| A brake rotor is a vital part of the braking | | | | usual, this rapid heating and cooling may cause |
| system on your vehicle. A brake rotor, in | | | | them to warp. Heating of your brakes plus water, |
| conjunction with brake pads, brings your car to | | | | snow, or ice will also warp the rotor. There is an |
| come to a quick and complete stop. If you have | | | | easy way to determine if your brake rotor is |
| a worn brake rotor, you should have it replaced | | | | warped: you may feel a shuddering as you apply |
| as soon as possible for your own safety. | | | | your brakes. This vibration usually indicates that |
| When you apply your car's brake pedal, brake | | | | your brake pad is pressing against an uneven |
| pads press down against the brake rotor. The | | | | rotor. When this happens, it is time to either have |
| rotor is part of the front wheel hub, and it stops | | | | your rotor turned or replaced entirely. |
| the wheels from turning. Brake rotors are | | | | Most vehicles manufactured in the past five years |
| commonly referred to as "discs," and people | | | | or so have been equipped with composite brake |
| often refer to cars with brake rotors as being | | | | rotors. It is strongly recommended that with |
| equipped with "disc brakes." | | | | these vehicles, you do not have the rotors |
| In recent decades, most cars have been equipped | | | | turned. Turning these composite rotors will take |
| with a brake rotor at the front of the car. Some | | | | the heat tempering out of them. It is best to |
| cars are also equipped with brake rotors on the | | | | simply replace the entire rotor in these this case, |
| rear wheels for added stopping power. The older | | | | rather than trying to have it resurfaced. |
| alternative to a disc brake is the drum brake; | | | | When replacing brake rotors, you face a variety |
| some cars are still made with drum brakes on the | | | | of manufacturer options. You can choose to |
| back wheels. As with front-wheel disk brakes, | | | | purchase Chevy parts if you own a Chevy, or |
| rear-wheel disk brakes are added for a more | | | | you can go with aftermarket parts that often |
| acutely responsive braking system. | | | | outperform the stock Chevy parts. The primary |
| After a period of standard wear, your car's brake | | | | consideration is to make sure that all of your |
| rotors may need to be replaced. However, some | | | | brake parts are compatible with one another. |
| conditions may wear down the rotors more | | | | Finally, it is critical that you either replace or turn |
| quickly, calling for quicker replacement. For | | | | both of your brake rotors at the same time. |
| instance, if you allow your brake pads to wear | | | | Replacing one brake rotor and not the other can |
| down too far before you replace them, the brake | | | | result in different heat dissipation rates - this will |
| pad can dig grooves into the rotors. These | | | | cause one wheel to stop turning sooner than the |
| grooves must be repaired in order for your | | | | other, which could be very dangerous under hard |
| brakes to operate correctly. If your brake rotors | | | | braking circumstances. Remember that when you |
| have grooves in them, you can have them | | | | are working on your brakes. Your own safety |
| "turned" or resurfaced by a machine shop. This | | | | should always come first - prompt response to |
| will remove the grooves and make the rotor itself | | | | any warning signs or problems is essential to the |
| thinner. | | | | safe operation of your braking systems. |
| Warped brake rotors will also require premature | | | | When you are talking about your vehicle's braking |
| replacement. Brake parts grow extremely hot | | | | systems, an ounce of prevention is certainly |
| during normal operation. If you have been applying | | | | cheaper than a pound of cure. |
| your brakes heavily and heating them more than | | | | |