# New rotors on my F150 were junk !



## budedm (Dec 22, 2009)

I bought 4 new rotors and pads for my 2001 F150. After I finished the job, it seemed just ok. A little shimmy but I passed it off. It wasn't a week later when I noticed how bad the shake was. I put an indicator on the rotors and they were .008, .012, .016, and .020 out ! Sheesh. I could feel it when I WASN'T using the brake. I got them at Brake Performance in California. They sent me 4 new ones but I've got to wonder how long these will stay true. I had to pay to send the bad ones back which kinda sucked. We'll see.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

You were expecting something else from generic rotors?


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Did you clean the hubs and the rotor of the cosmoline prior to installation?


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## budedm (Dec 22, 2009)

Yes. Everything was clean and all mating surfaces were checked for flatness and burrs. The new rotors are good. Well, the worst one is .006 out. I'm not sure what the tolerance normally is on a rotor but I would think they would be dead straight since they bore and turn them at the same time. So, I'm still not 100% happy with these Brake Performance rotors but at least the truck is driveable.


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Bude,
My son is a mechanic, so most of my vehicle maintenance is done at home. In the past I have paid more than double to get Bendix brake rotors and pads because they are made in the states. They would last about two years and then warp and pulse so bad I would have to replace them again. My son usually turns new rotors just to true them up. He justs takes a very minute cut. He also uses a scotchbrite wheel on an air grinder to clean the hub area where the rotor sits. A very thin coat of neversieze between the hub and new rotor and the sliding parts of the caliper keeps them from rusting. I stopped buying the bendix. Our local Advance Auto store stopped carrying them. So now I buy the foreign ones and expect them to do the same thing. In two years I'll be replacing them, but at less than half the price. They don't make them like they used to.
P.S. Buy them local so you can take them back if necessary without incurring the shipping costs. 
Mike Hawkins


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

firehawkmph said:


> Bude,
> My son is a mechanic, so most of my vehicle maintenance is done at home. In the past I have paid more than double to get Bendix brake rotors and pads because they are made in the states. They would last about two years and then warp and pulse so bad I would have to replace them again. My son usually turns new rotors just to true them up. He justs takes a very minute cut. He also uses a scotchbrite wheel on an air grinder to clean the hub area where the rotor sits. A very thin coat of neversieze between the hub and new rotor and the sliding parts of the caliper keeps them from rusting. I stopped buying the bendix. Our local Advance Auto store stopped carrying them. So now I buy the foreign ones and expect them to do the same thing. In two years I'll be replacing them, but at less than half the price. They don't make them like they used to.
> P.S. Buy them local so you can take them back if necessary without incurring the shipping costs.
> Mike Hawkins


Good advice Mike :thumbsup:. The only other thing to add is after you true the rotor, use your angle die grinder with a fine scotchbrite pad, on the turned surface to get a non-directional finish.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I used to take my drums off & have them turned by a local shop
Last SUV I dropped it off for a brake job & they wanted to replace all the drums :furious:
They aren't as thick any more, some shops won't (can't) turn them once they get past a certain point


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Around here, you really don't turn rotors, you replace them. They rust and pit from all of the road salt. It's a shame after 3 years, you're doing pads and rotors and the pads still have over half the thickness.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

I had brake chatter issues with a Ford car. I'd true up the rotors. First heat up, they'd chatter. True them up again. same thing. When they reached minimum thickness, I trashed them and put on Chinese made ones from Autozone. I thought this will just be another exercise in futility. Guess what!! Those Chinese rotors were on for years without a problem.....


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## rodm1 (Dec 27, 2009)

Get Powerslot rotors with Hawk pads you will be very pleased.


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## ackinma (Dec 28, 2009)

F-150 brakes are undersized to begin with. So they warp fast. I prefer the thermal quiet pads from wagner and the Brembo rotors available from tirerack.com, believe it or not! Bendix is made in China now too, so the quality just isn't there anymore. In my opinion, they are no better then the dura-won't-last crap you get at auto zone these days.


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