Brakes: 240 front rotors (disks) turn tolerances. Help!

[jbkoonse]

New to forum, nice to meet you. My university (poor) student daughter has been told by mechanic that she needs brakes.
I have receipts from New pads and rotosr turned 15,000 miles ago. She does heavy city driving. Most likely not volvo parts used at time.

Questions: mechanic noted rotors: " 1 th approx remaining 1. Turn; Min 803 At 823 . is there a turn left for the rotors? 169,000 miles.

if pads are worn after 15,00 miles, can i just install new pads to coax another 10-15,000 miles before repair/replace front rotors?

Note: the 240 is braking OK now.

Thanks in advance for help.

concerned dad, joe

[JIM C]

I would be amazed if the discs needed replaced after that mileage unless they have been damaged by the pads being totally worn out making metal to metal contact. New pads should do the trick.

[Clifford Pope]

I have just replaced mine after 375,000 miles. But apart from misuse, driving style is all-important. Some people manage to wear them out in less than 100,000 miles.
As to whether to put new pads on with old discs, it all depends on their surface condition, not just whether worn down to tolerance or not. It must be evenly flat across, without a wear ridge at either end, and without any rust or deep scourings. It is possible to true them up a bit by very cautious use of a grinder and sandpaper on a flat block, but they are quite cheap so probably false economy to try and push them too far.

[Glen Morangie]

Which doesn't always work when I post...............................

What I think he's saying is he had the discs skimmed 15,000 miles ago, and the mechanic has recommended they are done again - is there enough to skim them and stay within the minimum thickness for useable discs.

Bear in mind here ATE discs are common in the USA and are not the same thickness as our Girling ones.

Also, I've an idea the compounds used for brake pads in the USA wear more quickly than what we are used to in the UK, and 15,000 miles in average life for some types.

FWIW I'd say just replace the pads if you can't have the rotors replaced immediately, but bear in mind you will have to get new ones again when the rotors are done, so it may be false economy. As rotors are not that expensive, and changing them is less work than 'turning them - why bother, just replace and have done with it.

[malb]

Wear rate seems excessive to me.
Are the current pads individually wearing evenly so they are parallel to the backing plates?
If there is any sign of them wearing unevenly and tapering, suspect a seized piston holding the brakes partially on all the time and rectify.

[jbkoonse]

thanks all for reply. having had a chance to drive and pay close attention to performance to car today, brakes seem fine. will not have a chance for visual inspection during visit, but all appears ok, as i suspected...joe

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