Do not resurface Jag rotors: T or F?
 

2000 XJ8

Had front brakes done ~59K miles, & was told will need rear done in ~ 15K miles.
Now 74K mikes so want to get rear brakes done. I have std. (non-ventilated) discs.

I called an independent shop & was told ~$410 if resurface rotors but, ~ $610 if need new rotors.

I called Jaguar Dealer & was told they do not resurface rotors on Jaguar since it will “take them out of spec.” $858 to do rear brakes. Seems high.

So, is it true that you should not resurface rotors on Jaguar?


Regards,

Steve

Resurfacing rotors ie. machining metal off the surface is an old, mostly outdated and unnecessary practice on any car. Minor surface defects have no effect on braking.

Your dealership was right.

Mikey,

So, you think one needs to replace discs any time you replace pads? Or can you reuse old discs depending on the wear?

My fronts were done ~ 30K & 59K & never had the rears done till now.

I think that there are differences in beliefs from country to country and continent to continent.


Here in the UK resurfacing of discs is at best an old / outdated concept and certainly not something I've came across in many years on many different vehicles owned.


I have sometimes replaced 2 or perhaps even 3 sets of pads to the original discs. If the discs are fine, in spec, not warped etc there should be no reason to replace them along with pads.


Iirc my A6 discs were original to approx. 90k miles and I replaced the pads either 2 or 3 times.

They're reusable till they wear to the minimum thickness indicated on the rotor. Depending on the vehicle, pad type and driving style, that could be a very very long time.

I've got a 160,000 KM on my S-type and am on my second set of rotors.

You can buy standard replacement rotors from an auto parts store (or online) for $50 to $80 EACH and then a set of brake pads (Wagner Thermo-Quiet????) for around $40 and spend about 2 hours sitting in the driveway with the rear wheels off the ground and be done with it.

I can't see spending more than 2 hours labor and standard replacement parts for a daily driver. If you want PERFORMANCE parts, then you need to spend some money for upgraded components. IT'S JUST A REAR BRAKE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Front and rear brake pad replacement on the X308 is one of the EASIEST brake jobs on any car.

Sometimes you just need pad replacement if the rotors are in otherwise GOOD SHAPE.

Just my opinion and experience of doing this job several hundred times in my life.

bob gauff

Thanks for the replies!

Seems I do not automatically need new rotors just because the pads are worn down. It depends on whether or not the rotors are still good.

I’ll ask the Jaguar service writer about this since I don’t want to spend more to get unneeded new rotors. But, they may just say the rotors are bad when they are not.

I’ve never done any DIY brake work. Not confident enough to attempt it using photos & how to descriptions.

Re-machining is perfectly acceptable if within service limits. Aftermarket replacements might be near as cheap.
If the rotors are straight, surfaces are reasonably smooth and within service limits I will grind off the lip, scuff the surface to allow new pads to bed in and re-use them.

At your mileage, I agree with Bob: just put new pads on and be done. I have Wagner thermo quiet on mine -- hardest part of the job was jacking the car up!!

Sorry just saw your mileage, it is certainly feasible at that mileage you could be looking for new discs / rotors, worth checking for sure.


At least that'll probably be the last time you're likely to change discs ( depending on usage and length of ownership ) maybe another set of pads at some point.

My two cents:

I would agree that minor rotor surface defects have no significant effect on braking, but I suspect they may increase pad wear compared to a newly-machined rotor with no ridges to cut into the pad unevenly.

But I mostly just swap pads unless the rotors have been scored by pads that contained metallic particles that were too large and/or too hard. I've come to avoid "Lifetime Warranty" brake pads because they seem to be designed to ensure the rotors expire before the pads do. For rotors that have been deeply scored, resurfacing is a perfectly appropriate and cost-effective practice, as long as the thickness of the resurfaced rotor remains above the minimum safe dimension that is usually cast into the rotor (or otherwise specified by the auto manufacturer).

At least one vehicle I owned had caliper designs that made it difficult to remove old pads if the rotors had developed a lip, requiring extra steps to replace the pads. I recall an episode of Wheeler Dealers in which Edd China used an angle grinder to remove the lip with the rotors in situ, and I mentally filed that trick away in case I should ever need it in the future.

