Should I have turned?

[Werdegast]

I have a Studebaker with disc brakes.

Car has 104k miles.

The rotors have never been turned......the surface is smooth with no groves or other abnomalties.....pads have always been changed way before actually needed.

So do I 'roughen' up the surface or leave well enough alone.

Car stops fine, and I do not compare the stopping to a modern automobile like a new FoMoCo Crown Vic.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Mount a dial indicator on the spindle and check the rotor face for 'run-out' side to side, or 'thick and thin'.
Also measure the surface 'width' with a micrometer.
If they are within service manual spec's, then keep on doing what you are doing.
(But don't ignore the wheel bearings and wheel seals... They need love, too)
HTIH
Jeff

[sbca96]

In a word, "No". If the rotor looks smooth and you didnt feel any pulsing, chances
are a simple pad swap will get you down the road just fine. If you feel the need
you can get a nice crosshatch on the rotor by getting a rust/paint removing wheel
from Walmart (or the like), mounting it on your cordless drill and scuff up the sides
of the rotor (dont forget the inside!). I did this with an '86 IROC recently and its
worked great, it left a nice cross hatch when using the pad parallel to the rotor.

Held kinda like this ..



but less harsh ...



Tom