Brake resurface?

[Goose]

Do you think a Toyota dealer would replace or resurface mildly warped disk brakes? I think somebody must have stomped on the brakes in the first ten miles prior to my taking delivery (I've carefully broken the car in since), 'cause my rotors feel like they're warped.

The problem is so mild that you can't feel anything wrong until you press on the brakes (even slightly) - then there's a slight "shudder" you can feel through the steering wheel. I hope the dealer is willing to address the problem even though it's really subtle. Unfortunately, having owned three(!) Yaris liftbacks, I really know how they're supposed to feel.

I recall reading in the manual that heavy brake use should be avoided during break-in. Generally speaking, has anybody warped their brakes by stomping on 'em too soon?

[supmet]

You're still talking about the break in, so if the dealer doesn't fix it, I'd talk to the manager, regional manager, president, whoever you need to. I didn't think it was possible to warp rotors in the ohio cornfields :D. Mine warped every 15-20k before I changed to brakes from microimage, but I put some pretty mean downhill grinds(3000-4000 ft elevation changes in 20 miles) on those brakes.

If all else fails the machine shop down the street from me machines rotors for 10 bucks a piece if you take them off the car and bring them in. Cheapest way to get like-new rotors.

[jkuchta]

First check to make sure that the lug nuts are torqued to spec.

If the rotors are warped, it would be easier to just replace them.


www.microimageonline.com has a few different styles (plain, slotted, drilled, etc.) to choose from, and changing out rotors is something you could do yourself in about an hour with no special tools.

If the car is that new though, Toyota should REPLACE the rotors for free.

[rningonfumes]

Yes... Car is still very new. Make them fix it.

[1stToyota]

I vote for replacing instead of resurfacing. Even if they could get it in one pass plus the final pass you'd probably be below discard thickness before you wore the pads out.

[Loren]

It's highly unlikely that your brake rotors are actually warped.

Read:
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml

More often than not, if you go out and do the pad bed-in procedure described in that article (basically, a series of progressively harder stops until you get the brakes HOT, then allow them to cool), it will remove most deposits and irregularities on your brake rotors and everything will be good as new. Think of it as an "Italian tune-up" for your brakes.

[1stToyota]

Not too likely that deposits and irregularities developed from pad wear within the first 10 miles on the vehicle like the OP stated, more likely rotors are warped due to abuse or improper lug torque.

[Tamago]

a very slight shimmy can be fixed with proper braking techniques.

first discover if it's the front or the rear. at speed, pull gently on just the e brake and see if you feel a shimmy. if you do, it's at least the rear drums. what you can do then is heat cycle the drums. when going 60 or 70, gently apply one or two clicks of e brake for about 10 seconds, then release for a minute or so, then re-apply. this will allow the drum to heat and cool in a uniform manner.

same applies to the front, if the front shimmies as well, gentle brake pressure at speed with cooling cycles in between will straighten out rotors.

and a trick to make those rotors last longer, when you grind to a halt, stop short, let the car inch forward a few feet after a heavy stop. this allows the rotor to not build up heat at the point where the pads meet the rotor.

g'luck!

[Loren]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

Not too likely that deposits and irregularities developed from pad wear within the first 10 miles on the vehicle like the OP stated, more likely rotors are warped due to abuse or improper lug torque.

Rust on the brake rotors from the car sitting on the lot. Simple as that. The area where the pad was didn't rust, so you have a difference in surface textures that you can feel.

Just do what I said, it will fix the problem.

[YarisSedan]

Well rotor warpage is due to driver usually. Its considered a normal wear and tear item. Such as if you decided to drive down a large mountain and never use your transmission to slow your speed but rode the brakes all the way down. And severely warping your rotors. Its not their fault. Its the drivers. Or afterwards you decide to wash your wheels with nice cold water rapidly cooling down a portion of your hot rotors thus warping them. Theres many possibilitys.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by Loren

Rust on the brake rotors from the car sitting on the lot. Simple as that. The area where the pad was didn't rust, so you have a difference in surface textures that you can feel.

Just do what I said, it will fix the problem.