Cheers,

Don

Yes, agreed that there are some circumstances where machining a rotor is required and appropriate but this is the exception and not the rule.
I think Jim hit on a key factor way up above. For a myriad of reasons, many of us grew up thinking that 'turning the rotors' was required at every pad change. Still today many think that this is mandatory and inject the magic word 'safety' into the conversation. Since it's an easy profit driver for garages, they're not going to say anything different. :icon_angel:

I have to say I agree. There are LOTS of places to stick that kind of cash into one of these machines, but brake jobs aren't one of them.

I can do my Toyota truck front pads in 20 minutes flat. It by far beats changing oil filters!

As far as turning rotors go, if they're smooth and there is no "pumping" when your brakes are applied, go ahead and just replace the pads, Remember, you can feel 10 thousandths with your thumbnail, and that's nothing to a brake pad.

I do like to stop well, so I buy the best pads I can get.

OK so, Jharts suggests @ 74K miles I will NOT need new rotors on rear. Then JimC64 says @ 74K miles may need new rotors.

I think brake wear depends on type of driving, use of brakes, etc. Highway vs city mileage.

I’m going to have to rely on what the mechanic says, since I do not know how to tell if rotor is worn or not. I suspect my Jaguar service writer will tell me they always replace rotors whenever pads need replacing. I will question him on that. I’ll ask if they would replace a perfectly good rotor that needs absolutely nothing done to it just bc it is their usual policy.

Probably will sort this out next week.

If I can impose for a bit...

Having the same situation with a beautiful 2000 XK8 convertible at 74k too. Just bought it in February as a Valentine's Day gift for my wife... who was looking at new Honda CRV's, which are great little cars, but if they are not the most boring car on the planet, they are running a close second to whatever is in first place. I asked her why... and she said because one day when she chooses not to drive anymore she can give it to our daughter. When I showed our daughter the Jag, she said, "Get her this car... now!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I want to change out the rotors, but maybe upgrade to a dimpled/slot drilled set with Wagner Premium Thermo-Quiet pads. I know it's overkill for the kind of leisurely cruising we do... about 300 miles per month. Being looking on brake performance.com for product. Looks like about $600 total... I can handle the install.

Question... Your thoughts and what other parts should I consider replacing when I'm in there? It looks like all the previous owner ever did was replace the pads.

Oh... And by the way. My wife has fallen in love with her Jag.

Larry T
Thousand Oaks, CA

[QUOTE=Iconoclast;1023268]OK so, Jharts suggests @ 74K miles I will NOT need new rotors on rear. Then JimC64 says @ 74K miles may need new rotors.

I think brake wear depends on type of driving, use of brakes, etc. Highway vs city mileage.

I’m going to have to rely on what the mechanic says, since I do not know how to tell if rotor is worn or not."

The minimum thickness is marked on the disc. Simple Vernier Calipers will determine if they still above the minimum wear. Other factors are 'hotspots' and grooving on the pads contact point.

That aside,in Australia re-surfacing is still common place,if thickness allows,either on or off the car.

Machining off the car is about $30 per disc. A new good aftermarket disc is $70ea...I just did mine with new discs $140 and Akebono Ultimates $100 (inc post) = $240.00 and an hour or so. Be nice if everything else on a jag was so easy and cheap.
Good Luck with whatever way you go Steve.

Dimpled/slotted rotors are not a performance upgrade on street driven cars, it's a cosmetic/bling effect only.

have 103000 on my 2000 xj8 with the same rotors, put pads on at 100000. frt ,rear still have lots left

Will save my money for something more useful.

Any brand recommendations for solid standard rotors... and will the Wagner Thermo-Quiet Standard Semi-Metallic pads at least maintain stock performance with minimal dust issues?

Also, are the XKR pads larger, more efficient... and will they install in stock XR8 calipers?

Larry T

Hi Larry,

I agree with all the others regarding non-solid rotors. If you'll notice, the luxury automakers offer crossdrilled/dimpled/slotted rotors only on models specifically tuned and trimmed out for "Sport" or "Performance," but they never install them as standard equipment on models that customers will expect to drive with the ultimate smoothness and quietness. Drilled/Dimpled/Slotted rotors can be noisier and can also cause a sense of pumping in the brake pedal, so luxury car OE rotors are nearly always solid. And for that matter, so are the carbon fiber rotors on F1 cars:


http://www.formula1.com/wi/gi/597x47.../d10mal750.jpg


But having said all that, our BMW has big open 5-spoke wheels, and I decided to pay a little more for crossdrilled rotors, but purely for cosmetic reasons! :)

Cheers,

Don