Replacing Brake Rotors Versus Machining Brake Rotors on Your Car

Part of the Video Series How to Inspect and Replace Car Brake Rotors

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Learn whether to machine or replace your car brake rotors - free video clip.

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Tags: auto repair, automotive, brake rotors, brakes, car, car maintenance, rotors
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Member Comments

Posted by autogirl on Friday, 21 March, 2008 at 12:18 PM

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Nice to see someone come right out and say it... It's more cost effective to replace brake rotors then spend the time and energy turning them. We use to try and make folks happy by trying to do cheap brake jobs by using inexpensive brake parts and turning the rotors.... but they would "come back" with squeaks and warped rotors and want us to re-do the job for free. You get what you pay for... and nothing on a car is more important then it's ability to stop! If a car won't start it's Inconvenient. If it won't stop, it can be deadly!

Video Transcript

Replacing Brake Rotors Versus Machining Brake Rotors on Your Car
Hi! My name is Nate McCullough on behalf of expertvillage.com. In this clip we are going to talk about the difference between machining a rotor and replacing of a rotor and benefits involved in each. In my personal opinion for the cost and the benefit, machining a rotor is a waste of time unless it happens to be a very unique rotor causing the part costs to be excessively high. On this particular car which is one of the pricier cars to work on that Ford builds, the rotor replacement was $23. To take this vehicle to a shop and have a professional mechanic machine the rotor you are going to pay somewhere between $30 and $50. Then what you get back is your same old rotor that has been machined smaller. They are going to remove the outside surface of the rotor and cut down until they get to all the way new steel all the way around. In my opinion, that takes too much metal off for the cost benefit. It has been my experienced maybe 3 out of 10 vehicles that have their rotors turn return with the pulsation. When you machine the rotor, like I said you remove the steel from it. When you take that steel away that under minds its heat dissipation ability. It is like taking a smaller part and trying to put it through the same demanding work of your daily driving. So for my money the cost and the benefits would be to replace the rotor.

About the Expert

Expert: Nathan McCullough graduated from Nashville Auto-Diesel College with a Grade Point Average of 3.5 and received their craftsmanship award and honor seal. Read More