Ridiculous Rotor Warping Problems

**jim_usa** · 12-22-2006, 01:42 PM

Who out there has had frequent warping problems solved them AND the new rotors have been WARP FREE FOR MORE THAN 10K miles?

If so, what did you put on it? And does anyone think the calipers might be the root of the problem, for example a sticking caliper??

I tried Raybestos rotors PG Plus with Quiet Stop Pads but they gave me the same problems.

I would be SOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY to finally fix this. Currently, the car shakes like mad when I hit the brakes.

My 98 Z28 has had warped rotors every 5 to 10K miles since I bought it new in November 1997. Other than this TOTALLY INSANELY POOR QUALITY PROBLEM that Chevrolet has pretended does not exist, the car has been nearly trouble free for 9 years.

Thanks in advance,
Jim

1998 Z28 A4, 100% stock, 13.38 qtr.

**gnomee** · 12-22-2006, 02:07 PM

Well I have a 98 also and I do warp them a little to the point you can feel the car kinda surge from about 5mph - 0 but not really a big deal. But on the 96 I had the issue you are talking about. It actually turned out the be 3 problems on my car

1. Had a bad tie rod end
2. There is a swivel joint in the steering shaft after it comes out of the firewall
3. New rotors and pads.

But I just did the new rotors and pads about a week ago, so far they are great and the car is stopping better than ever. I bought the rotors from a non sponsor but they are just plain slotted/drilled rotors I don't think they are any different from any other slotted and drilled rotor. For the pads I went with ceramic pads from Napa.

**Danger731** · 12-22-2006, 02:30 PM

I got Kragen Blanks over 10k ago , no more problems.

**JEB** · 12-23-2006, 06:46 PM

There is a break in procedure that of followed helps in tempering the rotors. The directions for that break in should have been in the box with the rotors. The more you follow those instructions for break in, the less likely you are to have your rotors to warp. If no instructions, go to one of the brake companies websites and see if you can't find the proper method for rotor break in. I personally have never warped a brake rotor. Of-course that doesn't mean that I won't warp one tomorrow.

**Banshee1967** · 12-23-2006, 07:58 PM

I have experienced warped rotors when my calipers go bad. One side of each pad will wear much faster or one side will wear significantly more than the other, on same wheel.

Have always used new caliper bracket bolts and liberally coated them with anti seize and made sure there was free travel on each pad tab with the guides on the caliper bracket. Make sure the upper and lower caliper clips are liberally lubed and installed.

Have adheared to breaking in a new brake job by finding a large parking lot, baking up 25-30 mph and locking up the brakes..Repeat a few times. Then a few fast stops in forward about 50-60 mph. Make sure you clean the rotors thoroughly with brakekleen to remove anti rust agent, if so applied. I am on brake job 4 with my 99 and did 4 or 5 on my 96 T/A. Never had a problem with warpage until this past brake job. Calipers were shot, seals bad and caliper bolts seized up in bracket. Pads wore to the metal on the leading edge and were half worn on the rear.

I also have used the quiet stop pads and Raybestos rotors this time. Have 5k on them and no problems. I also changed out the calipers and completely flushed the lines and replaced both caliper bolts, both sides. I checked the rotors and pads last week and have roughly 1mm wear after 5k and no rotor issues according to my gauge.

If you have more heat in a small area, IE one piston working, the other bad, this could cause part of the rotor/caliper/pad to be real hot, while the other, back half of the pad where the bad piston is to float and not contact rotor. Yes, the rotor is circular, and heat should, in theory be dispersed equally on the rotor, but when 100% optimal braking efficiency is limited to 50% of the assembly, the whole concept of efficient braking is dismissed.

**Danger731** · 12-23-2006, 08:53 PM

**Sarge** · 12-24-2006, 05:24 AM

Maybe not in this particular case but.............
I hear guys say they have warped rotors...the steering wheel shakes all to shit when braking....often times (not always but often times) it is brake dust built up that is causing the problem.....I highly recommend 3-4 70mph to 0 hard braking experiences to clean the shit off the pads and rotors....this exercise fixes many many of the "warped rotors"....
Do this in a remote area or when a Rolls Royce is tailgating you on the freeway only!

