OEM Front Rotor Life

It's a better practice to visually check your brake pads on occasion, especially when you suspect you might be needing new pads. Even if you are able to get your pads changed immediately after you hear the squealing, it may be too late to save the rotors because the "squealing device" usually detects a low brake pad condition only on one side of the rotor (usually the outside face). If the pads have worn unevenly (for example because of a sticking caliper piston), the inside pad may be completely worn down to the point where it damages the inside face of the rotor. You will then hear screeching, rather than squealing.

 

Thanks for the replies, I watched a couple of U-Tube vids on measuring pads, looks pretty easy.

 

I bet it's not. If you've ever bought a rotor NOT from the dealer in the last 25 years, good chance it was made in China. The quality today (and for the last 10 years) is excellent mostly.

 

Where do these "facts" come from? lol

I worked for Centric for 18 years. We used to be the best in the business. They are NOT and have never been an OEM supplier. StopTech supplied some BBKs to Toyota (TRD) and Lexus (F Sport), as well as some Saleen and Roush stuff for Fords, but that's as OEM as it ever was. In 2020, the First Brands Group bought Centric/Stoptech. They'd bought Raybestos about 6 months earlier. Raybestos has their own rotor plant in China and a friction plant in both Mexico and India. Everything Centric/Stoptech/Posiquiet is simply Raybestos product now. As far as calipers go, Raybestos and Centric had mostly moved rebuilding operations to Mexico before the acquisitions...and now they're all in one building. A few months ago, the First Brands Group also bought A1 Cardone...so that caliper line will be rolled into the other 2 shortly. Quality coming out of the mexico plant is questionable at best. I would not use them.

Raybestos supplies product to Motorcraft and ACDelco, Ford and GM's aftermarket programs. It's the same stuff that's in all the other boxes...sort of an OE supplier, but not really. OE suppliers have their parts on new cars, not an aftermarket replacement part program.

 

I bought Powerstop pads and rotors on RockAuto. I've been happy with them, they are wearing well and seem to perform as well as the stock units. I think I have about 30,000 miles on them.
It's an easy job.

 

Regarding Centric OEM, it was something that was stated by a poster on another forum supposedly based on what a rep said (so third hand).

Regarding Akebono, see link posted.

Edit: I should also state that more than one shop owner also stated the same (regarding Centric), but of course it could have been misconception as well.

 

I vote for Toyota OEM pads and rotors, I believe this the way to go. I’ve only replaced my front pads, but not the rotors as it was not necessary, never had metal on metal and they were not warped. I’m at about 120,000 miles.

 

I replaced the pads on my '07 front and rear around 90k. It was more a preventative move, they still had probably 50% of pad life left. I did not replace the rotors or resurface as they seemed ok... At 150k now no issues.

 

Something I’ve learned in this industry….if it came out of the mouth of a sales rep, you can be sure it’s bullshit.

 

I've gotten junk chinese rotors from autozone more then once for different vehicles, most would warp within 40K mi. A mechanic told me once, chinese rotors are fine, as long as you change them when you change the pads. He exaggerating but when the tacoma needed rotors I sourced brembo's made in europe after my experiences with chinese rotors. I agree though, the quality of their rotors have improved there's some names there that have gotten a decent rep. I don't trust the quality of any that get reboxed by the AP stores here in the states which is common with many of the store brand rotors.

 

Brembo aftermarket rotors are mostly made in China too.

 

Maybe the question I meant to ask was:

Do the OEM rotors have an inherent quality that makes them worth resurfacing and keeping, since it seems all aftermarket rotors now are chinese garbage?

Further: Since resurfacing rotors causes them to lose mass and makes them more susceptible to warping, are thinner OEM rotors still better than new aftermarket?

 

I think it’s going to depend on usage. If you’re loaded on long grades heat will become more of an issue than daily driving. But if your “normal” is heavy usage then an upgrade to match might be in order. YMMV is all about usage rather than generalities. It’s a pretty broad spectrum.
-edit Have they good enough up to now? We’re there any times you smelled them and is that likely to happen again?

 

I thought all brake rotors come from China these days?

 

Depending on where you are, you should be able to pick up a front disk from a dealership for around 80-90$ bucks. You'll probably find a disk brake between 60-80$ at any auto parts store. I was quoted 50$ each to turn my disks in my area. It was an easy choice to go OEM since I had 130k on my OE brakes so for piece of mind, I just went stealership. If you decide to pick up pads from the stealership, you need to specify whether or not you want shims and springs. I did find it odd that the parts counter said they dont really reinstall the springs when they do pads. Strange.

-J

 

Them and/or Advics, which is part of the Aisin group.

I had similar situation as post #2. I replaced oem rotors at about 80K with EBC rotors. I had the oem rotors resurfaced and kept them as backup. Then at about 150K I installed the resurfaced oem rotors, and kept the EBC rotors as backup. At about 190K, I swapped them again. This time I threw away the oem rotors. Both were resurfaced at O’Reilly’s. I think the cost was around $30, each, the first time, and jumped to about $40 the second time.

 

"Vehicles I maintain:
Me: 07 Tacoma 4X4 DCLB 201K
Mrs: 18 Lexus RX350 50K
Dau1: 20 RAV4 60K
Dau2: 07 Toyota Corolla 190K
Mom: 98 Toyota Sienna 249K
Dau1 BF: 07 Lexus ES350 280K
Project: 1967 Plymouth Barracuda, unk mileage"

That's a LOT of vehicles to maintain...I hope they appreciate it!

 

No.

Aftermarket rotors are Chinese, but far from garbage.

Losing .010" from each side of the rotor during machining has a negligable effect on mass and has absolutely nothing to do with loss of heat capacity or "warping". They were machined by incompetent people who have no idea how to run a machine, and after they came off the lathe, they have more runout in them than they did before they went on the machine...that's why your brakes start to pulsate shortly after rotors get machined most often...has nothing to do with ANYTHING else.

If installers would follow the procedure outlined in the service manual and use a dial indicator when installing rotors (new or machined)...they'd catch problems before they turn into problems and rotors would last a long time. Also rust kills rotors, so if you live in the rust belt...you're just destined to have shitty brakes until you move somewhere where they don't slather the roads with corrosive brine.

 

My motto is, "when in doubt, swap it out". This especially true with any safety systems. The money one might save by economizing in these areas, is fools money when compared to an ER bill. That's just me.....

 

Lots of OEM rotors (including those for the Tacoma) are cast right here in the USA at Waupaca foundry (look for a "WF" casting mark on your rotors/calipers/etc...). Many OE suppliers and OEM use Waupaca for castings