Rotors

[nevada435]

I have a 2007 Fusion with 27,000 kms and I am told that the rotors are warped. Dealership says that they are NOT covered under the 3 year warranty. Was wondering if anyone has had a similar problem. I do not brake hard and I think that it is ridiculous that the rotors would need to be changed with such low mileage.

[SMDolinajec]

my 2008 with 17000 miles on it has warped front rotors, under light braking the wheel shakes, but under heavy breaking they are fine. You are not the only one having the problem i have been able to get the dealer to cut the rotors before under warranty.

[jewellri]

I recently had service done to my 2008 Fusion SE I-4. The wheel would shake under heavy breaking. The front rotors were cut and now they are fine. I have almost 21000 miles on the car, and I thought it was odd that the rotors were already warped. Could antilock brakes damage rotors?

[2010SEL]

I recently had service done to my 2008 Fusion SE I-4. The wheel would shake under heavy breaking. The front rotors were cut and now they are fine. I have almost 21000 miles on the car, and I thought it was odd that the rotors were already warped. Could antilock brakes damage rotors?

Anti lock brakes won't cause rotor damage. Improper/uneven torquing of wheel nuts will cause rotor problems. Also, if you heat the brakes up (say after coming down a long hill) avoid sitting at a stop light or something with your foot on the brake. Try to let the car move a little every few seconds. Sitting there for several minutes with the rotor clamped in one spot causes uneven cooling and can cause warpage.

[rfruth]

I agree with SEL but would also say avoid puddles if possible (hot rotors & cool water)

[DaveM]

I have a 2007 Fusion with 27,000 kms and I am told that the rotors are warped. Dealership says that they are NOT covered under the 3 year warranty. Was wondering if anyone has had a similar problem. I do not brake hard and I think that it is ridiculous that the rotors would need to be changed with such low mileage.

If you are sure you haven't been riding the brakes or something else that causes them to heat up than it is possible that if you have had your tires rotated that they didn't use a torque wrench when they reinstalled them.

[Rodeo]

If you are sure you haven't been riding the brakes or something else that causes them to heat up than it is possible that if you have had your tires rotated that they didn't use a torque wrench when they reinstalled them.

How critical is that? What torque should they be tightened to?

[FtLewis2002]

How critical is that? What torque should they be tightened to?

 

the book says 76lbs I believe, but I torque mine to 80 as I have on all aluminum wheels my entire life. After my last oil change/rotate, I came home, pulled out my torque wrench, and some were too tight, and others were loose. Trust nobody; do them yourself. Steel wheels get 100lbs.

[bbf2530]

the book says 76lbs I believe, but I torque mine to 80 as I have on all aluminum wheels my entire life. After my last oil change/rotate, I came home, pulled out my torque wrench, and some were too tight, and others were loose. Trust nobody; do them yourself. Steel wheels get 100lbs.

 

Hi FtLewis. :D Please check your Owners Manual again, as you are under-torquing your wheels. The torque rating is 100 lb. ft., for all Fusions, all factory wheels.

 

Torque rating info is on page 255 for the Fusion, and 249 for the Fusion Hybrid (PDF versions of both).

 

Rodeo - Properly torquing the lug nuts/wheels has always been important for all cars. However, it is something that few people do.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

[FtLewis2002]

Hi FtLewis. :D Please check your Owners Manual again, as you are under-torquing your wheels. The torque rating is 100 lb. ft., for all Fusions, all factory wheels.

 

Torque rating info is on page 255 for the Fusion, and 249 for the Fusion Hybrid (PDF versions of both).

 

Rodeo - Properly torquing the lug nuts/wheels has always been important for all cars. However, it is something that few people do.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

 

I see that, but I cracked an aluminum rim at 100lbs before. At least they're evenly torqued, (that's the important part when it comes to rotors) and I've never had one come loose yet. I check them every couple weeks. When it came back from the dealer, I'd say some were at 90ish, and some were at 70ish, and the rest were in between. It was like they forgot to torque them after setting the rims with an impact.

[Rodeo]

Dont most dealerships and auto shops simply set their air ratchets to a particular setting and just torque them that way? I doubt seriously that anyone is breaking out an expensive torque wrench to dial in each stud. Few probably even change the air ratchet between steel wheels or alloys even but maybe they do at least that much..

 

So where does the damage to rotors come in, by under or over torqueing? (I suspect over)

[bbf2530]

I see that, but I cracked an aluminum rim at 100lbs before. At least they're evenly torqued, (that's the important part when it comes to rotors) and I've never had one come loose yet. I check them every couple weeks. When it came back from the dealer, I'd say some were at 90ish, and some were at 70ish, and the rest were in between. It was like they forgot to torque them after setting the rims with an impact.

