Brake pad replacement is a simple enough task that many car owners elect to perform it on their own. Yet unless you take that opportunity to inspect your brake rotors, you may wind up with problems long before you should. If you would like to improve your home mechanic skills, read on. This article will teach you all about how to perform a brake rotor inspection.

The Indirect Method

Fortunately, there is plenty of valuable information to be gleaned about your brake rotors even with the brakes still on. In fact, your car may already be sending you signals that something isn't quite right. Learning to recognize such signals is this of the greatest importance.

A vibrating or jostling steering wheel is often the product of brake rotors that no longer form perfect circles. This can happen as the result of excessive wear. Likewise, it may caused by improperly affixed brake pads that cause the rotor to overheat and become warped. This symptom tends to become much more noticeable when traveling at high speeds.

Another key indication of rotor trouble is a pulsing brake pedal. Especially when accompanied by steering wheel movement, this tends to indicate rotor warp. Finally, unusual scratching, squealing, or grinding sounds can indicate a rotor that has become damaged by an excessively worn brake pad. Inspect and replace your brakes as soon as possible to keep the problem from growing worse.

The Direct Method

The occurrence of any of the symptoms discussed above is enough to warrant a more thorough visual inspection. Likewise, make a point to directly inspect your rotors any time you change your brake pads. The first thing you'll want to be on the lookout for are cracks. Even small hairline cracks represent cause for alarm; be sure to take your car to an experienced mechanic if you notice any.

Also keep your eyes peeled for rust. To a certain degree, rust on brake rotors is a natural phenomenon, and isn't necessarily cause for alarm. That's because your brakes tend to wipe away shallow surface rust when they are engaged. Deep corrosive rust, on the other hand, is a much more serious problem. It can have a profound negative affect on the proper functioning of your brakes. Be sure to take your car in for evaluation by a trained mechanic if you notice that rust has caused your rotors to become pitted or flaky.

If you notice either rust or cracks on your rotors, it is important that you have your them serviced and/or replaced by a trained professional. Click this link for more information.