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A few months ago I replaced my stock rotors with the C5-R and Durastop pads. Except for some minor squeaking, I've been happy.
Yesterday I was cleaning the wheels and I noticed the driver front rotor was grooved about 1/4" from the outside edge. The other front rotor is smooth.
The grooves are deep enough to see them and you can definitely feel them if you run your fingers across.
Usually that's caused by a piece of grit getting between the pad and the rotor, or a hard spot on the pad. As long as it is not deeper than 1.5mm, it's not a problem and you don't need to do anything. (To test the depth, use a dime. You put the dime in the groove with Ike's head down, and if the groove covers part of Ike's head, it's time to turn the rotor.
Usually that's caused by a piece of grit getting between the pad and the rotor, or a hard spot on the pad. As long as it is not deeper than 1.5mm, it's not a problem and you don't need to do anything. (To test the depth, use a dime. You put the dime in the groove with Ike's head down, and if the groove covers part of Ike's head, it's time to turn the rotor.
Eric: This is usually cause by a piece of the metalic in the pad becoming work hard... ( harder than the rotor ) the noise you hear is that hardness..
I would suggest you remove the pads on that side .. putting a piece of #120 grit Emery paper not sand paper.. on a flat surface like a two by four... grit side up then taking the pad and rub back and forth with frim pressure to remove any contaminents or hard spots .. if you look at the pad you may see the raised area of the pad that made the groove.. sometimes you can pick out the hardened piece of metal with a pick.or an awl... OH BTW that guy on the dime isn't Ike... it's F.D.R Franklin Roosevelt.. Ike had No hair.. and it would make that that .060 in. (1.5mm)
about .068 in ..... IM just spliting hairs here :blueangel:
Bill ( Evil-Twin )
Shanman,
I have taken pads and rubbed them on the blacktop roadway in front of my house to smooth out the pad surface.
It too works well. Neighbors think I'm nuts.
How in the world did I think it was Ike? My bad. That clearly would screw everything up. I guess I won't mention how I use a Lincoln penny to gap my sparkplugs.
Scotchbrite pads (not brakepads, the things the wife has in the sink) also work well to cut the glaze on the rotors. I use them on my motorcycle's rotors to reduce noise.
Don't bother turning the rotors. If they are grooved bad enough to turn just get new ones and either go with the OEM pads or some known street PFC or Hawk pads. I don't know who makes the Durastop Pads for Delco but those pads are not worth buying. I used my front rotors hard at track events for 3 years with hardly any wear. Then I saw the Durastops advertised in Ken's newsletter and gave them a try the next year. In one 20 minute track session on a track that doesn't cause brake problems they trashed my front rotors and lightly grooved the rears. The car would not stop well after that. There is a reason why they are cheap.
Bill