Yo,
Although not strictly a Triumph question, I thought maybe you
mechanical wizards could help (remember, the TR3 was the first real
production car with front discs brakes).
My wife has a 1991 Toyota Camry that eats front disc rotors. The
first set was replaced at 25,000 miles and the second at 60,000 miles.
Both sets had warped and were turned 3 or 4 times before they got too thin
to turn again. The guy at the Midas shop replaced the last set for free
but refused to warranty the new set because he felt that the fault was in
the car, and not in his rotors.
So what could be causing this?
1. Driver riding the brakes or braking heavily. This is not the case. My
wife just drives like every other normal driver. Besides, we bought the
car used and the previous owner also went through a set of rotors in less
than 2 years.
2. Lug nots unevenly torqued. Not likely. Midas retorqued the lugs
everytime they turned the rotors and the problem kept coming back.
3. Brakes dragging due to a bad line. Probably not. Both sides warp
equally and the car doesn't pull to one side upon braking.
4. Brakes dragging due to bad master cylinder. Don't think so (although
maybe). Brake pads do not show excessive wear. Car rolls well and it
doesn't feel as though the brakes are dragging.
5. Defective rotors. Well, if so, why is the car on it's third set of
rotors (the first one being the manufacturer's)?
6. Excessive heat buildup. Yeah, probably, but what is the source? If
it's not excessive or hard braking, or dragging due to bad hydraulics then
what would cause the rotors to heat up? Do Camrys have poor ventilation on
their brake rotors? If so, shouldn't all Camrys have the same problem?
So, as you can see, I don't have any answers. We have a new set of rotors
in the car now and I figure we have 4 or 5 months before they'll have to be
turned. And I don't think the local Midas guy is going to be too friendly
to me anymore (we had a difference of opinion as to what his 12 month
warranty really meant).
Wadda ya think?
Bob Wise
Appleton, WI
|