Keeping your brake system up and running requires regular maintenance and replacement of essential parts. You may have heard that brake rotors can be resurfaced once or twice before you replace them, but how true is this, and which is better for your car and your wallet in the long run? There are a variety of factors to consider when deciding between resurfacing and replacing your brake rotor.

So, should you replace or resurface brake rotors? There are pros and cons to both resurfacing and replacing brake rotors. It really comes down to the thickness of the brake rotor installed on your vehicle. Some brake rotors are too thin to be resurfaced either because they’ve already been resurfaced or because that is how they were made. If your brake rotor is less than 10.5mm thick, you need to replace it and not resurface it.

You also want to consider factors like why your brake rotors are bad, as that can help you decide if it is better to replace it ore resurface it. Read on to learn more about both replacing and resurfacing your brake rotors!

Is Replacing or Resurfacing your Brake Rotors a Better Option?

There are pros and cons to both options. What’s the more expensive option? What is better for the life of your brakes and your car? What is the safer option?

The Pros and Cons of Replacing your Brake Rotors

Pros:

Cost: It is sometimes cheaper to replace the rotor than to resurface the rotor. You can get after-market brake rotors for a fairly low price, making it more cost-effective than either spending time doing the labor of resurfacing yourself or hiring and paying someone else to resurface your rotors.
Quality: New is new, and new is better than old and fixed. A new brake rotor is going to most likely last longer and possibly work better than a resurfaced, old brake rotor.

Cons:

Sourcing parts can be challenging: If you drive a rare car, an antique car, or a car that requires special parts and equipment, it could be difficult to find a replacement rotor that would work with your vehicle.
You might replace them too soon: Maybe you can get some more life out of your old brake rotors. Extending their life could save you money in the long run, and also preserve the integrity of the original parts on your vehicle.

Resurfacing your Brake Rotors

Pros:

Slightly Safer: It could be considered slightly safer to resurface your existing brake rotor instead of installing a new one. You will be able to use existing equipment and do not have to worry about a new part malfunctioning or not working correctly in tandem with the rest of the parts in your car’s braking system.
You won’t replace too soon: Just like you would not opt for a hip replacement before you need one, do not opt for a brake rotor replacement before it is needed. When in doubt, it is always good to stick with the original parts in your vehicle.

Cons:

Maybe cause less effective braking over time: Every time you resurface your brake rotor, you are removing part of the metal that makes up the rotor, which makes the brake rotor thinner. That could make your brakes less effective over time. This also means you could go through the trouble of resurfacing your rotors, only to find out you removed too much of the rotor for the brake to function or to pass a car inspection. In this case, you might end up replacing the brake rotor after you resurfaced it.

May need to replace brake pads more often: Brake pads will wear out quicker on a resurfaced brake rotor because they ride a little different and rub in different places than with a new motor. This means you will be replacing your brake pads more often if you have resurfaced brake rotors.

Sometimes the decision might be made for you. Some cars simply do not have brake rotors that are thick enough to be resurfaced. In that case, the decision is a no-brainer, and you would always replace the rotors.

Why Does your Brake Rotor Require Replacement or Resurfacing?

This question matters because it could make the decision of replacement or resurfacing for you. What made your brake rotor fail? For example, if your brake rotor is corroded because of extended exposure to salt or other elements, you might not be able to resurface it as it is probably already missing layers of thickness.

So, before you decide whether to replace or resurface, look at why your brake rotor is failing. Is it just because of regular age and wear, or is it pitted and corroded from exposure to chemicals or salt, which would make resurfacing not a viable option?

When Should You Replace or Resurface Your Brake Rotors?

There are a few things to look out for when you are checking your brake rotors to see if they need any repairs.

Are your brakes making noise when you use them? We all know that sound when you are approaching a red light, you hear squealing brakes, and you wonder if that is coming from your car or the one next to you. If that loud squeal is coming from your car, chances are you need to resurface or replace your brake rotors.

What do your brake rotors look like? When you look at your wheels, you can see the brake rotors. Are they black? Are they corroded? Are they dusty? If you see a lot of dirt, grime, and grease, it is probably time to give some maintenance and attention to your brake rotors.

What does it feel like when you are braking? If your teeth are chattering, as you grip the steering wheel for dear life while your car is vibrating when you hit the brakes… Or, maybe you feel some vibrations that are not quite as extensive as that, it is time to resurface or replace your brake rotors.

Brake maintenance should be a regular part of your car. Whether it is during an annual car inspection or a routine safety check of your car, take regular notice of your brakes and brake rotors, and do not be hesitant to resurface or replace them if you see any warning signs.

How Many Times Can You Resurface Your Brake Rotors?

Eventually, you will need to replace all of your brake rotors unless you are just leasing a car and turning it in for a new one every couple of years. Every time you resurface your brake rotor, you are removing pieces of it, meaning it will not last forever.

Thickness is what is important. Usually, the average brake rotor is around 12 millimeters thick, and you can safely resurface it down to 10.5 millimeters. Anything below 10.5 millimeters and you will want to buy a new one instead.

In most cases, you can get away with resurfacing your brake rotor twice before it will become too thin and require a replacement the next time it performs poorly.

Should You Install New Brake Pads When You Resurface or Replace Your Rotors?

Most likely, yes. Brake pads are usually going to be replaced more often than your brake rotors. Whenever you resurface or replace your brake rotor, it is a good idea to install new brake pads. It is best for your car to have everything new at the same time, so it can break in and start wearing the same way.

It is not a requirement, and you do not need to replace the brake pads when you replace the brake rotors. However, they were worn down together, so replacing them gives everything fresh life. Furthermore, if you use old brake pads, you might wear out your new brake rotors sooner than they would wear out with new brake pads.

