Raybestos® Update

Raybestos Updates Website to Showcase New Product Families

MCHENRY, Ill. – Jan. 22, 2019 – Raybestos® has updated its www.raybestos.com website to reflect the “Big Brake Thru” product line realignment recently introduced at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), according to Kristin Grons, marketing manager for Brake Parts Inc (BPI).

The updated website now features a “Product Families” tab that takes visitors to an overview of the new Element3™, R-Line and Specialty product families. Separate pages for each line deliver more detailed product information, including features and benefits, and show photos that illustrate the distinct packaging designed to help customers manage inventory and quickly select the right brake parts for each job. 

The online product catalog has also been updated to reflect the new family groupings, including pad and rotor kits for top applications, allowing users to easily identify the best parts for their brake jobs. The catalog contains improved product attributes such as English and metric measurements for all dimensions and added resources for each product. Robust filtering options save time and help users find exactly what they need.

“We had our customers in mind when we decided to realign our product offering into three distinct lines with easy-to-understand family packaging, all with no part number changes,” said Grons. “The enhanced Raybestos website lets them access information quickly and presents the three distinct Raybestos product families in a clean, streamlined format that is easy to navigate.”

To learn more about the Raybestos Element3, R-Line and Specialty product families, visit https://www.brakepartsinc.com/raybestos/product-families.html or contact your Raybestos representative.

Raybestos® Training Update

Warped Rotor Myth

Oftentimes, when a vehicle is brought into a shop with a complaint of pedal pulsation, a technician will diagnose the problem as a warped rotor. They will replace the rotors and send the vehicle on its way. If you follow this procedure, there is a good chance the vehicle will develop pedal pulsation problems again after a few thousand miles on the road.

In this video, we will discuss the myth surrounding warped rotors. We will show you what actually causes pedal pulsation, and how to fix the problem correctly the first time.

Watch this training video. 

Let's dispell the myth right off the bat: rotors do not warp. To warp a rotor, you physically have to change its metallurgy. To change the metallurgy of the rotor, you need temperatures in excess of 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. It's impossible for the brakes to get that hot in order to warp a rotor.

The true cause of pedal pulsation is disc thickness variation, which is the result of excessive lateral runout.

What is Disc Thickness Variation?

The cause of pedal pulsation is disc thickness variation. Disc thickness variation happens when a rotor varies in thickness on its surface.

What causes a thickness variation to occur? The answer is excessive lateral runout. Lateral runout is the amount of side to side movement of the rotor as it rotates.

Today's vehicles have extremely tight lateral runout specifications. Most vehicles have a specification of two-thousandths of an inch or less. If the runout is excessive, the rotor will begin to make contact with the brake pads as it wobbles back and forth. This contact between the rotor and brake pads won't be constant. It will happen periodically as the rotor wobbles back and forth.

If you use a semi-metallic pad, the pads will begin to grind away on the spots of the rotor that it contacts. This happens because a semi-metallic pad has an abrasive effect on rotors.

If you use a ceramic pad, the pads will leave a thin layer of friction material on the spots of the rotor that it contacts. This material transfer happens because ceramic pads have an adhesive effect on rotors.

Either way, this contact with the rotor is what causes a thickness variation. As the portion of the rotor with the thickness variation passes past the brake pads, the caliper piston has to extend or compress. This causes the pressure of the brake fluid to rise or fall during braking. This change of pressure is what leads to pedal pulsation.

What Causes Lateral Runout?

Lateral runout can be caused by uneven torque or a brake stud. However, the most common cause of lateral runout is rust buildup on the hub assembly. Hubs are often in use on a vehicle for hundreds of thousands of miles.

As you can imagine, a significant amount of rust will build up on that hub over that period of time. It is imperative that you take the time and clean the hub properly every time during a brake job. This will help ensure that you don't receive a comeback.

Steps to Checking Lateral Runout

1.) Clean the hub

2.) Install the rotor and conical washers

3.) Torque lug nuts down to specifications: Specifications can be found in a specification guide or the vehicle's service manual.

4.) Install dial indicator

5.) Check lateral runout by turning the rotor: Specifications can be found in a specification guide or the vehicle's service manual.

Correcting Lateral Runout

There are a few options you can choose from to correct lateral runout. The first option is to machine a rotor with a bench lathe or an on-the-care lathe. The other option is to replace the rotor with a new rotor.

No matter what option you choose, make sure that you re-measure the lateral runout and take the vehicle for a road test to ensure the pedal pulsation has stopped.

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