How long do brake rotors last?

[Dirty3]

Anyone have any idea how long the average life of brake rotors is for a D3.
I know this is a little like 'how long is a piece of string" but i've done 80k so far in my D3. On the weekend used the HDC a few times in very steep country. Lots of clay and mud. Anyway, back to the bitumen this week and i am getting brake fade. Really only when at slower speeds, pedal goes down quite a bit. If I brake normal at highway speed it feels ok. I'm just a little concerned brake pads are due but more so if rotors are at the end of their life. I do mostly city driving and I'm not too hard on brakes, but i'm thinking the HDC has given the pads or rotors a hiding? Pumping the pedal doesnt seem to make brakes respond better. Any idea's?

[Ferret]

Rotors last about 2 set of disc brake pads. 80k seems about normal, it is for me.

[bbyer]

If your pads are near used up, in theory the brake pad warning light should be illuminated. There is one brake pad sensor on the left front and one on the right rear wheel so at least those pads are monitored.

I install new rotors with each new set of pads; others turn their rotors and reinstall along with new pads. As such, after a couple of turnings, the rotors could be less than optimum.

I regard big city driving as harder on brakes than long lonely highway driving; as such, you may want to regard your brake use as being severe service.

I also drain and pour in new brake fluid about every five years. Brake fluid can absorb water vapor and that can lead to soft funny feeling brakes when attempting to stop. It appears the water vapor in the brake fluid can "boil" from caliper heat and effectively introduce "air" into the system. This feels as softness.

[Disco4SE]

Still on the original rotors on my D4 and travelled over 100K.
I tow quite a bit as well.

Cheers, Craig

[JDNSW]

I can't comment specifically on the D#/D4/RRS, but brake wear is more dependent on the driver than almost anything else.

I am reminded of the first London - Sydney marathon - the Citroen team, on landing in Fremantle, made the third pad replacement on one of their team - another team member, running at that stage in almost the same position in an identical car, made their first pad replacement, "even though not necessary". (At the time I drove a Citroen DS, so took a close interest - one almost won the event before a major accident in Wollongong put it out of action, another came about third, and the third team member finished about twelfth after hitting a roo on the Nullarbor.)

So my conclusion is that there is no single answer to "How long do brake rotors last?", although certainly, other peoples experience may be some indication - just don't expect your results to be necessarily even close.

John

[Stuart02]

Yeah mine always seem to last until I go to get a RWC for sale, when I'm told they're about 2 thou under and need replacing :)

[BigJon]

I also drain and pour in new brake fluid about every five years.

Should be doing that every two to three years.

[bbyer]

Should be doing that every two to three years. Yes, I suppose you are correct re new brake fluid more often. My excuse is I live in a virtual desert here on the prairies - even the air compressor dryer desiccant survives here. I would think in a coastal climate or rain forest type area that every couple of years would be a good idea.

In the winter, it is even dryer as the below zero F temperatures pretty much suck the moisture out of everything. Salt will not even melt the snow and ice on the roads; hence gravel chips are spread about. They are not too effective as far as traction is concerned but they do destroy the windscreen quite effectively as they skip along the bonnet taking a bit of paint with each bounce.

[away]

The brake rotors on my D3 needed to be replaced at the same time as the first set of brake pads did (75,000 Km). At the time we did tow a camper trailer that had override brakes. Now we tow a van with its own electric brakes, so I'm hoping to get a bit longer life out of both pads and rotors.

Cheers

Russ

[Dirty3]

Thanks chaps for the replies.
I use the car mainly for everyday driving (all day) around Melbourne with the occasional monthly country trip for work. I'm not overly hard on brakes as i tend to not hoon around, but stop start traffic must have an effect.
But they really only felt this way after some heavy off road work. Hill decent was used a bit but only on steep sections where i wanted to keep off the brakes as tracks were slippery clay and i've found that HDC is effective in these conditions.
I have a service due early next month so will get it checked then.

Cheers,

Neil.

[CaverD3]

Dirty,
Have you had the brake recall done?
Oil in the servo?

[Dirty3]

Dirty,
Have you had the brake recall done?
Oil in the servo?

Hi CaverD3,
No, not that i'm aware of, but I'll ask the question at service time. It's a good point you raise, thanks for the reminder. I have read about this problem on the forum before.
Cheers,

Neil.

[Bigbjorn]

It rather annoys me that they have to be replaced at all. They should last the life of the vehicle. I was the GM-H service rep to the Sydney taxi industry for a while. Cab owners are the meanest p----s on the face of the earth. They wanted a heavy duty drum brake option as they were able to show that disc brakes cost more per mile than drums. One guy kept immaculate records and could isolate repair cost for systems or components and could show that drums were per mile cheaper than discs. These guys reckoned that drums lasted the life of the vehicle if rivets or shoes were not allowed to rub on the drums.

