Q: Rotors replaced several times as they get warped quite quickly

asked by on May 23, 2016

I have changed rotors on my car several times. When the car had around 25,000 miles, I replaced the rotors for the first time. I had to do it four more times at around 150,000 miles. I also had wheel bearings replaced, caliper rotors changed as well as pads, just in case. But, very soon, after the mileage of around 12,000 miles, the rotors became warped. I am wondering how it's possible that they last so shortly. What could cause this? How can I prevent this from happening again?

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Rotor warpage generally occurs when too much heat builds up and cannot be transferred away from the rotor. Heavy braking, a lot of stop and go traffic, heavier than normal vehicle loads, heavy or oversized custom wheels, sticking calipers - basically anything that puts additional stress on the braking system - can cause heat to build up and warp rotors.

You may want to consider a slotted and/or drilled rotor as they are designed to transfer more heat away from the braking system based on their design. The only thing with these types of rotors is that they cannot be resurfaced.

You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who can inspect the braking system to ensure no dragging braking components, and install new slotted/drilled rotors to prevent future warpage.

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