I've always done my own brake jobs, including alot of drum brake work, but I've never actually replaced a rotor. I just did the rear pads on my FC, and the emergency brake still isn't working worth anything, so I'm thinking the rotors are worn and need replacement.

They do have a bit of a lip on the outter edge and there is a noticable difference in thickness between the inner and outter sides (outter having more left).

 

sometimes the e-brake just needs tightening and adjusting.

Not sure on how it's done, but a shop can do it, and it will feel brand new.

Unless your rotors are really low.

 

There will be markings stamped on the rotors that indicate the minimum thickness - measure them, compare. If it's over the minimum thickness and you're not getting any pulsing in the pedal (warped rotor) they should be fine (and obviously make sure they look OK - no huge gouges in them or such).

If you fix your E-Brake, let me know, because mine is junk too right now.

-=Russ=-

 

I tightened mine up and it looks liek the mechanism is going all the way back, but I'll check for those markings and measure it out. Where are they normally stamped?

 

i cant remember where they're normally stamped. any tech book about your car should say, i would think. i dont know about the outer lip meaning much. when you turn a rotor, it flattens it, so that outer "ring" may just come with use. i would may no attention.
as for measuring, you get a micrometer (usually referred to as a mic) and measure its width. as for not feeling the rotors "wobble," its easier to have a tool to measure runout (forget what its called) which should also have a spec (iirc).
sounds weird that a p-brake fully tightened wouldnt catch. i dont know how much movement they cause, though, so i couldnt say.

*note: your front and rear rotors have a different width spec.

 

Min thickness for the front is:
.802"

Min thickness for the rear is:
.724" if vented
.330" if solid

I think that applies for all FC's but I am not sure. You can look it up on Autozones web site (under repairs/specifications) for conformation.

If the pads are new and the e-brake is tight, you may have a frozen caliper or two.

Does the brake work poorly or not at all?

 

Doesn't work in any way. I don't think it's a stuck caliper, the pads on both sides were worn to the same thickness, and going in reverse it brakes well (it was pretty crappy going down-hill backwards out of my driveway before). I think I'm just going to replace the rotors and see what happens. They're only $25 ea. from NAPA, and I don't remember seeing that much of a lip whenever I've done disc pad replacements. I'll let you guys know how it works.

 

$25 each?? for vented or solid? whats the front cost? i may get me some new rotors if they're that cheap.

 

Yup, 5 lug, solid for the rears. The site is www.napaonline.com I've always used NAPA for %90 of my parts on previous vehicles because my family has been going to the same store for the last 20 years and the guys know their **** there. They love the rotarys at my shop too, the guy went nuts when I told him I got rid of my Honda and got a FC.

 

NAPA United Rotor - Front $ 19.69
Beck Arnley Rotor - Front $ 84.99 (vented)
Beck Arnley Rotor - Rear $ 76.99

no listing for vented napa rear

 

I usually can't justify changing a rotor until steering becomes a necessary effort with braking.

 

What's the difference between the vented or non?

 

<sigh> I think I just answered my own stupid question. The vented rotors are the ones that are like two rotors kinda sandwhiched together with the vents inbetween, right?

I found some at NOPI for a bit less then their OEM counter-parts:

linky

 

technical specifics? i cant say. as for obvious, overall thickness is different. they dissipate air better i'm sure. look at your front and look at your rear rotors. from the side it may look the same, but top to bottom you can see a structure from one side of the rotor to the other. the center has fins connecting. hard to explain, easy to look at. i'm sure pictures are easy to come across, but i gotta run.
ventilated are better (in most scenarios if not all).

 

yea, you know what i'm talkin about.
thanks for the link, by the way.

 

How much does the handle move when you pull it?

It could be two (2) frozen calipers or a frozen cable.

Are you sure the rear bakes work? If the rear brakes work, I don't see any possible way that the rotors could be the culprit.

 

As far as I can tell, the rear rotors are working. I tightened the cable in the cockpit to the maximum, and it is pulling those arms back pretty damn far now (It looks like as far as they can go before hitting the suspension arm there). I'll have to take a picture of the rotors when I get home.

Is there any definate way to test for frozen calipers? Can I lift the caliper assembly off the pads and brackets, and have a friend push the brake down to see if it moves, or is that a bad idea?