Just suppose that there was rust, using them once, or 100 times since the initial 10 miles should have cleaned off the rust buildup. Yes, just get the brakes real "HOT"...you'll have rotor and pads problems for sure.

Guess it'd be only natural to over-think this, but since it's under warranty it'd be real easy to have the dealership check the rotors for runout, or stubborn rust stains, then they could tell the customer to get out there and get those brakes "HOT"...

[Loren]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

Just suppose that there was rust, using them once, or 100 times since the initial 10 miles should have cleaned off the rust buildup. Yes, just get the brakes real "HOT"...you'll have rotor and pads problems for sure.

Didn't read that article, did you? That's okay, it was only written by an automotive brake system engineer. Nobody you should trust, or anything.

If you understand how brakes actually work, then you'll understand why getting them hot is an important part of breaking them in. You'll also understand that anytime you allow rust to take over the surface of the brake rotor, you need to redo the break-in procedure.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by Loren

Didn't read that article, did you? That's okay, it was only written by an automotive brake system engineer. Nobody you should trust, or anything.

If you understand how brakes actually work, then you'll understand why getting them hot is an important part of breaking them in. You'll also understand that anytime you allow rust to take over the surface of the brake rotor, you need to redo the break-in procedure.

No, you just assume that it's rust causing the vibration, and somehow it damaged the rotors within the first 10 miles of their life. And you don't have to "break-in" rotors to clean rust off, you might have to bed-in brakes to get the best performance and to season the rotors to make them less prone to warpage, but getting the brakes "HOT" isn't required to clean off the rust. If you knew anything about brakes you'd know that rust can "take over" brake drums in cool climate, or under high humidity conditions, on a regular basis...and the owner doesn't HAVE to go through that bed-in process and get them real "HOT" every single time, they just have to use their brakes to clean the rust. Rust more than likely will cause noise, not vibrations in the steering wheel, as the OP stated as a symptom...hint: rust usually = noises n squeeks. Runout and steering/suspension problems = vibrations under braking conditions

And no, I didn't need to look at the link and diagnose/assume a stubborn rust spot as the source of the vibration, I've probably done 1,000-1,300 brake jobs in the past few ASE certified years...you?

[Goose]

Not trying to draw the debate to a close, but according to my dealer, my brakes were indeed slightly warped. Dealer notes described a "slight pulsation when slowing" following a test drive. A light resurfacing and the brakes are nice and smooth now. Left the car for a few hours, no charge (warranty). No big deal.

Hope this adds something to the info pile...

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by Goose

Not trying to draw the debate to a close, but according to my dealer, my brakes were indeed slightly warped. Dealer notes described a "slight pulsation when slowing" following a test drive. A light resurfacing and the brakes are nice and smooth now. Left the car for a few hours, no charge (warranty). No big deal.

Hope this adds something to the info pile...

As I thought. Thanks for the update.

[YarisDude]

Loren,
Great article. Wish I knew this procedure when I drove my CRX. I had a nagging pulsation due to the front rotors. Upon inspection there was an imprint of the pad on the rotor surface (as mentioned in the article). Not knowing the procedure discussed, I removed, resurfaced the rotors, and replaced the pads. Lots of unnecessary work. Well, I know the proper procedure to avoid that project! Like most things, knowledge can save time, money, and aggravation.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by YarisDude

Loren,
Great article. Wish I knew this procedure when I drove my CRX. I had a nagging pulsation due to the front rotors. Upon inspection there was an imprint of the pad on the rotor surface (as mentioned in the article). Not knowing the procedure discussed, I removed, resurfaced the rotors, and replaced the pads. Lots of unnecessary work. Well, I know the proper procedure to avoid that project! Like most things, knowledge can save time, money, and aggravation.

Wouldn't have helped the OP at all. As mentioned, dealer discovered that the rotor(s) had excessive runout, not rust stains, getting the brakes real "HOT" would have more than likely warped the already warped rotors even more...getting them real "HOT" within the first 10 miles by an idiot test-driver most likely warped the rotors in the first place. They were under warranty, would have been really silly to get them "HOT" when the problem was fixed for free at the dealership.

[Tamago]

getting them HOT does not damage them.


it's uneven cooling that warps rotors.