Brake change and bushing plans, info please

[Rifleman@LaymansPC.com]

The LS is beginning to shudder some coming off the interstates. I'm suspecting warped rotors, I know they've been hot on more than one occasion. Finally got all four corners off the ground and pulled the rotors tonight (all but one of the rears which is heat seized and needs beat on slightly but it was too late and the neighbors wouldn't like it). I'll be dropping the rotors off at the machine shop for turning and rebalancing before reassembly. This is the second set of pads as well as the second time the rotors were turned and balanced for the front, this is the first time on the rears. None of the pads are worn out, but they are grooved at the inner most and outer most sections of the inner pads. They're also showing some heat cracks (new pads are one temp range higher ceramics). I'll post pictures later to see if anyone else has had this grooving pattern. It's done it on all four wheels on mine.

I love looking at our suspensions, the way it all fits is absolutely fascinating (I'm used to the old skool solid rears like in Mustangs and pickup trucks and the occasional FWD EcoBox). I've only had my wheels off a couple times for rotations and pad swaps and have always been somewhat rushed. This time I wasn't rushed and it was nice to be able to look things over well. I was going to measure the sway bar and end link bushings all out for poly ES replacments and noticed on the rear, the bar runs over a section of subframe and there is virtually no space to get to the bolt. Is this something the subframe needs to be dropped to accomplish or is it something the engineers made easier access from a different angle than the wheelwell?

It is also soon to be time to get into my traction control/overdrive disable issue as well, that'll be a different thread though.

 

[LS4me]

On warping.....

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

I'm getting some shaking also. When we get back from vacation I will be replacing the pads and rotors. Should be ~$300. I will also be painting the calipers.

 

[Rifleman@LaymansPC.com]

Ok, well, whatever you wish to call it, cracking, uneven friction material deposits, there isn't enough left of the rotors for machining. New rotors are on order through NAPA and won't be in until Tuesday.

Spent some extra time under the car and in the manual, they say you have to drop the front of the rear subframe a couple inches to get at those bushings.

 

[LongIslandLSE]

Sometimes on these higher end cars when you finally feel the wArping it's to late. Happened to me on my Acura, felt the shaking and the shop said by the time we cut the rotors their will be nothing left and they would be on the machine for a long time.

 

[Rifleman@LaymansPC.com]

That and the higher performance cars don't have much extra rotor to start with as it adds weight. Oh well, I did get one resurface out of the fronts at least (they were fine on the first pad change, just wanted them cleaned and checked for trueness really).

I'm thinking about getting the scrub brushes out and cleaning all the suspension and wheel wells all out really well. May paint the calipers as well. If I get into all that I may take some pictures. Not sure what color I'd go with. I would want to use something with high temp durability so that limits my color choices. I don't want something that's going to stand out like a sore thumb. I don't want red or yellow or bright blue or the likes. With my car I'd likely go with black or silver just cause they'll not stand out as much. Silver seems kind of pointless seeing as they're already silver, just dirty. Black would look pretty bad after getting chipped up and would show dirt worse than silver or the bare metal. I may just clean it up and see what it looks like. Ideas are welcome.