Can you run one old rotor, and one new rotor (fronts)

[bballsk8er333]

Hi,

And thanks for looking. Looked around google and here, but havent seen if you can buy a new rotor for the bad side (front r) and leave the old good one in place (front l). the thicknesses would be differ, but i think when you pump the brakes the few time, it wouldn't matter as its not a fixed "location" but rather pressure from the fluid.

changing pads and one rotor is unfixable.

Jay
thansk again

[SexieWASD]

Yea it will work, it will stop your car.

You generally want to replace both rotors at the same time with new pads as well, that way you are guaranteed that the car will not pull to one side when you brake from one side braking more efficiently than the other. As pads and rotors wear they often develop small grooves in them that match between rotor and pad. most of the time replacing just pads results in the new pads wearing in the shape of the old rotor, meaning that to start the pads won't do a great job of braking as they ride on the grooves, and will later develop an annoying squeak as they wear into the shape of the rotor.

An extra rotor is what $20-$40, don't be cheap if you care about the quality of your braking, else save some money and live with sub-par (but still reasonably effective) braking.

[Dave's]

Can you? Yes. Would I? Probably not. (Now if I had just replaced the rotors and one got damaged somehow then I might consider it.)

[johnfrisco]

I thought rotors were sold in pairs? Either way you need 2 new ones unless you can measure and guarantee both are equally spec'd.

[chick.with.a.wrench]

Yeah like they all said. Changing just one rotor is a BAD idea but you can do it. Seriously though dude... I WOULD not just change one rotor. You risk fu*kin up your alignment and your other brake pad and rotor. It's just not a good idea to do just one. Do them both or your going to have to replace them both very soon even though you just did that one by itself.

[djb2]

There is no problem at all replacing a single rotor. They are sold individually, and can be replaced as such.

It is especially important to bed in the pads if you do this, but once the pads conform to the rotors, the stopping power on each side will be the same.

There can be major problems replacing pads individually. Pads are boxed as axle sets, and should always be kept as a set.

But really the only reason to replace a single rotor is if one side had a flaw, or you had dramatically uneven wear. If both are close to being worn out, replace both at once.

[Mike Gerber]

I would only replace one rotor if the other rotor was still like new in thickness. If you do replace just the one rotor and use the same pads, sand the surface of the pads lightly. This will give the pads a new surface to help them seat properly to the new rotor.

Mike

[bballsk8er333]

thanks for all your replies.

Based on your information, I went ahead and got the double new ones, as I dont feel comfortable with my sister wearing in the old ones (edit- one.) to conform. (there were 2 slight divots from the wear indicators).