1996 Honda Accord resurfacing vs machining

Tiny
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  • 1996 HONDA CIVIC
Brakes problem
1996 Honda Civic 6 cyl Automatic

I recently had my front and rear brake pads replaced.

According to my bill, the rear rotors were "resurfaced" and the front rotors "machined."

Is there a difference between the two terms?

Thanks.
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 AT 12:48 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
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Hi there,

no there is no differance, both terms mean that the rotors have been machined, It is strange that they use different terms.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 AT 9:38 PM
Tiny
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Hello Mark: I found it strange, too.

At my 90,000 mile maintenance my front pads were at 40% and the rears pads were at 80%.

Less than 6,000 miles later the front pads were at 10% and the rears 25%, which they said needed to be replaced.

Three years ago I had the ABS modulator and brake master cylinder replaced. Both are still under warranty.

Could a defect in either one contribute to what I believe is excessive brake pad wear given my normal maintenance and driving history?
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Thursday, May 29th, 2008 AT 6:35 PM
Tiny
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Hi there,

The ABS modulator wont be the issue, if any thing an incorrect brake pedal free play adjustment, or a proportioning valve. But knowing how dealerships work, I feel that they are being overly cautious and just add brakes. Did you see the old pads/ depending on driving conditions you could easily do 3 sets of front pads to on set of rears.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Thursday, May 29th, 2008 AT 8:58 PM
Tiny
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Hello Mark: Thank you for your reply.

I do not know what a new pad looks like so, to my untrained eye, there seemed to be some ways to go before the pad hit the metal "whatchamacallit."

What I did mention to the head of the Service Dept. Was that I thought my brake pedal seemed "low" after the brake job.

My recollection is that whenever there has been any maintenance to the car, the brake pedal usually feels "tighter" and "higher."

You use the word "play" in the brake pedal. How would that feel?

He discounted my concerns when I asked him if there might be an issue with the master cylinder that had been replaced. I asked him if that could have contributed to the excessive wear to my rear pads.

Another thing he mentioned was that if one uses the emergency brake and it doesn't disengage completely (even by "one click") that could cause a "drag" on the rear brakes.

However, I am the original owner of the car. I doubt if "all of a sudden" I unknowingly kept drving with an engaged emergency brake to the extent that I wore down my rears pads to such a degree that, historically, is contrary to my brake maintenance records.
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Friday, May 30th, 2008 AT 5:49 PM
Tiny
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Hi there,

If you pull the hand brake on even one click the warning light should come on, and anyway if the park brake was adjusted so tight that this was the case, your service mechanic dose not have a clue as to what he is doing. That comment of his is rubbish! The pedal Free play is the "dead travel"between the actuating push rod of the master Cyl and the piston. This is important as id there is no clearance the brakes will drag some what. Also Changing the brake fluid is important as it is "Hydroscopic"that is it absorbs moisture and this will cause a less than good pedal feel when the brake warm up, as the moisture will boil and the gas is compressible giving you a soft pedal.

I hope this helps you. Feel free to contact me for more information if needed.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Friday, May 30th, 2008 AT 8:39 PM
Tiny
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Hello Mark: Thank you very much for your help!

When I talked with the head of the Service Dept, he told me that my brake pads wore evenly and there was no rotor warpage.

I knew there might be an issue with the brake pedal.

So, I am going to TRY and pursue it with the Service Dept, especially because the master cylinder is still under warranty.
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Friday, May 30th, 2008 AT 11:34 PM

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