Stop

I have an 04 WRX. Long story short my rotors are warped and the jumping of the car when I am coming to a stop is driving me crazy. I have about 20% left on my front pads and a good 50% on the rear. I need lots of advice. Machine rotors vs sucking it up and buying new ones. If new, which ones or specificly what to look for when shopping. Mostly I drive pretty tame. I'm not on the track, but I have the occasional fun here and there. Any help would be appreciated.

 

If your rotors are warped that bad you might aswell replace them. I have actually heard a lot of good things about duralast rotors. A lot of auto crossers have used them and not had any problems. I've had expensive rotors before EBC and the just warped on me. The duralast should be around $25 a rotor. I have also heard good things about powerslot, they just cost more. As for pads unless you plan on driving hard I would just go with regular pads. I know there was a great deal on axxis pads a nasioc a while ago maybe you can find those. For performances pads most people go with HAWK HPS or hp+ for more aggressive drivers. I personally use EBC reds and love them, They are cheaper, quieter, dust less and seem to last longer than hawk hp+. The first batch of reds years and years ago warped rotors so a lot of people are still concerned about that but they changed the compound and know there awesome!

Hope this helps you

 

Check out www.rockauto.com Great prices on parts! I bought rear rotors for my car for $16 each. Same names you get at the local parts stores. No issues so far.

 

Might want to check some of the vendor classifieds here and on nasioc, someone was having a firesale on rotors and pads. Brembo and DBA's with Hawk pads.

 

Thanks everyone

 

Its is highly unusual for rotors to actually "warp," most often the symptoms you describe are caused by uneven pad deposits left on the rotor. The rotor surface is indeed uneven, but its just brake pad deposits.

Before you replace anything try re-bedding the pads. That means get the brakes really hot with several stops from ~40mph, then several more from ~60mph. Then let things cool down.

Also, when I say stop, I mean a rolling stop, not a dead stop. I have heard that it is the dead stop that causes pad deposits to be left on the rotor in the first place, especially when hot. This makes sense because as long as you are rolling the pad is dragging across the rotor, but as soon as you stop it will tend to stick.

Try that a few times, if it doesn't work, then get new rotors. It is a good procedure to know anyway, because if you get new pads and/or rotors, you will need to bed them in properly as well.

 

Rolling stops from 40 and 60 seem like normal driving. I'm down to try anything that will keep me from having to buy new rotors and pads, but............ How many stops from 40 and how many from 60? Once the pads are hot then what? Just let them cool? I feel like I'm missing something. That just sounds like driving on 285.

 

Let me ask you a question, is your life worth a couple hundred dollars? How about those around you?

Buy the parts and I'll be glad to help, being a cheap ass is one thing but when you put "OUR" safety on the line you're being a dumb ASS. Besides I bet new brakes all around is cheaper than your deductible...

 

Yes, they are like normal driving, except you do them over and over repeatedly to get the brakes hot. Let me link you to a brake bed in procedure: This one looks pretty good. http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

This really has nothing to do with being a cheap ass. This bed in procedure is something that you will have to do with new brakes anyway. It just happens to also be a good way to remove minor pads deposits on an already well worn in brake system. Unless the rotor is cracked or otherwise damaged, there is no reason to get new rotors just to remove some pad deposits.

Also, OP stated 20% life left on front pads, 50% on rear. Assuming this is accurate, the rears have plenty of life left and the front pads alone could be replaced.

Either way, no matter what route you go with brake replacement, you still have to do a proper bed-in. It only takes a few minutes and it is something you will definitely want to do away from other traffic anyway, so why not try it? If it fixes the problem, awesome, the brakes still work, nothing is unsafe by any means. If not, then you haven't wasted anything except a few minutes of time.

 

Now the op stated that the brakes make the car "jump." If you mean jump as in the wheels actually come off the ground, then something really bad is happening. But if you mean more of a shudder/pulsation when applying the brakes, then it is very likely exactly what I mentioned above.

 

I honestly can't believe that this worked. Earlier today I did three stops from 40 and three more from 60. I then let the car cool for about an hour and took it out again. It is Notisably better! The "jump" I refered to was a shudder when braking at high speed and a go-stop-go-stop at very low speeds such as near a traffic light (about the exact distance it would take a tire to rotate). The shudder is totally gone and the slow shopping shudder is about 90 percent gone. Thanks again!!!:bowdown:

 

Yeah, first time I did it I couldn't believe it either. It is amazing how much you can feel uneven pad deposits through the brake pedal.

Do keep an eye on your front brake pads, you said they were ~20%, and remember to do this same bedding procedure when you do eventually need to get new pads and/or rotors.

Glad I could help!