Front rotors and pads need replacement at 25k mi? Wondering if other people have used up their rotors that quickly

[Drnick]

True, $60k is now considered middle of the road
But it’s a sports car,it attracts more attention,it’s not your typical daily driver

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[sup.dc2]

This is a wakeup call though It's been on my mind to start wrenching on the car myself. I've been collecting the tools needed over the past few weeks. It's a bit of a pain since I live in NYC and I don't have a driveway, but it'll be worth it when it comes time to replace the rotors.

At this point, I have:
1/4" 3/8" and 1/2" dr locking flex head ratchets with sockets
3/8" dr breaker bar
1/2" dr impact wrench with impact sockets, and non-marring impact socket for lug bolts
Low profile Jack with BMW puck adapter
Jack stands with BMW adapters
Torx allen key set

I will need to get a oil drain pan... besides specialized sockets, anything major I'm missing for regular maintenance? Oil change, spark plugs, rotors/pads, brake fluid

I always encourage others to at least learn how to do basic maintenance on their own vehicles providing it isn't your only means of transport. Say you did something wrong and you have work the next day or replacement parts aren't immediately available then your marooned til further notice lol. It's not too expensive acquiring the necessary tools to properly do oil changes, brakes, filters (except trans filter for A/T cars), spark plugs...you just need tons of patience when learning the stuff.

i would add these to your tool box: 3/8 and 1/2 torque wrench, 32mm oil filter socket, eTorx and torx (external torx) socket set.

 

[EddieNel]

Do the pads yourself, there easy , as long as rotors are within spec. Rotors at 25k miles should be fine
To be certain use a dial gauge to check
PS your name says it all, you are getting “Wacked”. Just bought a set of EBC Reds
Front and rears were less then $400

Don’t mean to hijack but I’ve run EBC’s on all of my bikes and loved them. How do they feel vs the stock pads?

 

[Drnick]

I have EBC Reds on ZL1 , I bought them because they don’t dust up as much as OEM pads, and after
Proper break in, wheels stay cleaner longer, so hopefully I’ll have same results with Supra

 

[EddieNel]

I have EBC Reds on ZL1 , I bought them because they don’t dust up as much as OEM pads, and after
Proper break in, wheels stay cleaner longer, so hopefully I’ll have same results with Supra

Thank you. I was curious about stopping power and predictability.

 

[lucky phil]

I like the way everyone here is "speculating" on the disk rotor wear. The way to asses if the rotors need replacing due to wear is to measure them and see if they are above the minimum wear thickness. A cheap set of 20 dollar 6" Vernia callipers is adequate for the task. Above min thickness no cracking, hot spots or runout then they are good to go.
What a Merc dealer charges for brakes and rotors is interesting and amusing but hardly relevant. A friend of mine took here Merc in for a service and mentioned the rear badge looked a bit "tatty" so you may as well fit a new one. Something like $600 dollars later on the service bill she nearly had a heart attack. I told her she was in servicing Parallel universe now after becoming the owner of a second hand Merc. Another female friend just spent $8500 dollars on a new cam chain on her 2016 Audi A3 which has bugger all miles on it. I told her the dealer didn't "see you coming" he sent you a written invitation and you showed up.

Phil

 

[AndyK5]

A cheap set of 20 dollar 6" Vernia callipers is adequate for the task. Above min thickness no cracking, hot spots or runout then they are good to go.

This does not work in real life as the worn rotor creates a lip and is thinner in the center than it is at the edge. Those calipers never managed to accurately measure rotor thickness for me as they are pretty much stuck at measuring the edge and not touching the center.

 

[razorlab]

This does not work in real life as the worn rotor creates a lip and is thinner in the center than it is at the edge. Those calipers never managed to accurately measure rotor thickness for me as they are pretty much stuck at measuring the edge and not touching the center.

Use a micrometer like this one https://a.co/d/cV0Z8Em

Lucky Phil has been wrong with like 99% of his “get off my lawn” posts so just ignore him.

 

[lucky phil]

This does not work in real life as the worn rotor creates a lip and is thinner in the center than it is at the edge. Those calipers never managed to accurately measure rotor thickness for me as they are pretty much stuck at measuring the edge and not touching the center.

Here's a set of my Mitutoyo Vernia callipers. Note the rebate on the internal measuring faces that are 1mm or .040" on each face so you can measure over any outside lip if you position the callipers over the the disk in a semi perpendicular attitude. So unless the lip on the edge of the disk is over 1mm on each side then the callipers read the swept area face thickness just fine. So on my callipers you would need over 2mm total disk thickness reduction to need to resort to a mike. Obviously if you measure right on the min thickness AND the disk is badly grooved then the rotor is toast.
Here's actually an image of me measuring a rear rotor on my wifes car a few months ago. No problem with Vernier's. No lip in this case because the pad sweeps the whole rotor ( the front was the same) but you can see the technique and the way the measuring face recess on the Vernia works if a lip was present. So spend money on a tool that's good for one application or learn some engineering skills and techniques and buy a tool you can use for the rest of your life for many many applications. You choose.
Phil

 

[AndyK5]

Here's a set of my Mitutoyo Vernia callipers. Note the rebate on the internal measuring faces that are 1mm or .040" on each face so you can measure over any outside lip if you position the callipers over the the disk in a semi perpendicular attitude. So unless the lip on the edge of the disk is over 1mm on each side then the callipers read the swept area face thickness just fine. So on my callipers you would need over 2mm total disk thickness reduction to need to resort to a mike. Obviously if you measure right on the min thickness AND the disk is obviously badly grooved then the rotor is toast.

Phil

Thats fair, I am not sure if my calipers have that cut...or maybe they do and I have not thought about using that notch.

 

[lucky phil]

Thats fair, I am not sure if my calipers have that cut...or maybe they do and I have not thought about using that notch.

The object of my advice I give is to help the average person that doesn't necessarily want or need to buy specialised tooling for everything. Here's a picture of my garage and I have a cabinet full of measuring equipment as well but not everyone wants this.
Out of interest I checked the the max wear on the Supra front rotors it is 1.6mm under nominal so my Verniers and a little experience with the callipers will measure them just fine. So as I said if you Vernia them at 1.6mm under AND they are grooved then they are toast.

Phil

 

[lucky phil]

Use a micrometer like this one https://a.co/d/cV0Z8Em

Lucky Phil has been wrong with like 99% of his “get off my lawn” posts so just ignore him.

This is a disappointing post from one of my favourite people here. You're track day video's have helped my insomnia enormously over the time I've been a member here. I thought we were "connecting"

Phil

 

[Drnick]

Looks like razor lab got schooled by lucky Phil
Congrats Phil

 

[FuzzyRev]

..aand here comes RT to flip your worlds upside down (except Phil, he's already upside down )...

I present to you, the GR Corolla front brakes!

Pads are a reasonable $120, and rotors are a budget-minded $810 EACH!

 

[EddieNel]

..aand here comes RT to flip your worlds upside down (except Phil, he's already upside down )...

I present to you, the GR Corolla front brakes!

Pads are a reasonable $120, and rotors are a budget-minded $810 EACH!

Is that an actual rotor or a double stuffed oreo? Asking for a friend. I remember when a rotor was one solid piece of steel.

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