Brake Repair: What To Know About Rotor Replacements

The cost for an average brake repair is difficult to come by. The cost of repair is usually determined by the type of vehicle, the amount of wear or damage to the system, and where the work is done. Different places charge different fees for labor and parts. However, no matter where a customer takes his car, the work needs to be completed as soon as possible. Continuing to drive with worn out pads could cause serious damage to other parts of the system including the rotors.

What do the rotors do?
Also known as discs, the rotors of the vehicle are a critical component to bringing a car to a complete stop. The pads clamp down the rotor to prevent the wheels from spinning. This friction is not immediate so the amount of pressure applied to the pedal will determine how quickly the vehicle stops. If there is plenty of room between one vehicle and another, the driver can gradually put pressure on the pedal and come to a complete stop. In an emergency, the drivers can press down quickly and the car will stop quickly. It takes less time and area to stop when the pedal is pressed down hard. It is not hard to imagine why a brake repair might consist of replacing the rotors. These are critical parts of the braking system.

What happens when they continue to operate with poor pads?
Because pads prevent a metal on metal friction, they need to be replaced regularly. They are making sure that the car is stopping when someone puts his foot on the pedal. Sometimes, people put off going in for maintenance and having the pads replaced. They assume that they can wait a little bit longer and see how far the vehicle will go without having a problem.

Not only is this dangerous; it is also setting the car up to need new rotors. With poor pads or pads that have worn down considerably, there is a good chance that if a person continues to drive, the rotors will be damaged and a brake repair will be necessary. The cost of maintenance is much less that than the cost of any repairs.

How are they repaired or replaced?
If the damage is minimal and the equipment is only warped, it is possible to perform a brake repair in which the technician resurfaces the rotors, smoothing them out. This makes the process of putting on the brakes a little smoother for the driver. A technician can perform a visual inspection and determine whether or not resurfacing will be enough.

The other option is a complete replacement. If they are not at a certain thickness level, the manufacturer instructs technicians to replace them. Without the right amount of thickness to the rotors, there is a chance that the braking system will not work effectively.