April 9, 2023
Your vehicle's brakes wear out. It's inevitable. You'll notice it when you step on the brake pedal and feel it harder to stop, or there's vibration when you are braking.
Most modern vehicles have disc brakes that each use a brake pad that press on a disc (disc brakes!) called a rotor. The friction between them enables you to stop, and each time you do a little bit of the pad and the rotor wears down.
The original brakes on vehicles used a rotor that was thick enough to last through at least two replacements of the pads. But vehicle manufacturers who want to save costs and weight now make them thinner, and sometimes the rotors have to be replaced after the first pad replacement. But not always.
Vehicle manufacturers specify a minimum thickness to provide safe braking. Sometimes rather than having to have your rotors replaced, they can be put on a lathe and resurfaced. In other words, the surfaces of the disc can be slightly shaved off so the surface is flat and doesn't wobble.
Whenever you bring your vehicle in to have the brakes checked, the technician will measure the thickness of the rotors to see if they can be resurfaced without leaving them too thin for safe braking. If they can, with the right tools and skill, the rotors can be resurfaced. If not, the rotors should be replaced.
Discuss the options with your service advisor. Our service center can recommend replacements that are designed to help stop your vehicle as well as or better than the vehicle's original rotors.
Either way, keep in mind that keeping your brakes in top condition can supply the margin of safety that may one day save your life or the lives of those around you.
Tuffy Fort Wayne - Dupont Rd.
1910 W. Dupont Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46818
260.489.4800
March 30, 2025
If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that vehicle engines are getting more and more powerful in Fort Wayne. At the same time, they are getting better and better fuel economy. I've gotta tell 'ya, most of that's because of technological advances in transmissions. To get a better unders... More
March 23, 2025
A driver called in to the shop the other day saying his European sports sedan had an odd problem. He was driving when his car started to slow down. Applying more throttle didn't help. He pulled over to the side of the road, shut the engine off and waited a few minutes before starting it up aga... More
March 16, 2025
When you turn on the air conditioning in your vehicle, you expect cool air to come out of the vents. You depend on it, especially in hot weather, but it can also be important in humid weather when you need it to help defrost your windows and windshield. The air conditioning system has a lot of p... More