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Re: Turning brake rotor

To: Tim Mullen <Tim.Mullen@trw.com>
Subject: Re: Turning brake rotor
From: John Napoli <jgn@li.net>
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 15:18:27 -0500 (EST)


On Mon, 21 Feb 2000, Tim Mullen wrote:

> I find if strange that all the ads for "brake jobs" on the TV and newspaper 
> always include turning the rotors/drums in the price.  It seems to be the 
> standard practice.  I guess it will help in the bedding-in of you new brakes 
> sooner, but at the overall longevity of the rotors/drums - that much less 
> metal to wear off...

Several reasons:  fewer comebacks if the rotor or drum was out of true, it
is a high margin operation, and after a couple of brake jobs you get to
sell replacement rotors/drums (the only thing better than recurrent
revenue is recurrent increasing revenue).

For your own car, don't cut 'em unless you need to.  BTW:  most rotor/drum
lathes never get their settings checked, and they always get abused.  It
is not uncommon for the turning operation to introduce its own
out-of-round or out-of-square.  And the more meat, the better (less
distortion and handle overheating better). So don't kneejerk getting 'em
cut.

John


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