How can you tell when a brake rotor is bad?

One of the most common indicators of worn out brake rotors is rattling, wobbling, or shaking while braking. These vibrations are normally felt through your foot as you apply the brakes, and it is usually indicative of brake rotors that have become warped.

Can brake rotors overheat?

Disc Brakes: Brake Fluid Problems Severe overheating of rotors and pads can transfer excessive heat through the caliper piston to the brake fluid, causing it to boil. When this happens, the fluid loses its ability to compress, which drastically reduces braking efficiency.

What are hard spots on rotors?

Hard spots may be the result of poor-quality castings or can be caused by excessive heat that changes the metallurgy of the rotors. A sticky caliper or dragging brake may make the rotor run hot and increase the risk of hard spots forming. Hard spots can often be seen as discolored patches on the face of the rotor.

What causes caliper pins to stick?

A sliding caliper slides on rails or ways on the mounting bracket. These rails can become rusty or corroded, causing the caliper to bind instead of slide. This binding results in premature inboard pad wear. Remove the rust and use the proper lubricant on the rail the pads ride on.

How do you get rid of hot spots on rotors?

If this is caught early on, you can possibly remedy it by bedding in your brakes with a more abrasive pad, or resurfacing your rotors. If the heat spots are extensive, you will need to replace your rotors.

What causes heat spots on rotors?

This only happens with excessive heat, which can happen if you are constantly apply pressure to your brakes. This heat causes the metal to become soft, which can cause the metal to wear down in certain spots making the surface uneven.

What causes hot spots on brake rotors?

Hot spots occur when uneven brake pads cause areas on the brake rotor to heat up, now this can cause more aggressive brake wear but it can also cause vibration and noise. In the case of the later then I would go ahead and have the brake rotors machined.

Heat is the number one cause of this, and can cause warping in more than one way: Glazing the brake rotor with material from the brake pad. Wearing down the surface of the rotor and making harder spots in the metal stay slightly raised off the surface.

What are the symptoms of a bad rotor?

One of the first symptoms commonly associated with bad brake rotors is noise. If the rotors are warped (meaning not perfectly flat) or severely worn, they may produce squealing or squeaking sounds. Usually, warped rotors will produce a squeak, while severely worn rotors will produce a scraping sound.

When should I replace my brake rotors?

Ideally, you should replace your brake rotors every time you replace your brake pads. This ensures that the new pads and rotors will be able to mate up flush to each other. As your break pads wear down, so do your rotors, and the groove that the old pads created in the rotors does not necessarily match up with where your new pads will sit.