Ground subcontractors, Listen to your drivers!

serco

Well-Known Member
Seems to me, changing them out everytime, would be equivalent to changing the front tires at the same time you change the rears duals out, regardless of tread wear.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
Thanks for chiming in... that's what I tried to convey if rotors are still in spec, no gouging from metal to metal contact, then they are still good to go, using either backyard mechanic plastic caliper or technician micrometer.


The brakes are doing well!

New pads, aftermarket or oem, are better than metal to metal.

No sign of run out or wobble when pedal is applied.

No more hearing the brake squeal from those tabs or brake wear indicators.

Did you ever experienced what's left of a brake pad backing plate coming off the caliper cage? I did 2x due to subcontractor negligence only at the rear brake pads setup on gmc trucks

I'm assuming this 3 year old truck has the original rotors from the start. At 97,000 miles they're finally due for new slabs of iron on the next brake service interval.

OrioN:
ey, esse...

BC:
wassup, Holmes?

OrioN:
this boxtruck will need new rotors on the next front brake pad change.

BC:
y u say dat, dawg?

OrioN:
they seem to be the original rotors, yet still in spec, butt will probably be at the discard limit by the end of these current brake pads service life

BC:
OK, I'll pencil it in on my laptop

<shrugs>

I didn't have to jump in a dumb rental truck like I saw 2 other drivers did this morning. Having no pass thru to the cargo area sucks.

One had engine trouble, guess he was never trained to do a pretrip... no oil on dipstick = blew the engine.

The main point is to listen and address vehicle problems ASAP. I don't want to be in a rental truck when I already setup this FedEx branded boxtruck for my particular route.
 

Exec32

Well-Known Member
Contractors dont listen to you because you guys dont get paid by the hour. Get it?
By the way where are all the diesels? 7.3, old international...
 

dudebro

Well-Known Member
Sandpaper is a backyard mechanic method that's not accurate. The correct measure is both thickness and runout. A lathe is used to cut a flat surface with zero runout and a finish that helps break-in of new pads. Most rotors these days are just not engineered to be reused with resurfacing and replacement is the better option in most cases. I just find it hilarious that you post all this backyard mechanic work that for the most part is exactly the opposite of what should be done.

This is true - rotors used to be more expensive, so it was cheaper to put them on a lathe and reuse them if they were within spec after turning them. Now though, with cheaper rotors, this isn't worth it. And, with cheaper rotors, you don't know how long they'll last. The ones I bought at VatoZone and put on my wife's Highlander warped after 3 months of highway driving.
 

Oldfart

Well-Known Member
This is true - rotors used to be more expensive, so it was cheaper to put them on a lathe and reuse them if they were within spec after turning them. Now though, with cheaper rotors, this isn't worth it. And, with cheaper rotors, you don't know how long they'll last. The ones I bought at VatoZone and put on my wife's Highlander warped after 3 months of highway driving.
You can buy them at Rockauto for not much more than you can turn them. Wagner, Raybestos and just about any off brand you want
 
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1BROWNWRENCH

Amatuer Malthusian
This is true - rotors used to be more expensive, so it was cheaper to put them on a lathe and reuse them if they were within spec after turning them. Now though, with cheaper rotors, this isn't worth it. And, with cheaper rotors, you don't know how long they'll last. The ones I bought at VatoZone and put on my wife's Highlander warped after 3 months of highway driving.
Lots of replacement rotors come from China. Even some supplied from MDC, with predictable quality problems.
 

CJinx

Well-Known Member
Look, we know that we're not supposed to mark anything on the post trip inspection on the powerpad
I wish people wouldn't falsify their pre- and post-trip inspections. A truck should be deadlined if someone has allowed it to deteriorate to the point that it is no longer safe to operate. If you've been diligent in letting your AO/BC know about an issue and they have failed to act until the vehicle is no longer road-worthy, then failing the truck on DVIR is on them. Nobody wants to hear about you or someone else getting seriously injured or killed because shoddy brakes or bald tires were not reported or addressed.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
Ah, due to bad camber on one side of the box truck, I'm going in on Monday for another tire...inner side worn down to 2/32"

if he's too cheap to get an alignment job, the investors will waste more $ on replacement tires sooner than later <shugs> I'll see if he'll schedule an alignment job on Monday as well

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Yeah, most auto parts stores supply rotors casted in China these days. Vatozone, as well as some others carry a one year warranty, so the only aggravating factors is to remove the caliper cage 2x if u got a bad replacement rotor

I'm experiencing about 3-4 pad changes before I need to discard the rotors on my personal vehicles, so that's not bad.

I go ceramic pads on personal vehicles as well since I'm already saving$ on labor costs

Work vehicles can use standard semi metallic pads for all I care, it's made to DOT specs anyways
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Lots of replacement rotors come from China. Even some supplied from MDC, with predictable quality problems.
I’ve wondered if that’s not the case with 4l80e transmission parts. The design was said to be stellar but I’ve had no luck getting them to last behind 6.0l gm engines.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
I’ve wondered if that’s not the case with 4l80e transmission parts. The design was said to be stellar but I’ve had no luck getting them to last behind 6.0l gm engines.
Oh crap, I have a 2015 gmc boxtruck with the same powerplant and transmission with almost 100,000 miles... no worries now because I actually fully stop the vehicle before shifting to reverse.

U don't wanna know how many drivers I've seen shifting to reverse before backing up to their spot in the terminal...
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Oh crap, I have a 2015 gmc boxtruck with the same powerplant and transmission with almost 100,000 miles... no worries now because I actually fully stop the vehicle before shifting to reverse.

U don't wanna know how many drivers I've seen shifting to reverse before backing up to their spot in the terminal...
I expect more. I had a 2006 Ford box truck with 370,000 with the original engine and transmission. That’s the benchmark.
 
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