How long do brake rotors last?

Answer 1

it depends on how and where you drive

(inproved answer)Old style solid rotors, or brake disks, as we call them in Ireland can last the lifetime of the car provided you are carefull not to damage them. Damage usually occurs when the friction material gets worn completely away from the pads causing the metal backing plate to contact the metal rotor.A loud grinding noise can be heard and you should nurse your car home at a low speed and brake very gently,get new pads a.s.a.p.This is a d.i.y. job if you are brave and have tools, and a manual if you are new to amateur mechanics.

A lesser kown cause of rotor damage is warping. This is when the rotor bends slightly and a vibration is felt upon braking. overheating is the main cause of this.Imagine you are driving down the road and the lights go red so you brake,come to a stop and sit there waiting for them to change with your foot on the brake. The rotor cools down unevenly now because most of it is exposed to the air while some of it remains at a higher temp. because it is been held between the brake pads ! The resulting expansion and contraction causes warping.Take your foot off the brake when you are stopped !Put the trans. in park instead.

Modern rotors are of the vented type and can be ruined by the same methods. However the side walls are thinner and may need to be replaced or ckecked around 100k.If there is enough meat left on a damaged rotor it can be skimmed by a precision machine shop to renew its flatness. Yhere are plenty of perfect ones to be found in car junk yards though.Also a diy job for the amateur enthusiast. Ive seen old style solid rotors last 250k miles on properly looked after cars.