Front discs can't be resurfaced??

[Spooled-up]

Gentlemen,
This is my first post and I've got to say how much I enjoy this forum. I've never learned so much about any vehicle I've owned.
I took my '99 2500 to my 5-star dealer complaining of a minor pulsation in the brakes. I figured it would be covered under warranty as the truck has 32,000 mi. on it. I was informed that discs and pads are only covered for 12,000 mi. I told them to fix it anyway. When I went to pick it up that night, they hadn't fixed it because they weren't sure that I wanted to replace both front discs at $184. 00 apiece. They made the right decision! I was told that the composite discs couldn't be resurfaced because they had been told not to by some department at D. C. I had the discs resurfaced on my 96 2500 gasser on an "on the car lathe" with no problems.
Anyone had theirs done with the "composite rotors"? Thanks.

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'99 2500 long bed quad cab auto. Mostly stock - but not for long.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

They are full of it. The only way to turn our rotors is on the truck and my guess is that they didn't have the equipment to do it. That being said, most of us (myself included at 70,000 miles) change our pads early and just scuff up the rotors with emery cloth and put on new pads. If you have grooves in your rotors then you do need to resurface them.



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-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR
'98 QC LB (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, TST Powermax, 275hp RV injectors, Joe Donnelly modifed Sachs Clutch, custom ladder bars, SW fuel pressure gauge, BD exhaust brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, front Draw-Tite receiver, rear Draw-Tite class V receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's, (all the common stuff clipped)

 

[illflem]

David,I'm not sure what you mean by composite rotors,but what Steve says is true. Unless your rotors are scored they will never need resurfacing,125k on mine. If they are warped though resurfacing will not likely help,the warp will come back,then they should be replaced. carparts.com has Bendix rotors for our trucks for $58 each,they will work fine.

 

[Dane]

"composite rotors"? That's a new one in my book! Must be some of that space shuttle or Formula One technology trickling down to Dodge #ad
I would make sure I was face to face with the service manager, look him in the eyes and tell him he is so full of doggy poo his eyes are brown. Find another dealier or better yet a competent shop that does brakes for a living. I've had good luck with places that work on trucks and RV's I guess when used car salesmen graduate they become service managers?!

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2001 HO 6 speed Regular Cab SLT 4x4 3. 54 anti spin 2500. Used for the daily grind and sneaking away to some secret Baja beaches toting a cabover

 

[n7gxz]

I believe what the dealer means by composite discs is that the disc and hub are two seperate pieces and not cast as a single hub and disc unit.

Kevin

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2001 2500 QC LWB 4x4 6-speed loaded except leather, Jake E-Brake, Line-X, Stan's Headers 4" exhaust, Ramsey RE10K

 

[Spooled-up]

Thanks for the info guys. I was thinking that turning the rotors would eliminate the warpage and stop the pulsating. If it will just come back sooner next time, I might as well get those new rotors from carparts.com for $130. 00 cheaper apiece! I'm learning that it's not very cost efficient to buy parts from D. C. like when they tried to charge me $43. 00 for a fuel filter!
Before yesterday, I had never heard the term "composite rotors" either. I guess the two parts that form the rotor make it "composite" like n7gxz stated.


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'99 2500 long bed quad cab auto. Mostly stock - but not for long.

 

[sam peterson]

composite rotors are a rotor that is manufactured with a steel hat area about 1/8 in thick and it is 2 pieces cast together. It was built that way to reduce weight. It is usually a slide off type. There is no resason that the rotors can't be turned if they are within specs. But not every shop can do this right. It takes the proper adaptors and a good lathe for that purpose. Dodge doesn't use composite rotors. If new rotors are mounted to the hubs they should still be checked for straightness because you are matching 2 surfaces together. You can still have a pulsation problem. Dodge has had runout problems with their hubs and sometimes just mounting on new rotors doesn't do the job----Sam

 

[Loren]

David,

I had a similar pulsating brake problem with my ‘95. The local Dodge dealer turned the rotors on the truck with his special tool. It cured the problem for good. I recommend having it done by a dealer who has the equipment to turn the rotors on the truck.

Loren

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2000 Quad Cab, 4x4, short bed, six-speed: U. S. Gear exhaust brake, MileMarker Select Drive viscous coupling, Velvet-Ride spring shackles, Painless Wiring circuit box, Optima yellow-top batteries, Super-Glide 5th wheel hitch, Reese folding ball gooseneck hitch, Drawtite front hitch receiver, Tekonsha Sentinel brake controller, Westin nerf bars, Clarion sound system
1995 Standard Cab, 4x4, long bed, automatic: Firestone Ride-Rite air springs, torque converter lock-up switch, 4" cat-back exhaust, Reese 20K 5th wheel hitch, Reese gooseneck hitch, Hayes Micro Control trailer brake controller, 100 gallon bed-mounted fuel tank with 12 volt electric pump & fill nozzle, Swiss Cap fiberglass cap

 

[John_P]

David:

I had the same thing done as some of the
other members, i. e. ; turn rotors while on
the truck. Except, I had it done by a
"Midas Brake/Muffler Shop. " The brakes
were 100% better after that so I also
began using their brake parts. I think
their pads, rotors, drums etc. are
ALOT better than the stock (OEM) Dodge
brake parts. They also give a "lifetime"
warranty on their pads and the labor is
cheaper!

