Brake rotors, how robust to shipping abuse?

[re_guderian]

So if your brake rotors showed up like this, would you install them on your rig? No "obvious" damage. And they are big chunks of cast metal, right? Or would you wait 2 weeks for a replacement? (<- which is in itself insane, but that's a topic for another thread. The world has gone crazy...)

 

[aztoytec]

I would at least get them machined/turned. One drop could warp them.

 

[re_guderian]

I would at least get them machined/turned. One drop could warp them.

Not gonna turn brand new rotors. Guess I'll return them.

 

[vipergrhd]

Use it man, it will be fine.

 

[Rednexus]

I would use them without thinking twice about it. Short of the delivery driver dropping them out of a moving truck, they are just machined and cast chunks of steel, and very hard to harm. They were probably just too big and heavy for the flimsy cardboard box they were put inside. If you are worried about them you could check flatness with a straightedge.

 

[r2m]

So if your brake rotors showed up like this, would you install them on your rig? No "obvious" damage. And they are big chunks of cast metal, right? Or would you wait 2 weeks for a replacement? (<- which is in itself insane, but that's a topic for another thread. The world has gone crazy...)
View attachment 3029188

Tough call. This would be my criteria:

• If my old disks were already off and my rig was sitting on the driveway or in the garage on jack stands, I'd use them.
• If I hadn't started any work yet on my rig, and the current brakes are working well enough with no plans for long road trips, SEND THEM BACK! If it's not a problem waiting. What's two weeks considering how long members on this forum are waiting for bumpers and other products! Two weeks is nothing!! You'll blink, open your front door and Bang! They'll be sitting there! The time will go by that fast.

 

[BigSwede]

I wouldn't worry about them unless the friction surfaces are dented. They are really tough chunks of metal.

 

[HVLA]

No scratches, no obvious sign of damage? Put them on.

 

[bigredmachine]

unless theres physical damage such as chunks missing or serious gouges in it i would have no problem running them. their are big and heavy so its not surprising that they blew out the box, the box can only do so much against 40 lb of rotors

 

[GrizzlyClint]

My Power Stops blew out the shipping box too. No damage. Rotors are probably the toughest part minus the frame and engine block. LOL

 

[URJ150L]

If they’re not damaged then use them

 

[GXO]

Just have them tested for true and send it if they are in spec. If they are warped, bent or run out in any way...return.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I would run them without thinking twice. I do find it odd as to why you ordered rotors online instead of locally.

 

[re_guderian]

I would run them without thinking twice. I do find it odd as to why you ordered rotors online instead of locally.

The GX has the worst braking performance of any Cruiser I've owned. I've flushed and bled, and still... My '04 with OEM rotors was a close second. My '00 with cross-drilled and slotted rotors was awesome, so I decided to go that route now since I've got some warp going on and need new rotors anyway. Absolutely no one locally carries slotted, cross-drilled rotors for the GX, at least the Power Stop brand anyway. I've got a rear caliper that needs replaced as well, and since I'm waiting, I just went ahead and returned these and re-ordered from a different vendor. This was actually the second attempt at getting the from Amazon, first time they shipped wrong part number (some relaly nice 5-stud Jeep ones, though), and this time they didn't even leave the warehouse in the OEM box, so who knows what the history is on this set. UPS very well could have let them slide around and out... Anyway, 4Wheel Parts Warehouse price wasn't too much higher, and they "only" had to ship them from Denver, and they'll be here on Tuesday.

 

[r2m]

The GX has the worst braking performance of any Cruiser I've owned. I've flushed and bled, and still... My '04 with OEM rotors was a close second. My '00 with cross-drilled and slotted rotors was awesome, so I decided to go that route now since I've got some warp going on and need new rotors anyway. Absolutely no one locally carries slotted, cross-drilled rotors for the GX, at least the Power Stop brand anyway. I've got a rear caliper that needs replaced as well, and since I'm waiting, I just went ahead and returned these and re-ordered from a different vendor. This was actually the second attempt at getting the from Amazon, first time they shipped wrong part number (some relaly nice 5-stud Jeep ones, though), and this time they didn't even leave the warehouse in the OEM box, so who knows what the history is on this set. UPS very well could have let them slide around and out... Anyway, 4Wheel Parts Warehouse price wasn't too much higher, and they "only" had to ship them from Denver, and they'll be here on Tuesday.

