# Rotor Wear



## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

Hi,

I recently started having issues with a pulsating brake pedal on my 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco MT (50,000 miles on it), so yesterday I decided to take a look at the pads and rotors. The rear pads and drums are in serviceable condition, only needed to be adjusted. However, the front pads and rotors are severely worn, the backside of both are wearing like a v (thinner at the outer edge, thicker towards the center) with deep grooves, pad is wearing the same way. 

At this point it's clear I need new pads and rotors on the front, but before I purchase and install them on the vehicle, is there anything that needs to be done to correct the irregular wear issue? Do I need to rebuild the caliper? I don't want to spend cash and time on new pads and rotors, only to have the exact same issue repeat itself later on down the road.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Have your rear brakes checked and adjusted at the same time. The Cruze was prone to poorly adjusted rear brakes causing the front brakes to have to work a lot harder.


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## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

Thanks, I read that on another post on this very forum, so I adjusted the rear drums while I was at it.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

EcoWarrior said:


> Thanks, I read that on another post on this very forum, so I adjusted the rear drums while I was at it.


I bet your car will stop better now. Even though the rear brakes don't generate a large amount of braking they do add some and when properly adjusted keep the car far more stable in hard braking situations.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Old subject, poorly plated brake pad brackets with clips on them, traps salt, causes expansion, jamming the rotor pads so they cannot return to their home position, Was a disaster in 80's Toyota vehicles, dimwits at GM copied this. Have to stay on top of this, coating the interior of those clips with anti-seize does help.

Also got rid of that huge U shaped spring for the rear drums, every see drum brakes on a 41 Chevy? Don't have to look, just look at your Cruze, weak return springs, shoes at all contact points have to move freely or they won't adjust when you hit the brakes while backing up. Results in a low brake pedal, again cleaning and anti-seize helps for all contact points. Don't get too sloppy, do not want any lubrication on the shoe faces.

Walk around after using your brakes works, hold the back of your hand near each drum or rotor, will feel excessive heat for the binding ones, time to clean and lubricate them. Should be able to install every component with your fingers, if you can't, they are too tight. 

Also dumped the rear brake proportioning valves, pulsing the rear ABS solenoid valves instead, so to get proper proportioning, your ABS has to be working, Just more problems. 

Sharing the brake reservoir with the manual clutch is equally stupid, if a brake line breaks, lose all of your fluid, can't even down shift to help slow you down. Really have to keep an eye on this, forget about maintenance free.


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## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

obermd said:


> I bet your car will stop better now. Even though the rear brakes don't generate a large amount of braking they do add some and when properly adjusted keep the car far more stable in hard braking situations.


I am sure it will once I take care of the front pads and rotors, hopefully this weekend. The rear pads were barely making any contact with the drums.

It's funny, until recently I was still under warranty and had several failed parts replaced over the last few years, and my local GM service techs always stated on their vehicle inspection sheet that the front pads and rotors were in great shape. I should have known better.


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## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

NickD said:


> Old subject, poorly plated brake pad brackets with clips on them, traps salt, causes expansion, jamming the rotor pads so they cannot return to their home position, Was a disaster in 80's Toyota vehicles, dimwits at GM copied this. Have to stay on top of this, coating the interior of those clips with anti-seize does help.
> 
> Also got rid of that huge U shaped spring for the rear drums, every see drum brakes on a 41 Chevy? Don't have to look, just look at your Cruze, weak return springs, shoes at all contact points have to move freely or they won't adjust when you hit the brakes while backing up. Results in a low brake pedal, again cleaning and anti-seize helps for all contact points. Don't get too sloppy, do not want any lubrication on the shoe faces.
> 
> ...


I think you are right about the brackets and clips binding, causing the pads to seize up, because the caliper guide pins were moving freely and the piston was working fine as well.

Not sure if it's common on all newer vehicles or not, but I also thought it was weird the brake and clutch system share the same reservoir. Just this past winter my slave cylinder completely failed (luckily I was in my driveway), and dumped the entire reservoir. So, technically even if you had a bad enough leak in the clutch system couldn't you also loose your brakes?


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## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

I know this has been asked before, but does anyone have a recommendation on quality replacement pads and rotors? I am not convinced I want ACDelco OE parts on it again.


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## GMFanatic (Jan 5, 2016)

EcoWarrior said:


> I know this has been asked before, but does anyone have a recommendation on quality replacement pads and rotors? I am not convinced I want ACDelco OE parts on it again.


In my experience, if you're not running the car hard you'll be better off with all factory parts. They are matched by the engineers that created them. Running too hard of a pad on a softer rotor can lead to issues; and vise-versa.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

EcoWarrior said:


> I know this has been asked before, but does anyone have a recommendation on quality replacement pads and rotors? I am not convinced I want ACDelco OE parts on it again.


Here you go:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/12-g...sion/126562-centric-oe-brake-kit-upgrade.html

The factory parts are poorly machined rotors. The ceramic pads wear the rotors far more quickly than they should, and the rotors end up wearing unevenly as well. GM brake rotors have historically been some of the worst rotors I've ever used. EVERY GM car I've ever owned has needed the front rotors replaced by 50,000 miles. The Centric brake up grade I posted about above uses high quality G3500 cast rotors that are harder, and much better made than the OE rotors. I used semi-metallic pads to reduce rotor wear and improve brake fade resistance.


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## Chris Tobin (Feb 23, 2016)

I have used and recommend EBC Brakes for both pads and rotors. I will be going to them soon on my Cruze Diesel! I had them on my Jetta TDI and the braking was AWESOME. We are also installing them on my son's VW Jetta TDI soon.


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## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Here you go:
> 
> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/12-g...sion/126562-centric-oe-brake-kit-upgrade.html
> 
> The factory parts are poorly machined rotors. The ceramic pads wear the rotors far more quickly than they should, and the rotors end up wearing unevenly as well. GM brake rotors have historically been some of the worst rotors I've ever used. EVERY GM car I've ever owned has needed the front rotors replaced by 50,000 miles. The Centric brake up grade I posted about above uses high quality G3500 cast rotors that are harder, and much better made than the OE rotors. I used semi-metallic pads to reduce rotor wear and improve brake fade resistance.


I appreciate the information, I went ahead and purchased the Centric pads and rotors based on your recommendation today from RockAuto. Can't wait until the parts arrive! To have my brakes working normally again will be awesome.


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## EcoWarrior (Jun 5, 2016)

Chris Tobin said:


> I have used and recommend EBC Brakes for both pads and rotors. I will be going to them soon on my Cruze Diesel! I had them on my Jetta TDI and the braking was AWESOME. We are also installing them on my son's VW Jetta TDI soon.


Thanks for the information, I have heard good things about EBC. I ended up going with Centric Premium rotors and Centric Posi Quiet Semi-Metallic brake pads.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I have been very pleased with my Centric Premium rotors. They handle repeated braking and dissipate heat very well. With the amount of stop-and-go I deal with here, my previous rotors/pads were shaking at 10K miles, resurfaced, and then started again by 25. I got rid of them soon after.

I went with Akebono ceramic pads for mine. They have done well the handful of times the car was thrown around a curvy road, but do everyday duties well as well, and generate very little dust.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

I went with the centric premiums but carbon pads. 1st stop is iffy cold but nothing beyond what the oem brakes did new. Once warmed up they were grabby. Make sure the pins move freely and regrease them good.


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