Brake rotors are the discs the pads squeeze, and drums are the cylinders the shoes press outward against. When they wear thin, warp or rust unevenly you feel a pulse through the brake pedal and a shake in the steering wheel. AutoTech Clinic measures rotor thickness and runout, then resurfaces or replaces them at our Dearborn shop, usually the same day.
A pulsing pedal is almost never a pad problem. It is nearly always a rotor that has gone out of true, and replacing pads alone will not fix it.
- How Long
- About 1.5 to 3 hours for one axle, depending on rust and seized hardware.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Brake Rotors and Drums
- The brake pedal pulses under your foot when slowing from highway speed
- The steering wheel shakes when you brake but not when you coast
- Deep grooves or a lip you can feel on the edge of the rotor
- Blue or heat spotted patches on the rotor face
- Rust scale on the rotor edge after the car sat through a Michigan winter
What We Do
- 01
Measure Thickness and Runout
We measure rotor thickness with a micrometer against the minimum stamped on the hat, and check runout with a dial indicator on the hub.
- 02
Check the Hub Face
Rust on the hub face is a common cause of runout on Michigan cars. We clean the hub to bare metal so the new rotor sits flat.
- 03
Resurface or Replace
If there is enough material above minimum we can machine the rotor true. If not, replacement is the only safe answer, and we tell you which it is with the measurement in hand.
- 04
Match New Friction Material
New rotors get new pads. Old pads carry the wear pattern of the old rotor and will transfer it straight onto the new surface.
- 05
Torque and Road Test
Wheels go back on with a torque wrench to the manufacturer spec, because uneven lug torque is itself a cause of warped rotors. Then we road test for pulse and noise.
Why Michigan Is Hard on Rotors
Road salt and slush get between the rotor and the hub and build rust that pushes the rotor out of true by a few thousandths of an inch. That is enough to feel through the pedal. It is also why a rotor can warp on a car that has barely been driven, after a winter parked outside.
We clean the hub face to bare metal and treat the contact area on every rotor job. It is a small step that stops a comeback.
Resurfacing Versus Replacing
Resurfacing removes metal to make the surface flat again. That only works if the rotor is thick enough to stay above the minimum after machining, and many modern rotors are made thin enough that there is no room to cut.
We make that call with a micrometer, not a guess. If a rotor cannot be machined safely we will say so and show you the reading next to the minimum spec.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Rotor size and whether the vehicle uses vented, solid or drilled rotors
- Whether machining is possible or replacement is required
- Seized rotors rusted to the hub that have to be cut off
- Rear drums with seized adjusters or rusted wheel cylinders
- Trucks, vans and heavy duty vehicles with larger brake packages
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.