[CaverD3]

Yup, those were the the days when brakes worked really well and contained asbestos. :angel:

[ADMIRAL]

Yup, those were the the days when brakes worked really well and contained asbestos. :angel:

Got that right. I think you are doing exceptionally well getting over 70000klms out of rotors and pads. The D3/D4 is not a light vehicle. That has to have an impact on pad and rotor wear.

[ghoti]

I must admit I was surprised when my D3 needed pads at 40,000km.

I was certain Ned Kelly was alive and residing under the westgate bridge when I saw the cost and learned the pads, rotors and sensors were changed as a unit.

My GU patrol was a heavy unit, but still on the same set of discs at 203,000km. My Pajero is lighter, but not insignificant, and still has original discs at 191,000km. Both vehicles tow the same 2 tonne boat as the D3 towed (and the D4 might tow one day).

Admittedly the Disco brakes feel more progressive, but only getting 20% the life of other 4wd brakes seems somewhat extravagant.

Not looking forward to that day when the dealer calls to say the D4's brakes need doing!

[discotwinturbo]

I thought short pad and rotor life was part of the course for European vehicles.

I am not expecting much from my D4 and if they go early will go with much harder compounds and better rotors.

Brett....

[unseenone]

I agree the wear depends on your driving habits, as well as the type of driving, highway vs city for example.

I got 20k out of my first LR OE rotors. At that time I was frustrated with the short length of life, as they said they could not be turned either. I picked up a set of 4 EBC drilled and slotted rotors. When I replaced them, because I was redoing my suspension the EBC still had some life, but had put 83k on them.

My driving style is mild, and I generally try to stay off the brakes, but I live in a city. So for comparison purposes, I got considerable more life out of the EBC. In addition, you should give them a very light turn at each new pad fitting to keep braking smooth and easy.

I hope this helps.

[zwitter]

We're talking 2.7 tonne or so without trailers etc, you fill them with the people most precious to you, and share the roads with maniacs. To have brakes that stop like they can when you stamp the pedal, i would replace them every 10,000k

I probably fit new every second set of pads and always have one set on the car and a set in shed as spare. New can be cheaper than a machining,
james


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[ADMIRAL]

I thought short pad and rotor life was part of the course for European vehicles.

I am not expecting much from my D4 and if they go early will go with much harder compounds and better rotors.

Brett....
It is not just European vehicles. I pity the owners of HSV's and FPV's with their fancy Harrop and Brembo brakes. The rotors commonly have 2-3ml from new to replacement thickness. That is nothing, and certainly not enough to allow for a skim, even if you wanted to with slotted rotors.( not adviseable ) Again, very common ( dependant on the brake foot and driving style ) for these Aussie icons to need a full rotor and pad replacement under 40000klms. So........don't feel too hard done by with the LR brakes.

[Bigbjorn]

I agree the wear depends on your driving habits, as well as the type of driving, highway vs city for example.

I got 20k out of my first LR OE rotors. At that time I was frustrated with the short length of life, as they said they could not be turned either. I picked up a set of 4 EBC drilled and slotted rotors. When I replaced them, because I was redoing my suspension the EBC still had some life, but had put 83k on them.

My driving style is mild, and I generally try to stay off the brakes, but I live in a city. So for comparison purposes, I got considerable more life out of the EBC. In addition, you should give them a very light turn at each new pad fitting to keep braking smooth and easy.

I hope this helps.

Not always possible to take a light cut off cast iron rotors. Cast Iron subjected to repeated heating/cooling cycles forms a hard skin. The machinist needs to take a sufficiently deep cut to get under the work hardened skin to be cutting in the soft metal underneath.

[ballan]

The brake rotors on my D3 needed to be replaced at the same time as the first set of brake pads did (75,000 Km). At the time we did tow a camper trailer that had override brakes. Now we tow a van with its own electric brakes, so I'm hoping to get a bit longer life out of both pads and rotors.

Cheers

Russ
I reckon thats huge km's. I'm a modest driver but the brake pad warning light came on at 45K. Warning here is to get the car in for pads straight away as my laziness in doing a few more K on them cost a set of front rotors as well

[noken]

Sold Discovery 1 after 14 years, 260,000km on clock, mostly city freeway, and original rotors still OK. (Just.) Never skimmed as always smooth when braking. Changed pads at about 80,000 km on average. Occasionally towed Larson 24 foot bowrider, ~2000kg, electric brakes.. Now somewhat alarmed at rate of brake pad/rotor wear reported on this thread on disco 4.
At first service, 26,000 km mechanics report brakes 20% worn so maybe I'll get reasonable kms especially as now in wine country and off roading sand only..Also got lighter boat.
Discovery 4 HSE, 2011.

[AGRO]

At a recent 60,000km service pads were reported as being 25% worn rear and 35% front. I have a mix of rural/city driving, time in the VHC using high descent and but am generally a light user.

I can report that the brakes and abs is awesome - I had an experience where an emergency brake pedal pressure was necessary triggering abs - makes a bloke think something breaking but it was just the system doing its thang