Beers all around on Don and I! Don, you go first!

One guy mentioned that cutting the rotors will only temporarily fix the problem since the metal in that high spot has changed and it's likely to come back. You're gonna make me watch that video aren't you!

Brake rotors are one part where I essentially ask for the most expensive part they have (if I am not buying from the dealer). You get what you pay for. After that, I try to take care of the rotors.

Good info hyper and hopefully it will change some habits and get people thinking differently about their brakes.

 

I suspect the hubs on most new cars. Even RWD cars use similar sealed hubs and I see a lot of them fail often. Also the replacments are not always good quality and can often fail early.

Few shops also have the on the car units. They are expensive. I have mostly seen them in some dealers.

Thanks for watching the Video's. They are the best thing I have seen to show what is going on with a very misunderstood issue. I hope others watch and it might solve a lot of issues that just keep repeating.

 

I find most rotors are up to the task and spec. It is hard to screw up cast metal. But I do agree on many things you get what you pay for. THis is most true on the bearing hubs. I have seen some out there fail in less than 25,000 miles. Note these were the same brands.

And if you have not watch the Video's watch and it will not just tell you but show you what happens and how to fix it.

I have been in many brake tech seminars with many different companies that we dealer with at work and these vidieo's are some of the best and we don't even sell them. I deal with every thing from simple street brakes to full on racing systems and the principals are all the same just with the racing heat transfer and wear is more a factor.

Cheers!

 

And just as a data point, I had the vibration, did a pad only change (vibrations in brakes don't bother me so much), pads only lasted about 15K. I had the rotors turned and replaced the pads, I have never done runout testing. I did something like a correct break in, not anywhere near 2 miles of near stops and cool downs, there just is no place to do it right where I live. Surprise, no vibration anymore and the pads are still going strong after 25K.
I normally just change pads and figure on 30K, I just use whatever is the cheapest ceramic pads I can find. Since I drive so much in such bad traffic I keep a close eye on the pad wear, but just plan on lots of replacing. I was shocked at the quick wear out of the first replacement set, so I guess cutting the rotors and trying a decent break in actually did the trick.
Oh, yeah thanks for the beer!!!

 

I have posted it, & Rubics Cube did also.

If your back brakes need adjusting, you will make the fronts have to work twice as hard, reducing pad life & adding all the additional heat to the fronts..

 

Hub bearings are #2 on my list. I don't know how much effort it takes for some manufacturer's to make crappy bearings but they pull it off somehow.

 

Most time a out of adjusted rear drum brake will result in a low pedal but they will still work as they should it just takes more pedal motion to move more fluid to makle up for the lack of adjustment. You really have to be way out of adjustment for them not to work. Remember it is hydraulic system and the fluid will take up for much of the misadjustment. Odds are if they are that far out you brake light is on since your pedal is that low and you would know some thing is wrong the first time you drive it.

One thing to note with most rear disc brakes is that you need to use the E brake once in a while to adjust the rear brakes. If not you will get a low pedal.

All heat really does is create fad or glazed pad the decrease performance. Their issue here is a pulse or Judder in the pedal. That is not a heat issue.


Like I told the others watch the video's at Raybestos.com under technical. Watch them all as they are very well done and show several issues many have and show how it happens and how to fix them. They dispell many of the web myths and mis information that is going around.

 

I have seen it where a new bearing fails fast on some of the cheap ones. I try to stay with the name brands so I don't have to redo the job twice. You may pay a little more but it is a lot less work.

People shop price and sometimes get burned.

 

Wow! I came here looking for info on the warped rotor problem. I guess I'm not alone.

I'm on my second set of rotors. The forst set warped at 20,000 and the dealer said it was not covered under warranty. They wated $470.00 to do my brakes including new rotors. I chose to do it myself instead. Now at 58,000 and warped rotors again. Pads are only at 50%. I used Reybestos ceramic pads and original GM rotors.

I have also had the wheel bearing go out on the right side at 38,000.

My car also had a problem shutting off while driving. Took seven times into the dealership. No lemon law action because they could never prove that anything was wrong.

I've had it. This car is crap. I'm getting rid of it.

 

I've had it. This car is crap. I'm getting rid of it.

I had the same rotor problems and have had a problem for a year that they cannot resolve and will not cover under warranty.
Yes, I have come to realize that the HHR is a chunk of crap as well.

Wait until you go somewhere to trade the car in.
Many won't take it, and most will offer you very little $$ for it.

25 years of owning Chevy's and the least mileage I ever had was 150,000 miles with almost no service issues at all. Most of my Chevys lasted over 200,000 miles and never left me on the side of the road.