Disc brake rotor stash

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Given the shipping costs at RockAuto I am considering buying front rotors for each of my 3 vehicles since each extra set adds $5 to the initial $25 shipping. But how much rust will occur over the 1-2 years before I use them??
 
What makes you think that you will need rotors for all of your vehicles 1-2 years from now? Are you sure you'll still own all of these vehicles by the time you'll need these rotors?
 
What's up with the short life of rotors these days on nissan and Honda? I might get a couple rears which are a combo drum-disc for a driveway job. Had to do the two fronts at 34K miles on the Rogue, and the dealer would rather replace than refurbish rotors. I never had to put new rotor on anything up to 120K miles**

I'm guessing that its undersized rear brakes with them being overburdened by the TCS.. I guess Ill hit the TCS off switch on twisties, but it seems to make the engine tune a bit lazier.

** Exception: 88 VW fox with disposable metallic dust-making rotors - but they were like 17 bucks each from the VW dealer. Rotors were a simple 1.25CM thick disc, non vented. With the semi-Metallic brake pads, the rotors were considered a heavy wear expendable item the counter person informed me.
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse
What makes you think that you will need rotors for all of your vehicles 1-2 years from now? Are you sure you'll still own all of these vehicles by the time you'll need these rotors?
I would agree with this thought--only buy them if you are absolutely sure you will still have the vehicles. With that said, I would check to see if they have a protective coating and if not or very thin, I would hose them down with oil and store them in a sealed bag in a humidity controlled environment. They should still be pristine when you need them.
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse
What makes you think that you will need rotors for all of your vehicles 1-2 years from now? Are you sure you'll still own all of these vehicles by the time you'll need these rotors?


That's a consideration.
 
Rockauto is no longer my go to place. I ordered stuff that I had to get and it came from 5 warehouses and $36 shipping Screw Rockauto. Build a mega warehouse like Amazon does and ship from one or two places and be done from it.
 
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Originally Posted By: Donald
Another alternative is for RockAuto to negotiate better shipping deals from UPS and FedEx.


Spoken like a man who's never been the UPS or Fedex driver who has to sling them into the truck or up to your door.
 
Rockauto drop ships from the original manufacturer... sometimes it's efficient, sometimes not.

OP should also consider shipping to his work-- it often gets cheaper at the final stage of checkout.

I would time this to coincide with a "wholesaler closeout" though to save money.

The rotors will be fine as they come covered with oil in plastic bags in their boxes.
 
Get coated rotors like the Wagner E-coated or Centric Premium, regardless of whether you stash or not
smile.gif
 
If brakes are only lasting 36k or so I'd recommend re-evaluating driving practices instead of blaming designs.

If I got a killer deal on something I had good basis to believe I'd be swapping out soon, I'd just coat with some extra rust protectant, if I did anything...
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Rockauto drop ships from the original manufacturer... sometimes it's efficient, sometimes not.

OP should also consider shipping to his work-- it often gets cheaper at the final stage of checkout.

I would time this to coincide with a "wholesaler closeout" though to save money.

The rotors will be fine as they come covered with oil in plastic bags in their boxes.


I work as a IT consultant for large insurance company. I only bring my lunch and laptop in and laptop out. Don't want to be carrying boxes past security.
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
I wouldn't start warehousing brake parts because you might need them eventually.

This. Large heavy items like brake rotors are not the kinds of parts to have extras lying around unless you have a weekend track day toy.

Save your money and your garage space.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
What's up with the short life of rotors these days on nissan and Honda?


I know many Nissan and Honda owners without that problem, including myself. Perhaps it is the same driving habits that have also destroyed so many of your engines.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Another alternative is for RockAuto to negotiate better shipping deals from UPS and FedEx.


RockAuto makes a 'profit' on the shipping rates they charge. That's their prerogative, of course.
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
I wouldn't start warehousing brake parts because you might need them eventually.

This. Large heavy items like brake rotors are not the kinds of parts to have extras lying around unless you have a weekend track day toy.

Save your money and your garage space.

I agree. I might store some ahead if a.) I got them at crazy-low prices, or b.) I have more than one vehicle that use the same components. That last one greatly lowers the chance an accident will render my investment worthless.
Originally Posted By: Mainia
Rockauto is no longer my go to place. I ordered stuff that I had to get and it came from 5 warehouses and $36 shipping Screw Rockauto. Build a mega warehouse like Amazon does and ship from one or two places and be done from it.

I don't see the point in anger about RockAuto's shipping. Sometimes it's cheap. Sometimes it's not. Buy there when it is. Don't buy there when it isn't. Consider the cost and difficulty of returns, vs local. I still buy often from RA, but I don't feel the need to get everything there, or nothing due to emotional reactions.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
If brakes are only lasting 36k or so I'd recommend re-evaluating driving practices instead of blaming designs.

This. Also installation and maintenance practices. If you're not checking totor parallelism and on-vehicle runout, and checking/replacing caliper and pin lube annually, the chances of premature replacement are much higher.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
What's up with the short life of rotors these days on nissan and Honda?


May as well add Subaru to that list. I had a thread going for my 2016 Forester a few weeks ago. It needed new rear pads and rotors at ~38K miles. This caught me totally off guard and I only caught it because I pulled a front and rear wheel to inspect before I took it in for it's mandatory yearly State inspection

They were worn perfectly even and almost metal/metal. Fronts have plenty of life left.

OTOH, the pads are well worn on our 2016 Nissan Quest already as well at 43K miles. Rotors look like new with very little wear.

In regards to stocking up on brake parts, I'd never do that again. I had an extra set of front pads for our 2013 Grand Caravan that I never used. Luckily, after having them sitting in a cabinet in my garage for 1.5yrs, CarQuest took them back and refunded my money! They were brand-new and untouched. I'd never want spare rotors sitting around. Unless I needed them every few months.
 
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After cleaning a friend's garage I fell heir to a pair of new rotors (& pads). The store swapped them (& some cash) for premium rear rotors/pads for my car.
I chose rear brake parts because the fronts had been done just before I got the car.

Now, every time I pass the shelf I pray I have the car long enough to use 'em.
It was expedient at the time but I feel kinda foolish somehow.
 
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