I am about to replace my front disc pads and rear drum shoes. How can I tell if I should get my discs machined and rotors turned? By the way how hard is it to install new shoes? I have all the tools for the drums but I have yet to tackle the job.

 

unless the drums are real uneven i never machine them. check the run out on the rotors, it should be around .003 if it's over machine them, or replace them. drums and rotors have gotten pretty cheap lately and considering the cost of machining it may be money well spent to just replace them.

 

Obvious pointer for skimming on both are: deep grooves in the surface.

If the steering wheel shakes when you brake, skim the front rotors/buy new ones. On cars that the rotor pops off when the caliper is removed, I just buy new rotors. They are only a few bucks more and will have more material on them.

 

I don't know if you have Discount Auto Parts there, but I just got Drums for $24.76 ea and Rotors for $43.49 ea. Not to bad, I also got the Bendix Titanium shoes and pads. They have all there brake parts on sale thru the end of the month. Buying new is the way to go on drums and rotors.........

86 Trans Am stock (For Now)

 

My front rotors were warped and driving me nuts! You can only take so much shake-rattle-n'roll everytime you touch the brake peddle. The only relief I got was when it was -20* and the cold had straightened the rotor around temporarily!

I got a brand new set of front rotors for about $45 apiece Canadian. They were made in China but haven't given me a lick of trouble in the 3 months or so that I've had them in.

It is so nice to come to a SMOOTH stop ...

 

I've looked at new drums and I think aluminum would be better than the old cast iron. Although it says do not use with OEM metallic shoes, what do you use then semi-metallic shoes? That's all I could guess.