I am getting the car inspected soon. Just checked the front left rotor. It is just under one inch across. The pads are fine. But how thick does the rotor have to be to pass?
I am in Pa, if that matters.

Also, how much of a pita would it be to replace the rotors myself? I think they are really going to gouge me if they say I need new rotors. ALso, how much would they charge to replace 2 front rotors, and not the pads.


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88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

GTA,

The rotor minimum thickness is cast into the hub area of the rotor. IIRC, the minimum on the front is 1.080". If you need replacements, they can be found NEW for about $70.00 each, and take about thirty minutes each to install if everything goes smoothly. It's a good idea if they are that thin, and is another good excuse to repack the front wheel bearings.

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Later,
Vader
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"Get UP - Drop the bombshell!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Thanks, Vader. Do I need any special tools ? I already know how to get the calipers off and on, and do the pads. Will I need to be bashing on the rotor to free it up. I don't have jack stands, the car will just be up on a jack. I have read how to do the wheel bearing repack. What about the rotor, though? Half an hour doesn't sound too bad, but that's if everything goes "smoothly". Non-smooth means rotor stuck on ? Wheel bearings crumbled ?

Thanks again.

 

I just replaced mine and they weren't stuck or anything. YOu have to pop the dust cover off with a screwdriver. Then, there will be a cotter pin you need to remove and then a big nut thing. After that the roter should just come off(at least mine did). There's a pretty straigtforward tech article here at https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/brakes.shtml

Hope that helps some. Oh, and autozones roters were only like $28 a piece so they must be crappy or something.

 

Its easy, after you get the caliper off, remove the dust cap with a screw driver or the like, try not to bend this as it keeps dust(duh) from getting in the bearings. then remove to castle nut, thrust washer and outside wheel bearing, Then just pull it off.

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I'd rather be historically accurate than politically correct!

 

I think the min thickness is actually .965"

28 dollar rotor? Yea... thats cheap alright, made in China stuff. Cast in a sand box outside of some straw shack LOL!

 

Cheap, yes, but they must have to pass some sort of safety standard, right ?

 

Not that I am aware of, AFAIK right now the only thing that is DOT inspected (or at least they charge you for it) is brake hoses.

Every one of the cheap rotors we had to machine so that they wouldnt vibrate the wheel inside the car, they are generally twice as far out of spec right out of the box as a good rotor.

 

Hmmm, guess i was lucky then, i had an el cheapo $25 rotor on the front of my 85 for years and prolly 20k miles and never had problem one from it.

 

Well,

I refuse to buy crap, can't afford the expsensive stuff, so I wind up considering the in between.

My rotors were in the range of $50-$65 and I forget how much I paid for the pads.
All I know, I don't have 6" of brake pad dust on my rims everytime I take a spin to the mini-mart.

Fact is..... You get what you pay for!