Deglazing Brake Rotors

[jrvn]

what is the easy DIY brake rotor deglaze I've read using 120 grit emery cloth or green scotchbrite pads and then cleaning with brake cleaner. im about to replace my brake pads and the rotors are well within factory specs but appear a little shiney and maybe need a little roughing up to remove some glaze from previous pads. I do not plan on resurfacing or replacing the rotors since they are well within the recommended thickness and have no grooves or vibes.

 

[RooflessVW]

Pad slap and bed them in.

 

[demarpaint]

I typically clean them with a Scotch-Brite pad [if needed] and brake cleaner and they're gtg. What you're doing sounds fine if they're really glazed. I'd slap on a good dust mask too.

 

[Dave9]

If they're really glazed, a green scotchbrite pad will take forever (and a day) to do anything, though that is fine to just clean them. A 120 grit sanding block would be more effective and help take the outer ridge off too, if there is one.

 

[borgward]

Why Deglaze? I put close to 800,000 miles on my Datsun 1200 Coupe. Never turned the rotors until the last brake job. Could not tell the difference in braking. I also competed in SCCA races with a TR-3. Never turned the rotors. I could hit just under 140 MPH on a long straightway. No problem.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted by borgward
Why Deglaze? I put close to 800,000 miles on my Datsun 1200 Coupe. Never turned the rotors until the last brake job. Could not tell the difference in braking. I also competed in SCCA races with a TR-3. Never turned the rotors. I could hit just under 140 MPH on a long straightway. No problem.

maybe so but some residual pad material left on the rotors from the previous pads can be removed will help the bedding on the new pads with a cleaner surface

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted by demarpaint
I typically clean them with a Scotch-Brite pad [if needed] and brake cleaner and they're gtg. What you're doing sounds fine if they're really glazed. I'd slap on a good dust mask too.

I would say just average glaze, I checked the thickness and they are still well within the OEM Rec'd spec I got 27.88 mm on both, new they are 28mm new and minimum is 26mm. so im thinking o maybe trying both the emery cloth 120 grit and scotchbrite green and clean with brake cleaner since its an in expensive procedure to see which works best.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted by Dave9
If they're really glazed, a green scotchbrite pad will take forever (and a day) to do anything, though that is fine to just clean them. A 120 grit sanding block would be more effective and help take the outer ridge off too, if there is one.
I might try both of these

 

[Tman220]

Originally Posted by borgward
Why Deglaze? I put close to 800,000 miles on my Datsun 1200 Coupe. Never turned the rotors until the last brake job. Could not tell the difference in braking. I also competed in SCCA races with a TR-3. Never turned the rotors. I could hit just under 140 MPH on a long straightway. No problem.



Alright that does it, case closed everyone. No need to deglaze ever

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Rotors are so cheap and easy to replace so there's no reason not to replace them

And they are probably rusted by now. Even coated rotors don't last forever, but they do significantly delay the rust and are still worth using

Wagner and Centric make good coated rotors, and the Powerstop Geomet coated rotors are supposed to be good too.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Rotors are so cheap and easy to replace so there's no reason not to replace them

And they are probably rusted by now. Even coated rotors don't last forever, but they do significantly delay the rust and are still worth using

Wagner and Centric make good coated rotors, and the Powerstop Geomet coated rotors are supposed to be good too.


Pretty presumptuous if you don't know OP's application. Some rotors are a couple hundred bucks. I use these:

 

[JLawrence08648]

Flap disk

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Pad slap and bed them in.


This is all I do and works fine.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by borgward
Why Deglaze? I put close to 800,000 miles on my Datsun 1200 Coupe. Never turned the rotors until the last brake job. Could not tell the difference in braking. I also competed in SCCA races with a TR-3. Never turned the rotors. I could hit just under 140 MPH on a long straightway. No problem.

Since copper is being removed from pads for environmental reasons, modern pads glaze more than older pads.

 

[HangFire]

Back to the original question... 120 grit is fine. The important part is to do it evenly, and not introduce a dimensional problem.

When I did this fix on my glazed Camry rotor, I used a belt sander and my woodworking skills. I only expected it to be a very temporary fix, but it's still braking smoothly months later.

 

[buck91]

Originally Posted by borgward
Why Deglaze? I put close to 800,000 miles on my Datsun 1200 Coupe. Never turned the rotors until the last brake job. Could not tell the difference in braking. I also competed in SCCA races with a TR-3. Never turned the rotors. I could hit just under 140 MPH on a long straightway. No problem.



800,000 miles on the same rotors INCLUDING autocross? I call BS.