This question is asked by many, and there is no simple answer to the question.   There are a few different reasons that a brake rotor would need to be adjusted or replaced, but not one that applies to all situations.  In a lot of cases, you may not even have to replace a brake rotor as they could simply be resurfaced back to factory specifications using special equipment. 

What we are going to do with this article is explain to you a few different circumstances when brake rotors need to be replaced and also situations where brake rotor repair is not recommended.

There is a whole list of things that can damage a brake rotor or make it seem as so.

Normally when your brake rotor is damaged, you will experience symptoms that you can notice when driving.  These things involve poorer braking pe...

*source - streetsports.com

Most people that visit cquence.net are looking to increase stopping power, but do not have an accurate idea of what it takes. 

Yes, you can increase stopping power and distance with upgraded parts, but not  every upgrade does what the advertiser claims.

Most amateur auto enthusiasts, when looking into brake performance  for the first time, think that braking power has something to do with being able to lock up your tires.  When we talk about braking power, we are talking about the amount of friction that exists between a brake pad and a rotor. 

Poorly performing pads and rotors will not react to your braking commands quickly due to low friction quotients.  By increasing that coefficient of friction, you will be able to decrease the time required to stop, and the ...

*Source v-maxx.com

A big brake kit is an oversized caliper that is used to house an oversized brake pad.  The said purpose of these kits is to increase the surface area of the brake pad hitting the brake rotor for improved braking function.

Many people upgrade their brake calipers because they think bigger brakes calipers and pads mean more braking power.  Most of this thinking is perpetuated by the belief that big brakes utilize more brake pad material and therefore cause more braking friction or grip.  Additionally, people notice most performance autos having them installed, and want to replicate this.  It is hard for these people to believe that the big brake kits used on racing vehicles won’t increase stopping power on their own street vehicles as well.

What a big brake kit will do for ...

There is a lot of press from ceramic brake pad manufacturers and distributors claiming ceramic materials are superior in comparison to semi-metallic formulations. 

Semi-metallic versus Ceramic 

It is true that nearly 30% of new auto manufacturers are equipping their vehicles with ceramic brake pads now, but this should not warrant a brake pad swap in every situation.  There are some benefits to using ceramic brake pads as well as semi-metallic brake pads, but drawbacks exist in every situation.

To understand the differences between the two types of brake pads, you must first understand how they are constructed.  Ceramic brake pads are generally composed of dense ceramic material and embedded copper fibers.  Semi-metallic brake pads, on the other hand, are made from synthetic resins and embed...

Source 3

Drilled rotors are produced in many different ways.  The process to make a fine quality rotor is substantially different than what is used to make a poor quality specimen, and examples of each will be presented in this article. 

Even though there are many different patterns of drilled brake rotors, what is important to focus on is the drill hole integrity.  A ceramic drilled brake rotor can actually be cast at the factory as to eliminate drilling imperfections, but drilled rotor designs can still be created properly after casting with fine tools in cast iron as well.

Any imperfections in a brake rotor is subject to cracking when the brake rotor heats up and cools, so these drilled holes at the very least must be created with precision when added post-casting.  When a brake rotor is...