I keep warping rotors. Why?

[blnewt]

You may want to consider those Hawk pads, they will require a full bed-in AFAIK but they are a true performance pad, should require less actual braking pressure to get a similar bite as the Powerstops so in theory at least, the rotors shouldn't get as hot resulting in better braking (less fade) and better stopping when you really get on it.

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[Yellow Cake Kid]

FWIW,
I worry more about overheating the brakes when I am crawling down a long mountain road grade at 5mph when it is so steep that the engine braking is not enough to keep everything smooth and predictable. In those cases I have no expectation that the brakes can cool down so I try real hard to not get them too hot.
When I am out on a modern highway with all the start and stop 0->70->0mph traffic, I don't think about it much because most of the time I can initiate an inertia of deceleration early on and then brake lightly etc. as conditions require.
I am just adding this as food for thought because there was a mention of Colorado grades and it may be helpful to acknowledge how easy it is too cook brakes at low speeds if you have to stomp on them for an extended duration of time.

Good luck.

 

[Littlebother]

Just a thought, driving to the car wash I would drive down along hill , when I got to the car wash the brakes were really hot, hit the brakes with cold water will warp them, I had to replace my brakes on my truck… learned the hard way

 

[Spank]

I am just adding this as food for thought because there was a mention of Colorado grades and it may be helpful to acknowledge how easy it is too cook brakes at low speeds if you have to stomp on them for an extended duration of time.

No mention of grades, just shitty Colorado roads in general. I'm not hitting any real measurable grades unless I'm going wheeling which I haven't had the chance to do lately.

Just a thought, driving to the car wash I would drive down along hill , when I got to the car wash the brakes were really hot, hit the brakes with cold water will warp them, I had to replace my brakes on my truck… learned the hard way

Yeah, I'm very mindful not to hit the wheels or rotors with water at the car wash. Usually, I don't even bother rinsing them down at all for that very reason.

 

[AlgUSF]

Yup! But that doesn't mean Discount Tire did during a rotation and balance, though.

I always re-torque lug nuts when I get home after tire service. It takes me 10 minutes, and I know that they're torqued properly.

 

[WagzDad]

I always re-torque lug nuts when I get home after tire service. It takes me 10 minutes, and I know that they're torqued properly.

A note on checking the torque: always loosten then retighten. Just because the wrench clicks on it’s 130 setting, doesn’t mean that they are not tighter than that.

its a bad day in the making when you can’t get that one lug loose. I’d rather deal with that issue at home if given the choice.

 

[AlgUSF]

A note on checking the torque: always loosten then retighten. Just because the wrench clicks on it’s 130 setting, doesn’t mean that they are not tighter than that.

its a bad day in the making when you can’t get that one lug loose. I’d rather deal with that issue at home if given the choice.

Yep, loosen until it just breaks free and torque. I go through the star twice, loosening on the first round.

 

[Spank]

I always re-torque lug nuts when I get home after tire service. It takes me 10 minutes, and I know that they're torqued properly.

Oh yeah. And I've taken this thing apart so many times for mods and what not that improperly torqued lugs won't remain that way for long.

 

[Qjoh5510]

It’s not just braking hard that will do it. Braking softly for an extended period of time will do it as well. Sort of like taking 100 yards to stop for a stop light, you’re slowing down very gradually but those brakes are getting really hot.

 

[JasonInDLH]

@Spank I’d really check your lateral runout (a good magnetic Dial Indicator can be had for $40) and it’s super easy to do.
And I’m pretty sure that a “warped” rotor is impossible no matter how hard you brake (from what I’ve read anyways). Most likely pad transfer to the rotor by sitting on the brakes at a stop light (with very hot rotors) or lateral runout that’s causing brake pulsation.

 

[Whaler27]

I think others have covered the most likely causes. If you have the money I have a solution. Alcon brakes are fantastic and incredibly durable. (I want them, but can’t afford them yet.) My brother bought a set for his JL and had them installed at Lyft Offroad in Glenwood Springs. His Jeep brakes better with 37s than it braked new with the stock tires, and the new brakes don’t fade on the long grades like the factory ones did. It was a $4000 investment, but the brakes are one of his favorite mods, and they are guaranteEd, (Alcon makes “lifetime” brakes for military vehicles. Very high quality.)

 

[LittleDog]

@Spank

Do you live near a highway?

When I got my first car, I lived two short blocks off of a state route with a long, steep downgrade right before my neighborhood. Parking brake definitely didn't do me any favours either. Resurfaced and changed the rotors many times on that vehicle before I figured it out.

The time and money wasted back then always reminds me nowadays to take it easy after getting off the parkway, or high speed stop/go redlights, before coming to a stop. Probably good for the turbo too.

 

[entropy]

You are probably that guy who looks like he is gonna go through a red light but actually stops at the last second

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