticeable but there's definitely a pulse felt in the steering wheel. When creeping to a stop with constant light brake pressure, you can even feel the car brake a little harder on a cycle, which slows down as you come to a stop.

I imagine this is due to the rotors beginning to warp, and that it will only get worse if I do nothing.

Is there any point in resurfacing the rotors as a "preventative maintenance" action, or will the problem just come back regardless, eventually forcing me to get new rotors? Will warped rotors also damage the brake pads?

I don't want to get new rotors nor pads unless I really have to, and at 55K, I'm sure there's still plenty of life left to them. I also want to avoid the situation of having to do brake maintenance and being faced with a "you might as well get all new rotors and pads since it's all apart" moment, which ends up costing hundreds of dollars.

What are your thoughts, and what would you do?

P.S. This is a daily driver (that I hate) and that no longer gets used for auto-x... I have no desire on upgrading any parts.

 

take it to a place such as Les Schwab and they'll tell you if they can be resurfaced or not .. but keep in mind a resurfaced rotor will be weaker and it will warp faster.

 

I have the same problem and the same mileage lol. Im planning on having my rotors turned and new brake pads...would that solve the problem enough or should I get new rotors too?

To the OP, didn't mean to thread jack but we have the same issue. We coo?

 

my old 2002 civic LX only had front rotors, so i was more willing to play around with the resurfacing.

it ultimately was a fail for me, cause they literally lasted 1/8th the time compaired to a fresh set.

your experiences might be better, but when mine start to wobble i might just replace the rotors right away (with the pads) cause nothing pisses me off more than pulsating breaks

btw it was about 100$ for 2 new rotors/pads from NAPA and they were way better than stock IMO..

 

you can machine the rotors still. the thing about machining a rotor is that its almost like an art. you could have a shitty tech cut the rotors and have no vibration now but will com back soon. or you could have a good tech cut the rotors and last a good while. where im from i recc. people take the rotors off the car there self and take to napa for resurfacing . cost is $25 for 2 rotors

never use anything other than honda parts when it comes to brakes for a stock daily driver honda. otherwise you will have noise issues. trust me

 

I've helped severl friends cure their "warped rotors" causing vibration under by braking by simply using fresh pads and performing a proper bedding procedure.

Much of what is believed to be "warped rotors" is just uneven pad deposits on the rotor (which turning does remove along with metal). When you bed new pads, the procedure scrapes the old layer off (removing the pulsation), and lays a fresh, even, layer of pad material on the rotor.

Then again, it might be cheapest to just wait until you need new pads replace the rotors with the pads.

 

How are you driving? Agressive stops? When was the last time you got your brakes checked?

 

postman is pretty much dead on, it's all in the cut and how much rotor you actually have left. To me, it is a matter of economics, if it is much cheaper to cut them now and use them for a year or two more, do it if you find it worthwhile. If you can get new rotors for a bit more, then obviously brand new rotors are the best possible solution. As far as using only Honda parts, it is definitely the best option to ensure factory like performance/noise/comfort. That said, I have been able to find high quality aftermarket parts by the likes of Brembo, etc. that perform just as well. I would not pick up a set of $25 rotors and $25 brake pads and expect quet and good performing brakes, some people just don't understand that.

Finally, it must be said that driving habits can also factor heavily on the brake pulsation concerns. If you regularly brake hard and frequently, the heating up of the rotors will contribute to faster wear and pulsation. Try to examine your own driving habits, and if you spent any time on a track or autocross, that could be a huge contributing factor as well. Another thing to try to avoid is keeping hot brakes applied while completely stopped. If you just slammed the car to a stop from 70mph, let it creep forward or sit in neutral with brakes not applied. Keeping pads clamped down on super hot brakes, is not good.

 

Very good.

 

At 55k I doubt there is plenty of pad left as you say. I'm sure the inner pad at least is shot. 55k is alot for front pads. 60k to 90k would be good for drum shoes which last longer than rotor pads.

Eventually you will regret cutting rotors. Thinner metal loses the ability to dissapate heat which will cause warping that much faster

 

Where I'm from this is a last resort, youd be better off replacing the rotors than taking them off to have them machined. The correct method is to have them turned with a brake lathe ON the car.

 

Either method will net the same end result if done properly, one way is just quicker and easier for a technician.

There is no doubt replacing the rotor entirely is the best solution, but if you are looking to save cost, resurfacing is acceptable as long as it is within the spec for rotor thickness (after they are cut of course). I myself will usually opt for new rotors, but I tend to stick with quality stuff, Brembo or OE. I would resurface a usable OE rotor rather than buy a cheapo aftermarket rotor, but that is purely my own opinion/personal preference.

 

The only way I would take them off to have them machined is if new replacement or getting them machined on the car wasn't available.

The reason is because of the possibility of other components having run-out. When rotors are machined on the car, any run-out in the wheel hub is compensated for. The result is a much better cut that allows the rotor to be machined much more precisely. Rotors that are machined on the vehicle have less re-occurrences of being warped as quickly when compared to rotors being machined off the vehicle.

 

im on 47k and still rollin on the first set of pads and rotors!
i thought my brakes were goin out a few days ago,
but i found out it was just dirt in them that made them squeak
=]

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

I did auto-x the car over the past 2 summers; about 85 or so runs all together and I was pretty aggressive on the brakes so I'm not surprised this happened.

By the way, the 55K is kilometers, not miles. Sorry, Canuck here, hehe.