MSG C5

I have an Acura TL Type S daily driver and have a question about my brakes. During my service appointment last week, I was told that the brake rotors have slightly warped, however since I didn't notice any type of braking problems, I thought the service department was just trying to make some extra $$$.

Today, I removed from front passenger wheel to work on a curb rash and noticed this bend in the back of my front brake. Is this part of the rotor and is this normal? The bend doesn't appear to effect the actual pad/rotor performance or contact area so I'm looking for some expert advise.

Thanks!

eschantra

The rotor itself doesn't look bent. If you're talking about the matte black piece behind the rotor, it's a backing plate used as a rock shield and doesn't affect braking at all - unless it's touching the rotor, which it doesn't appear to be.

MVR 155

That rotor looks just fine, backing plate/shield looks fine too and as mentioned above.... as long as there is no rotor contact there is no issue. You will not be able to see rotor warping with your naked eye most likely... if you are not getting a pulsing or shaking upon braking then you likely dont have a warped rotor. Depending on your miles you may just want to do a rotor replacement as well with your new pads, if your stockers have been previously cut you are likely below spec and a thinner/cut rotor will experience more heat and will likely warp quicker/quickly under any kind of hard/spirited braking.

** On a side note I hope your driving a 2002 or 2003 TL Type S because if its an 07 or 08 you should have a big fat black Brembo Caliper up front. That looks like a caliper from a base model 3rd generation TL or a 2nd generation.

MSG C5

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, it's a 2002 TL Type S.

Acura makes good, solid cars, however this model TLS is known for poor brake rotors. The last set started to warp at only 6000 miles.

MVR 155

I had a 2003 CL Type S...... All under warranty the dealer cut the rotors twice and replaced them once, definately prone to warping although I drove that car pretty hard.

The Brembo set up on my 07 Type S is fantastic, no warping but it does eat up pads pretty quick, had to replace the original set at just over 20K miles....... I drive spirited but the car doesnt see any track time or abusive driving...... I have heard of some guys going through them around the 15K mile mark

MSG C5

My 2002 is a highway driver. I average around 30K miles each year traveling between Tampa, Orlanda and Miami on business. I have a pretty good maintenance system down since I've put an average of 250K miles on each of my last 3 daily driver business sedans.

What's frustrating me on this second Acura is that the OEM rotors have warped with less than 10K miles on them. It happened with the first set at about 50K miles and they were resurfaced. As a result, I am checking into aftermarket rotors that offer improved durability and performance. Any ideas?

Dave68

I have had excellent performance and durability from my PowerSlot Cryos. They are a bit pricey but dang, those things will probably last forever. Granted, I'm talking about the rotors on my C5 but I'll bet the same type for your Acura yeilds similar results. PowerSlot recommends Hawk pads but I'm running the excellent OEM pads.

MVR 155

As Dave mentioned you may want to try a cryo treaded rotor which will likely be priced higher but will hold up better.

Honestly I would do some searching/reading over at www.acurazine.com, its a great forum with a ton of members/info. There is a large 2nd Gen TL/CL community there and I can assure you that your not the first guy to have rotor issues, Im sure you will get some great advice/information..... there are alot of supporting vendors on that site as well.

MSG C5

Thanks. I have Baer Eradispeed rotors on my 2005 C5 and they have been fantastic. I don't think I need to go that extreme for my DD, however something has got to be better than their OEM rotors.

Pinky...

Depending if you drive in cold climates, the cryos might get a bit too brittle in freezing temps.

The straight Powerslot Slotted Rotors though are an excellent choice, without paying the cryo premium.

MSG C5

I live in Florida so I don't need to worry about the cold. I just want to get a good value and some durability and not worry about swapping the rotors every 10K miles.

Dave68

That's why the cryo-treated PowerSlots make sense. You buy them once and forget about replacing rotors ever again. Of course, payback is possible only if you plan to keep your car for a while. It's kinda like buying Bilsteins over OEM-type shocks. Bilsteins rarely have to be replaced due to wear or old age.