I am really curious about how well your new rotors and pads will work!
Are you also going to used stainless steel brake lines since everything's all taken apart? They add a little more stiffness to the peddle since they're not so apt to bulge/inlarge (ever so slightly) when braking.
If you get great results, PLEASE post what rotors and pads along with links to the products.

 

[jiggletits]

Dropping them won't warp them, but look for dents or chips on the pad surface area. If you don't need them on right away, I would wait.

However, if you need them on ASAP... Rotors are pretty robust. Heat is what warps them. Funny, the only rotors I have ever seen crack were the "drilled" type, and that's usually from heat too. Drilled rotors are stupid for a lot of reasons, but that is off topic.

When I was younger (teenager) I had the wheels come off of a vehicles while driving and had full vehicle weight sliding down a paved road on nothing but the rotor from 20-25 MPH to a stop and they were fine. Bolted the wheel back on and ran that vehicle for years afterward without issue. I was an idiot then, just forget to tighten lugnuts.

Regarding brake performance, you need techstream to do a true fluid flush through all the abs valves. Best performing GX brakes I have felt had been recently re-done by the dealer; new front calipers, pads, rotors and a flush all at once. All OE parts. Felt like a new vehicle. Rotors and pads will not change your pedal feel. Bleeding won't either unless you have air or water in the system.

 

[OllieChristopher]

The GX has the worst braking performance of any Cruiser I've owned.

It's all due to the weight of the rig. Not many SUV style vehicles are known for "braking performance".

Drilled rotors are stupid for a lot of reasons, but that is off topic.

As far as drilled rotors, you are going to see a performance increase with less fading as the rotors and braking system will stay cooler. As far as the GX specifically I would not use drilled rotors if it's a dedicated off highway rig. Small debris getting kicked up can open up a whole other set of problems on slotted and/or drilled rotors.

Are you also going to used stainless steel brake lines since everything's all taken apart? They add a little more stiffness to the peddle since they're not so apt to bulge/inlarge (ever so slightly) when braking.

Bang for the buck stainless lines are an excellent upgrade albeit a pain in the rear to bleed when added to an ABS equipped vehicle.

Regarding brake performance, you need techstream to do a true fluid flush through all the abs valves. Best performing GX brakes I have felt had been recently re-done by the dealer; new front calipers, pads, rotors and a flush all at once.

You can do just as an efficient bleed and flush the ABS yourself without the Techstream. You simply flush as normal, drive and activate ABS to get the old fluid out of the ABS block. This will work on virtually any vehicle. It works on motorcycles, and 4 wheels alike.

As a side note most ABS issue arise from drivers not activating their ABS system enough. The fluid in the block just stays in there, collects moisture and corrodes over the years.

 

[jiggletits]

Slamming on the brakes and engaging ABS might open and flush the valves out, assuming all 4 lock up... but it's very impractical and not guaranteed. You'd have to flush, drive, then go back afterward and re-flush the whole system maybe more than once. At minimum you are flushing it twice. Very impractical. Bootleg techstream is like $50 on ebay.

 

[BigSwede]

You'd be amazed at how quick the GX can stop if you hit the brakes hard enough to engage the Emergency Brake Assist system.

 

[URJ150L]

Slamming on the brakes and engaging ABS might open and flush the valves out, assuming all 4 lock up... but it's very impractical and not guaranteed. You'd have to flush, drive, then go back afterward and re-flush the whole system maybe more than once. At minimum you are flushing it twice. Very impractical. Bootleg techstream is like $50 on ebay.

Or free if you use that whacky guy fawks key generator