I have a 06 with 50k miles on it. I installed 4 new Brembo blanks with racing brake (300?) pads last summer. Since installing the brakes I have put perhaps 10k miles on them. I had gone with the new disc/pad combo to battle the dismal oem stoppers not only in terms of performance but the constant issues with the discs (which were replaced under warranty twice). Recently I have noticed a shimmy in the wheel when coming to a stop from high speed. This led me to think it was the rotors again but I just couldn't believe it. The car was in at Acura for service and all 4 rotors are warped from what the service advisor tells me. They are also stating that they can not turn these as they do not feel that would be a suitable option in this case. I did a search and I cant find nor do I recall any owners on here with Brembo blanks that destroyed their rotors this quickly (or at all). I haven't tracked the car with these brakes or even driven all that hard. Does anyone have a clue as to what I am doing to my brakes!?!?!? The problem is not significant enough for me to pony up to change rotors so are there any suggestions as to what can be done other that to replace rotors again.

 

A less expensive alternative is to have the rotors "turned" or resurfaced at a chain store like Autozone, and have a go at them again. Or replace the Brembo's with another brand. I had Brembo OEM replacements for 50K miles; other then the hub rusting, they performed as expected.

 

^ Acura is saying the rotors cant be turned as the amount needed would compromise the integrity of the disc. I could take it to another place for a second opinion.

I too have the hub rusting which I expected.

 

Since you've only put 10K miles on them ( assuming normal driving conditions ), I'd get a 2nd opinion on turning them.
While at Acura, they checked out other possible things that can cause shimming of the steering wheel while braking besides the rotors?

 

Rebed your brakes before you think they are warped.

I've done this with rotors that can't be resurfaced (cross-drilled and slotted) and vibrations went away. Rotors were fine for 10s of thousands of more miles.


more info here:

http://www.heeltoeauto.com/pitboard/?p=499

 

Totally agree. So many people here (it seems) just assume the rotors are warped, and I guess are not aware of this option. ALWAYS try this first, before warped rotors are even suspected. I've done it a few times, and it makes a noticeable difference.

 

I agree as well...excellent suggestion.

If, however it turns out that you do have warped rotors, you asked what you are doing...And the thing I have heard and read about causing more warped rotors than anything else: Washing your car right after driving it.

Cold water on hot rotors can cause instant warping.

I have often caught myself right before I use a full service car wash or even a self service bay or hose at home...and then waited 10-15 minutes for the rotors to cool down. (A couple of close calls, pulling the wand/hose away as I look at the wheel, feel the rotors and they are indeed hot.) It might be a coincidence, but I have an 06 with original rotors and pads, and no warping.

 

If this were the case driving through puddles in the rain would be warping rotors left and right. Yes the rotors get hot but they cool too. I've used my IR non contact thermomoter to check the temp of the rotors. By the time I measure them they are never more than a few hundred degress, less than 300.

But while bedding my new rotors and pads I over did it.. by a lot! I did a fw too many cycles and when I stopped and got out to check them they were litterally RED HOT! So hot I was afriad the car woudl catch fire. There was smoke pouring from the pads and the pads were sizzling. I got in the car and drove to get some air on the rotors and they cooled off but I ended up replaceing my brand new pads. Yet the rotors did not warp.

Some claim improperly torqued wheels, like they do at the big tire chains can also warp the rotors.

 

I'd bet the brembos were made to the same spec as the OEM rotors so if Acura would turn OEM rotors they should not have a problem turning these.

How did they arrive at the conclusion that the rotors were warped? Did they do a run out test?

How do you torque the wheel lug nuts? Over torqued lug nuts (some say) can cause warped rotors.

I never had a problem with my OEM or replacement rotors.

 

Thanks guys it totally skipped my mind to try rebedding the pads. I will try that before anything else.

Boulder - I have not washed my car with hot rotors. I have heard of this as a cause for warped rotors along with the puddles and the improper torquing.

Rocket - I am not sure what exactly they did to test that the rotors were indeed warped. I could certainly inquire further into this but wont bother until I attempt a rebed procedure first.

 

All I can say is, it has been discussed by mechanics and in automotive magazines for years, and with the right conditions, it happens. (A hot day, a long drive or just some hard braking for a light or two, pull into a car wash...a high volume of cold water is sprayed directly onto the wheels from the side...boom.)

I don't see many opportunities for a rain storm or puddle to create the same hot-to cold extremes and direct contact...(if it's raining, the wheel is not going to get nearly as hot to begin with...and the cooling would be more gradual.)

We're not talking about rotor warping fairies; it's physics. If you've worked in a machine shop, factory or steel mill, or even run a drill press, you'd know what happens to hot metal when you immediately douse it with water: Instant bending. If it did happen to your rotors, how would you ever know what caused it? And yet, here we have people with mysteriously warped rotors. It's certainly not the most common cause of warped rotors, but it is a proven cause of some.

 

I thought of this too, but I agree that if you could do it with the hose, you could certainly do it in rainy weather. I'm inclined to let's just say that there are a few different opinions on this phenomenon.

On the lug nut theory, I'm pretty sure that with the type of brakes that we have (the wheel studs are pressed into hub and not the rotor, which is independent), I can't imagine how overtightened lug nuts would be a factor. This is always a concern with the type of rotor that is also an integral part of the hub (studs are pressed in, as with many American cars, or tapped holes in the case of German cars, which use lug bolts). It's actual warp-age of the rotor caused by over tightening that creates the shimmy/vibration. I doubt that would happen to a rotor that isn't stressed by the tightening procedure (as with the Honda's).

 

I remember driving down a very steep hill, then having to make a sharp turn thru a puddle of water that had a thin layer of ice. Instant warped rotors.

 

Well, there you go. Even the water of a puddle can do it, under the right conditions.

 

Brembo blanks yeah right...I over paid for "brembos" blanks from famous online retailer for my hand-me-down TSX and later purchased blanks from autzone for a beater and quess what they where exaclty the same down to milling marks...only differeence was the size....

 

Rare instance in life where size didnt matter?

re-bedding the brakes seems to have worked.

 

you should find out of your hub has run outs. If you have hub run out, it will feel like warp rotors

https://www.frozenrotors.com/help-su...l-hub-run-out/

http://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/A...pulsation.aspx