-------
John_P

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Red '96 4x4 2500 Auto 3. 54, TST #5, Major Pump Mods(By "Scheid Diesel") 370 Diamond B Injectors, Gov. Spring kit, AFC Spring kit, Banks Exhaust, Prime Loc, Cummins Chrome Kit,Psychotty Air Filter, Pro-Torque Converter, BD Valve Body, BD Pressure Loc, Isspro Gauges, Sendel 16" Alum Wheels w/ 33" BFGs

 

[Spooled-up]

John P
On my '96 gasser, Midas also did my front discs and they were fine. The mechanic said that the discs barely fit in the machine because they are so thick. I will probably try that same Midas again as they were the only one that I found around here that had the "on the car lathe". I'm sure that their parts are cheaper than D. C. that wanted $184. 00 apiece for new rotors too. I'm kind of looking forward to the warranty to run out on the truck so things can get done the right way by specialists!

Loren,
The dealer said that they wouldn't turn them because whoever sets their procedures said to no longer turn the composite rotors. Maybe just a ploy to sell the mucho-expensive D. C. rotors.

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'99 2500 4x4 long bed quad cab auto with sport package.
My Toys

 

[illflem]

Midas definitely gets a 5 star rating from me. They've never worked on my Dodge,but on countless other rigs with excellent results. I've lost track of how many times my lifetime shocks,muffler and brakes have been replaced on my 300k Toyota PU,every time with no question or hassle. Sometimes I think that Dodge service doesn't want return customers.

 

[sam peterson]

Don't be misled that just because it says Midas that its going to be good. All national franchises have good shops and a whole lot of bad. Midas doesn't use anything special in their brake jobs unless you pay extra. Lifetime warrenties are a marketing gimmick and in no way reflect the quality of the product. Nothing last a lifetime and the hope is that when you go in for a warrenty they will find something else to charge you for. They are not in business to do things for nothing.

 

[Extreme1]

DAVID!

How is that dealer going to maintain his 5 mar rating with you running off to Midas (or where ever) and saving money like that?

Seriously, my Mom is vacationing in Florida right now (ahh retirement... ) and the motor in her Mk VIII started knocking. She took it to the local dealership and her extended warrantee is covering it. (Covered her $750 headlight too, another story).

While it was in for the engine, the service writer advised replacing ALL the brake rotors to eliminate a pulsation. Something about "it's the only way". So I'm on the phone with Mom, explaining the intricasies of brake service so she can let them know they can't take advantage of her. They were real cooperative after she told them to turn the rotors and "don't do anything else. " #ad


Edit: So why did you quit NYPD Blue?

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'94 3500 4x4, 209,000 miles, Never had a cat, Auto w/shift kit (thanks Dave G), 3. 54 Gears, TST #5 plate, 235-85-16s, Rancho 9000s w/remote, Isspro gauges inplace of cupholder & Amsoil Air Oil & Bypass Filters & Lubes, AWOL intake boot (put the silencer ring after I pulled the boot-too loud!?!). NRA member. Blue Ribbon Coalition member.
"Warrantee? We don't need no stinking warrantee!"

[This message has been edited by Extreme1 (edited 03-05-2001). ]

 

[KCJackson]

When the OEM pads went at 18,000 miles, I was disappointed and tried Midas. They checked the rotors, and they were still spec and quite smooth, so they didn't resurface them. Those pads went only 14K. Since they're "guaranteed for life", I went back to the same shop, and the subsequent pads were only good for 10K. Let my dealer do the next job. They cut the rotors with the on-vehicle lathe, and the pads lasted 18K again. Current pads are also dealer stock, and they have about 7K with no signs of accelerated wear.

Ironically, I FINALLY need new rear shoes - still the OEMs...

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1996 3500 Club 4x4 Laramie SLT, unmodified 180/420 12-valve, 47RE automatic, 3. 54 limited slip

[This message has been edited by KCJackson (edited 03-06-2001). ]

 

[sam peterson]

KC---next time try carbon metalic. I'll bet you double your mileage and you can also get a lifetime warrenty on them if you believe in that sort of thing.

 

[KCJackson]

Probably the main reason I don't want to go to carbon-metallics is, I'm running aluminum wheels at all 6 positions, and I hear the CM brake dust is pretty brutal (from those who have them). I'm not driving as much as I did when I got the Ram, although that could change depending on where I can find a decent apartment. One place I'm considering would change my 6-mile suburban commute to a 35-mile freeway commute, so that may have an effect on what front pads I go to next.

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1996 3500 Club 4x4 Laramie SLT, unmodified 180/420 12-valve, 47RE automatic, 3. 54 limited slip