brake lathe, used, reconditioned, automotive service, tools, (2023)

FAQs

Is it worth buying a brake lathe? ›

Though brake lathes may have a certain appeal (since there's nothing like the bite of brake pad on fresh, clean rotors), they're most appropriate for professional garages. It's unlikely that people who simply prefer to work on their own cars would yield enough benefit from a personal brake lathe to be worthwhile.

There are two prescribed methods to refinish a flywheel: turning on a lathe or grinding with an application specific machine. Many try to turn a flywheel on a brake lathe but the industry frowns on that procedure. It is very difficult to accurately chuck the flywheel to a brake lathe.

A brake lathe is used to correct the thickness of a rotor after issues with vibration or noise problems after a period of heavy brake use. After continuous uneven contact with the brake pad on the rotor, the brake pad can damage the rotor. There are two types of brake lathes- on-car and off-car lathes.

Entry-level lathes, suitable for DIY and small-scale applications, can cost between $100 and $10,000, while a professional CNC lathe can go well over $5,00,000. Generally, wood lathes are comparatively cheaper than metal lathes, and a good wood lathe can cost you around $200-$5,000.

Flywheels with cosmetic wear may be reused without resurfacing.

IMPORTANT: You must cut only one side at a time. Cut the inboard side of the rotor first (outboard cutting bit NOT touching rotor), and then make a second pass to cut the outboard side of the rotor (inboard cutting bit not touching rotor). Do not engage both inboard and outboard cutting tips at the same time.

On-car lathes are designed to compensate for runout problems, and do not require major disassembly of the hub and rotor on captive rotor brake systems.

Drum brake disadvantages

Under hard braking, the diameter of the drum increases slightly due to thermal expansion, the driver must press the brake pedal farther. Brake shoes can overheat to the point where they become glazed. Excessive brake drum heating can cause the brake fluid to vapourise.

The main disadvantage of using a lathe machine is that it requires frequent maintenance due to its high precision. This means regular cleaning and oiling must be done to continue working properly.

As an essential piece of equipment for tire dealerships and vehicle repair shops, brake lathes perform the important function of machining vehicle brake drums and resurfacing brake rotors.

What are the 3 types of lathe? ›

You should check any heavy machinery frequently to ensure the safety of the user. Not to mention the cost of having to replace machinery that could be prevented through proper maintenance. You should be checking over your lathe machine monthly for any minor maintenance and complete maintenance check every six months.

As woodworking tools go, lathes can get expensive, here is why. Lathes are so expensive because the cast iron bodies, motors and parts used to build them are costly to produce. There is a lot of labor involved machining parts and calibrating the final assembled lathe adding to the cost. Shipping also plays a role.

Walnut wood is one of the best for use on a lathe. You can easily get some incredible results from turning this wood on a lathe between 800 to 1,000 RPM. It may not be the easiest wood to turn since it is quite tough and has an end grain that can prove difficult to sand.

The engine lathe is considered as the most common type of manual lathes, which are widely used in all machine shop applications. The engine lathe or center lathe can perform operations such as turning, end face, grooving, knurling, and threading.

The wood lathe speed rule of thumb is – do not to exceed 1,000 RPMs. One thousand RPMs seems to be a magical point at which bowl blanks either go up or down if they come off the lathe. If the speed is under 1,000 RPMs, then a dislodged bowl blank is supposed to fall to the floor.

Over time, brake pads (and rotors) can glaze over, and brake performance will suffer. A quick fix is to remove the pads and lightly rub them across clean sandpaper. You don't want too fine a grit — a grit of 120 or below will do the job well.

Drilled & slotted brake rotors are also are fine for general use in street vehicles. Cons: Drilled & slotted rotors are not recommended for performance racing since the drilling makes them vulnerable to cracking.

How Much Does It Cost To Turn/Resurface Rotors? Labor rates can vary, but expect to pay around $200 per axle for resurfacing brake rotors. You can save on labor by removing the rotors yourself and taking them to a shop.

Flywheel Resurfacing

It is recommended that you have the flywheel on your vehicle ground when your clutch is being replaced to ensure a complete repair and like-new clutch performance. Our machine shops can grind flat and recessed flywheel surfaces, as well as truck, VW, and R&R ring gear flywheels.

Why shouldn't you resurface a dual mass flywheel? ›

Dual Mass Flywheels can NEVER be resurfaced. Grinding grit can and will get into the internal parts and quickly destroy the flywheel once it is reinstalled and in use. You must either replace the flywheel with a new Dual Mass Flywheel or, if the option is available, convert to a single mass solid flywheel replacement.