How to Preserve the Life of your Brake Rotors

There are a few things you can to make your brake rotors last longer, and you can hold off for a while, whether it be resurfacing or replacing them.

The way you drive matters.
- Do not consistently brake hard. Obviously, if you are in peril, brake as hard as you need to. But, get in the habit of slowly approaching stop signs and red lights, and braking less aggressively.

If you regularly tow heavy loads, your brakes rotors will wear down faster.

The environment matters.
- If you live in an area where you are regularly exposed to mist from saltwater, or you regularly drive through roads that are heavily salted in preparation for snow, your brake rotors are going to wear out sooner.

If possible, try to regularly park your car in a garage, as it will protect it from elements that can cause your brake rotors to corrode and rust.

Heat can affect your brake rotors. If you live somewhere that is always hot like the Deep South, your brake rotors might have a shorter lifespan.

You can clean your brake rotors to extend their life.
- Regularly cleaning your brake rotors could help extend their life. And, you might want to clean them before you resurface or replace them just to see if maybe a good cleaning was all they needed.
  - This video gives you a tutorial on how to clean your brake rotors using white vinegar.
  - To clean your brake rotors, you will want to take the tire off the car to expose as much of the brake rotor as possible. Using a stiff-bristled brush, scrub down the brake rotor with a water and white vinegar solution.

All brake rotors will eventually go bad, as they can only withstand so much braking. However, there are a few things you can do to possibly extend their life and delay your choice between resurfacing your brake rotors and replacing them.

Is it Cheaper to Replace or Resurface Brake Rotors?

It depends. There is not an easy answer to this question. Are you doing the work yourself, or are you paying for labor?

Let’s assume you are doing all labor yourself. How damaged are your rotors? Do you have deep pits and grooves that you are going to spend hours resurfacing? The cost of resurfacing might be minimal, but the time will be expensive. It is going to take you hours and hours longer to resurface a heavily damaged brake rotor than it would be just to pop a new one in, a new one that is probably relatively inexpensive.

After-market brake rotors are not that expensive, and they are super easy to install. There’s no prep work needed like when you are resurfacing. While the monetary cost might be about equal between resurfacing and replacing, the time and labor cost is going to be substantially lower if you are replacing your brake rotors than if you are resurfacing them.

What Happens if You Do Not Maintain Your Brake Rotors?

Brakes are a big deal, right? Brakes are one of the biggest safety concerns with driving a car, and it is imperative for your sake and mine that we are all doing everything we can to ensure we are driving in a car that has safe brakes.

The good news is most new cars nowadays have all kinds of built in safety features. Chances are a little neglect to your brake rotors is not going to send you hurtling into the back of a tractor trailer on the highway.

However, there are a few things that could go wrong if you neglect your brake rotors.

Your car could get damaged. Whether it is in an accident because your brakes did not work right, or whether other parts of your car wore out as they over-compensated for your brake rotors, you might be looking at a steeper repair bill than had you just replaced or resurfaced your brake rotors.

It is a safety hazard. While the days of lore that had your brakes cut and you hurtling over a cliff are probably best left to the movies, the bottom line is your brakes will not function as well. You will not be able to stop as quickly or as efficiently with brake rotors that are not functioning at capacity.

It is going to cost you more money. Something else is going to break, or someone is going to get hurt if you neglect your faulty brake motors. Both cases are going to end up costing you more money than if you just had the brake rotors repaired correctly at the first sign of damage.

Keep in mind that if your brake rotors are warped and damaged, and you continue to drive on them, you might wear out other parts of your car. Since cars are designed with more safety measures now, you should not go hurtling to your death with bad brake rotors. But, other parts of your car will step up and take the brunt of bad brakes. Your tires will wear out, and your engine might lock up.

Brakes are one of the most important parts of your car to give safety attention to, as they can cause many different hazards if they are not working correctly. Ensure that your brake rotors are inspected regularly.

Helpful Tips on Replacing and Resurfacing your Brake Rotors

Since you are thinking of either replacing or resurfacing your brake rotors, here are some videos that can help show you the difference between the two options:

Brake Rotor Resurfacing DIY – Let’s start with a look at resurfacing your brake rotors. If you are a handy guy or gal, you can do the resurfacing yourself. Here is a good video to help you get started with that process.

Resurfacing Brake Rotors Tutorial – Here is another tutorial that will help you learn how to resurface brake rotors. After watching both of these tutorials, you should be able and ready to get started with resurfacing your brake rotors.

How to Replace Brake Rotors on Your Car – If you have opted to replace your brake rotors and not resurface them, start with this video. This video will teach you the ins and outs of replacing your brake rotors.

There are mass amounts of DIY videos on YouTube. If the above is not enough, go ahead and search for more videos on YouTube. In no time at all, you will have step-by-step video instructions, and you can watch other people do either task – replace or resurface brake rotors.

Resurfacing or Replacing your Brake Rotors

If you find that your brakes are starting to wear, you need to investigate your brake rotors. Maybe you have already changed the brake pads, leaving you to conclude that the brake rotors are the problem.

Either replacing or resurfacing your brake rotors can be viable options. The most important thing to remember is that you can only resurface down to a certain thickness. Then, it becomes a safety issue, and you will need to choose to replace your brake rotor and not resurface it.

You must regularly maintain and give attention to your brakes, as they are the most important safety feature of your vehicle. Whether you opt to clean them, resurface them, or replace them, ensure they are getting the TLC they need on a regular basis.

Should You Replace Or Resurface Brake Rotors?