About a month ago I noticed I was getting a chatter in the front brakes. So I figured after 81K
miles I guess it's time to remove the front rotors and turn them down. They are the original
factory rotors and when I replaced the dusty factory pads at 55K miles I simply installed new pads.
The rotors were fine at the time. I don't have a large phillips head screwdriver nor a torch that
I knew I would need to get the rotors off the hub so I decided to take it in to have the brakes
checked and the rotors turned. Well, as it so happens the rotors were not only slightly warped
but were worn below spec too. They showed me with the measurement calipers. So I had them
put new rotors on. And yes, the tech needed a very large screwdriver and the heat of a torch to
get those screws out to remove the old rotors. And of course....I paid top dollar for the rotors.
$80 each. Ouch. But this guy did a complete check of everything and yes, my pads were still
good so they were re-installed. But it appears that these pads....Wagner pads...which generate
almost no brake dust, are pretty hard on the rotor itself. But considering that I've heard of
Sportage rotors being replaced every 20K miles I can't complain that mine lasted 81K miles.
They also pulled my rear drums and the rear brake shoes are damn near new. I asked them if
they have ever seen the weird arrangement of 4 lugs holding the drum on and the tech said he
had never seen it before. I asked specifically if he ever saw it on Mazda pickups and he said no.
So even though we have a Mazda diff it appears that the rest of the rear axle is unique to the
Sportage. And I did have a 1983 Mazda pickup and I recall that the rear brake drums did not
have the 4 stud arrangement.
|
Linear Mode