Flywheels also help keep your engine running smoothly even when torque varies during gear changes. Without the momentum of the flywheel, the engine would likely stall when engaging the clutch. This is because the engine speed would drop too quick without the angular momentum of the flywheel.

It takes as little as . 001 inches difference in thickness to notice when driving and braking. If rotors are machined too thin, they can damage brake parts. By machining the rotors to the maximum level, rotors will overheat, fade, and lose stopping power.

The two possible answers above are based on a “rule of thumb” that there should be at least . 030 inches of remaining material on a rotor if it is to be machined.

A hubless brake drum cannot be machined because it cannot be held in a lathe. The major reason for brake pedal pulsation during braking is due to excessive rotor thickness variation.

Replacing one worn-out rotor usually means replacing both rotors on the vehicle, since they usually experience the same amount of wear. Many brake experts recommend replacing both rotors at the same time (even if one is still “good”) to maintain even braking side-to-side.

A bench lathe is necessary to resurface rotors and drums. An on-car lathe is also a great tool for turning troublesome rotors on vehicles that are sensitive to rotor runout issues, and those with captured rotors.

This micrometer is used for precisely measuring thickness of brake rotor surfaces. It provides accurate, quick measurements.

Instead of having a technician standing idle at the bench lathe, an on-car lathe enables the tech to prepare one side while it is machining the other. “Since machining rotors by nature is not the most profitable for a shop, maximizing wrench time while the vehicle is on the rack helps control costs,” said Kennedy.

Resurfacing Your Rotors

Sometimes your rotors may need to be resurfaced because they have worn unevenly, warped from heat, or become damaged by worn brake pads or pitted from corrosion or rust. Resurfacing rotors removes some of their metal, until the surface is smooth and even again.

Why do you face off on a lathe? ›

Facing off a part on the centre lathe is the process of creating a smooth end face. This removes any marks that may be present from previous cutting operations such using a hacksaw to cut the bar to a rough length.

Safety. Because of their superior heat capacity, discs are arguably safer than drums. But most of the braking power comes from your front brakes. Even in panic stops, your rear brakes get less stress and less heat than your front brakes.

As a result, most people are unfamiliar with how drum brakes work or when to replace them. The good news is brake drums are built to last 100K to 150K miles and are easy to maintain. However, the parts inside the drum need to be inspected and serviced more frequently.

Drum brakes are generally expected to last between 150,000 to 200,000 miles with proper care and maintenance. Their brake shoes generally need to be replaced about every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. Of course, the conditions your vehicle is exposed to over time will have an impact on drum brakes' wear, too.

Although some people machine rotors to extend rotor life, there are downsides to resurfacing rotors instead of replacing them. Machining can lead to poorer quality rotors and safety issues. The process is also time-consuming and can be difficult to do correctly.

It is often more economical to simply replace a rotor than to have it resurfaced, saving you time and money. Or in the case that you neglected the warning signs that your brake pads needed to be replaced, leaving your rotors damaged from grinding metal to metal contact.

Many factors determine how long your rotors will last, but you can generally expect them to require replacing somewhere between 30,000 and 70,000 miles of driving. For an average driver covering 12,000 miles per year, this means that brake rotors may need replacing anytime between 2 1/2 years and six years of driving.

Labor to service brakes can run from $90 to $200 per hour. Brake service generally runs approximately $200 to $500 per axle at a professional center.

FACT: Yes you do! You can of course skim discs off the car, using a bench lathe. But why would you want to spend time removing the disc and then refitting it? And more importantly, off-car machining doesn't take account of any hub run-out or unwanted particles between mating surfaces.

Rotors today are thinner, and made of lighter alloys than their counterparts from 7-10 years ago. That means you can't machine them as much, and it means they're more likely to be worn down before you change the brake pads. It also means that slight machining issues can cause drastic noises and vibrations.

Which operation Cannot be performed on lathe? ›

Drilling: Drilling is the production of cylindrical holes of definite diameters in workpieces by using a multi-point cutting tool called a 'drill'.

The original and most basic type of manual lathe. An engine lathe holds a cylindrical workpiece on one or both ends. A flat, round workholding device often used to mount flat-bottomed workpieces. A faceplate is the most basic means of mounting a workpiece on the spindle of a lathe.

Keep hands away from stock while lathe is on. Stop lathe when using calipers or any type of gauge. Tools must be kept sharp for use. Don't use dull tools, report them to the supervisor.