Need Advise On Brakes

[Work2play]

Need Advice On Brakes

Guys…I need your advice. I’m in the process of going through the brakes of my 96 ¾ ton 2WD auto (DTT 91% TC & VB) and I have run into a situation that I’ve never had on any vehicle that I’ve ever owned before. The rear drums had pretty bad hot spots. That is even after I had them turned there are raised spots that are so harden that the brake shop machine could not cut them. Since I’m upgrading to the 1 1/16” wheel cylinders I went ahead and ordered new drums. Here is my question…. When I got to the front brakes both rotors had small radial cracks in the outside face. The guy at the shop where I get rotors turned told me that they are heat cracks. And that they would come out when turned. Well I had him turn them and after cleaning them up before putting the bearings back in I’ve noticed that there are still very small hair like cracks in the outer face. I need to know what you guys think about using the rotors…. Is there risk that they may grenade down the road. Sam Peterson if your out there I’m putting your Carbomet Plus pads back in so let me know what you think. The cracks seem to run from about 1/8” to 3/8” long and are right in the center of the face. I’ve had the truck about 12,000 miles and the most I tow with it weighs about 7,000 lbs (and has own brakes on one axle). The original owner used the truck to haul with and told me he always was putting brakes on (new rotors, new calipers, new pads etc). Sorry for the long post but this has got me stumped.

Thanks in advance: Don Ferguson

 

[Hammer]

Most shops that turn rotors will tell you that the hairline cracks are not a big deal if the rotors are within specs,,When I had mine turned down and was adding the Carbomets they were the same way,,Not wanting to have any problems down the road I took the old,pay me now or pay me later attitude,,Ordered and installed a new set of rotors just to be sure and sent the hairlined cracked set packing to bone yard,,With towing in your future they'd be gone,your truck,your choice... ... Andy

 

[redram]

Had heat cracks show up in my 96 3500 by 30-40K with the OE pads. Did not turn them, went to Performance Friction pads. Replaced the pads and had the rotors turned at 80K and also replaced the front calipers with rebuilts from Napa. Replaced the pads again at 115K and replaced the rotors. (on a 2wd one ton that means the entire hub assembly as the disc is integral to the hub).



So, I went another 75K with heat cracks in the rotors. You just have to watch the cracks and not overheat the rotors.



You might want to check that you are getting even pad wear and that a caliper is not dragging which might be the cause of the heat checking.



Good luck.