**02z28ls1** · 12-24-2006, 05:55 AM

I like the Rolls Royce taillgating advice! Disagree with most of the rest of everybody else's advice though.
There is a break-in procedure for new brake pads. Most of the recommended ones I've seen from the pad manufacturers involve numerous (12-14) moderate stops from 25-30 mph with at least 30 seconds cool down in between. There are various reasons for this , one of which is coating the rotor surface for better performance and noise free operation. The rest of the reasons are for the pads and not so much for the rotors. It would make sense to temper the new rotors with a break-in procedure- I'm thinking the original poster here is a little hard on the brakes from the get go and is not breaking them in properly.
I had a 98 Camaro that I wound up warping the rotors on also. It took a stop from 70 - 0 mph with all the force and stopping power my ABS would allow and then sitting there dead stop with the brakes on for a couple of minutes. When I was able to continue moving again the next time I hit the brakes they where warped silly in the front. I never fixed that and continued driving it for a couple more months like that-they seemed to get better after awhile. It's possible I think for rotors to heat up and straighten back out -hence the hard stop advice given by Sarge.
Traded in that car and got my 02-- haved had any warp issues on it, but i haven't done the panic stop torture test yet either.
Like to add that if you were willing to fork out the bucks-the Eridaspeed rotors are guaranteed not to warp. Just be willing to pay for them. I imagine alot of what you are paying for is that guarantee, they may warp also. Ceramic pads will actually run hotter than others will. This may add to the warp issue- if you are having repeat problems try a semi metallic pad instead.

**SSnow** · 12-24-2006, 07:05 AM

"Like to add that if you were willing to fork out the bucks-the Eridaspeed rotors are guaranteed not to warp. Just be willing to pay for them. I imagine alot of what you are paying for is that guarantee, they may warp also. Ceramic pads will actually run hotter than others will. This may add to the warp issue- if you are having repeat problems try a semi metallic pad instead."
Powerslot rotors with ceramic pads cured all problems and abated the "sponge bob" brakes on my Silverado. Cost more than stock but the results were markedly better!
The original went 30,000 mi. I have that on the replacements with still many many more miles to go.

**Danger731** · 12-24-2006, 08:39 AM

Foolish waste of MOD money, get blanks.

**bigrondownhiller** · 12-24-2006, 10:24 AM

dont forget to clean the hub that the rotor mounts to. also dont overtighten your lugnuts. that alone can warp the rotors. use a torque wrench.

**LS1Z28** · 12-24-2006, 12:02 PM

Mine never warped ...Probably because they were torqued not air wrenched on.

**02z28ls1** · 12-24-2006, 12:22 PM

Wanted to add that slotting and drilling rotors makes them run hotter also. It increases the amount of friction between pad and rotor increasing heat. It gives better braking of course, and does have the effect of venting trapped high temperature gases. Slotting the pads has this effect also without the added temperature of the slotted or drilled rotors. Just wanted to throw that info out there.
I would consider some form of aftermarket rotor on my car if I experienced warping. There is also the bling factor to consider, slotted or drilled rotors do look cool.
Ducting air to the inside of the rotor from the front of the car would be an idea for those road racer types out there.

**Steve Crowe** · 12-24-2006, 07:53 PM

http://www.baer.com/

Go to the Baer Tech link towards the top

**02z28ls1** · 12-25-2006, 06:39 AM

great site! I noticed that their links for info on breaking in pads and rotors doesn't work however

**Steve Crowe** · 12-25-2006, 10:38 AM

Do you mean direct links without having to go through their main website? If they're JAVA that's a bit tough due to the code I'd have to import over here but let me look, porobably an easy answer.

http://www.baer.com/Baer_tech/Brakin...ght_Track.html

http://www.baer.com/Baer_tech/Brakin...ght_Track.html

**9t8z28** · 12-25-2006, 02:57 PM

93-97's had alot of problems with warping the front rotors. 98-02 I don't think it was a big of a problem if nor at all. I am pretty aggressive with my 98's brakes and the same for my 97's, but the 97's were just crap after 10,000 miles!

**02z28ls1** · 12-27-2006, 04:22 PM

Yep-those links worked--thanks!! Like I was saying -I warped my 98's rotors the first time I used them to the full extent possible for a 70-0 stop. This after 3 years of useage ( approx. 25,000 miles) a.k.a. fully seasoned. Their are differences in the calipers between the different model years. Maybe that accounts for some of the difference in rotor warping?

**SuperSport** · 12-28-2006, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by bigrondownhiller

dont forget to clean the hub that the rotor mounts to. also dont overtighten your lugnuts. that alone can warp the rotors. use a torque wrench.

BINGO!!! have had my rotors turned twice before ever hitting 15K on the car. Then got a torque wrench and began re torquing my lugs them if the dealer ever took the wheels off. No issues since doing this.

**firesilver** · 12-31-2006, 01:00 PM

yeah my steering wheel shakes pretty bad when im going 50mph or faster and breaking, it also surges with a 10-0 stop. I just got my car last year and the dealer said it just had new rotors put in. Do i need new break pads already, or do you think an alingment would cure this some cause i need an alingment too.