1) How do rotors warp?
There are two types of stress that can be put on rotors that will warp them. The first is Thermal stress. Thermal Stress occurs when the temper in one area of the disc differs from the rest of the disc. This usually happens when there is a rapid cooling of the rotor i.e. (driving through a puddle after a hard braking) or the over-heating of the rotor i.e. (the rotor just became too hot). The second is Mechanical Stress. Mechanical Stress is simply the over-tightening of the lug nuts or lug bolts.
2) How do you avoid warping rotors? (thermal stress)
You must have a good quality rotor to begin with. Properly "seasoning" the rotors is the only way to get this done. Also, avoid holding the brake pedal down or applying the parking brake on hot brakes, as this does not allow the rotors to cool off evenly.
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3) How do you avoid warping rotors? (mechanical stress)
Mechanical Stress is a human error and can easily be avoided. Simply ask your mechanic and insist that the rotors be "HAND-TORQUED". If he/she agrees, make sure that they are compensated i.e. (don't be cheap). If he/she tries to sing you some song and dance about not making a difference or that their air tools are calibrated ect..., simply take your vehicle to another professional that is willing to give your car/truck the care it deserves.
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4) What is seasoning?
Seasoning is preparing the rotors for service on your vehicle.
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5) How do I season my rotors?
Make sure you have enough road i.e. (highway is probably the best place). Try to avoid panic stops or hard braking from very high speeds. Bring your speed up to approximately 50-60mph.Gently, and we mean "GENTLY" apply the brake simultaneously with the gas so as not to reduce your speed. Do this for five (5) seconds. Now try to drive without touching the brakes for another mile or two in order to cool off the rotors to ambient temperature. Repeat these steps twice a day i.e. (to and from work) for two or three days. This will heat up and cool down your rotors evenly, lessening the chances of rotor warping.
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6) Can I turn/machine my Snyper rotors?
No. Machining performance rotors is not recommended due to thinning of the rotor. Making the rotor thinner will decrease its brake efficiency. When the rotor is machined, there is less overall mass and when the same pressure is exerted on a smaller volume, its operating temperature increases (gets hotter faster) and allows cracking and warping to occur easily. The increase in operating temperature will also increase pad wear and brake fade.
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7) What is brake fade?
There are many diferrent types of brake fade, the most common is "Pad Fade". Pad fade is the loss in effectiveness of your brakes after braking hard several times in a row within a short period of time i.e. (road racing).
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8) How do I fix brake fade?
Brake fade can be fixed by getting a higher quality pad with a high coefficient of friction. A semi-metallic pad can do the job but we recommend a carbon-based pad because of its higher tolerance to particle breakdown under extreme temperatures.
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