 

Hi FtLewis. :D No problem, I understand your opinion to do otherwise. As long as you know the correct torque recommendation, you are making your own "management decision" and you are then free to do as you like.

 

However, I just want to be sure that we give the correct information to others (100 lb. ft.).

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

 

 

Dont most dealerships and auto shops simply set their air ratchets to a particular setting and just torque them that way? I doubt seriously that anyone is breaking out an expensive torque wrench to dial in each stud. Few probably even change the air ratchet between steel wheels or alloys even but maybe they do at least that much..

 

So where does the damage to rotors come in, by under or over torqueing? (I suspect over)

 

Hi Rodeo. :D Impact (air) wrenches generally are not precision devices. They are time savers. So they may over-tighten or under-tighten the lugs at any time (and usually do).

 

And yes, many people who are car enthusiasts and care about their cars do break out torque wenches. A torque wrench does not have to be "expensive", and even an expensive one is still cheaper than replacing warped rotors (even once)

In addition, if one was to read the Owners Manual (I realize you do not have one yet, unless you downloaded the PDF version), they would see that it specifically states:

WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque at 500 miles (800 km)

after any wheel disturbance (tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel

removal, etc.).

 

Therefore, a car owner is supposed to recheck the torque setting of the lugnuts after 500 miles anyway. Every time a wheel has been removed from the car. So owning a torque wrench is a wise investment.

 

Of course, whether an individual takes the time to maintain their car correctly or not is a personal choice.

 

The short answer to "...where does the damage to rotors come in, by under or over torquing?": If uneven or excessive pressure is applied to the brake rotor hat by over-torqued (overtightened) lugnuts, the rotor can warp.

 

In many cases where brake rotors wind up warped on newer vehicles (and if the cause can truly not be blamed on "driver error", i.e. riding the brakes, left foot braking etc.), overtightened lug nuts are often the cause.

 

If you go to any expert wheel/tire site (The Tire Rack, Discount Tire, etc.), they will all recommend that impact wrenches be avoided like the plague and lugnuts be tightened by hand with a torque wrench.

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

[Rodeo]

Thanks BBF.

 

I myself didn't realize that it was all that important but now I do.

[FtLewis2002]

Hi FtLewis. :D No problem, I understand your opinion to do otherwise. As long as you know the correct torque recommendation, then you are making your own "management decision" and you are then free to do as you like.

 

However, I just want to be sure that we give the correct information to others (100 lb. ft.).

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

 

I thought I'd read 76 somewhere...my bad. Anyway, most shops use a torque-stick on their impacts to tighten them, but those are about as accurate as an Iraqi Policeman with an AK-47. They claim different, but I've never had any luck with them except for +-5lbs at best.

http://www.torquestick.com/

[2010SEL]

Even a good manual torque wrench will be +-5%. And that's once it has been calibrated. You'll never get it perfect. Having them evenly torqued, using a star pattern in increments of 25-35 ft-lbs at a time is the best way to get them torqued evenly. The exact torque value isn't all that critical. Even torque is. So make sure the studs and nuts are clean, free of burrs or nicks, and apply a very small of anti-seize to the threads. Torque the nuts to hand tight, then 50 ft-lbs, then 75 ft-lbs, then 100 ft-lbs, then go back around again to 100 ft-lbs. On my old car ('69 Dodge) the recommended torque is only 65 ft-lbs. Studs are about the same size as on the '10 Fusion. Who knows why Ford wants them so tight? Highest torque I've ever seen for a regular passenger car!

[FtLewis2002]

Even a good manual torque wrench will be +-5%. And that's once it has been calibrated. You'll never get it perfect. Having them evenly torqued, using a star pattern in increments of 25-35 ft-lbs at a time is the best way to get them torqued evenly. The exact torque value isn't all that critical. Even torque is. So make sure the studs and nuts are clean, free of burrs or nicks, and apply a very small of anti-seize to the threads. Torque the nuts to hand tight, then 50 ft-lbs, then 75 ft-lbs, then 100 ft-lbs, then go back around again to 100 ft-lbs. On my old car ('69 Dodge) the recommended torque is only 65 ft-lbs. Studs are about the same size as on the '10 Fusion. Who knows why Ford wants them so tight? Highest torque I've ever seen for a regular passenger car!

 

I know that. I'm saying the torque sticks will be +-5 per "wheel fastener" (aka lug nut) As in fastener 1 is 75, fastener 2 is at 85... I couldn't care less if my torque wrench is applying 83lbs when I set it at 80, as long as ALL of the fasteners are at 83lbs.

[bbf2530]

Even a good manual torque wrench will be +-5%. And that's once it has been calibrated. You'll never get it perfect. Having them evenly torqued, using a star pattern in increments of 25-35 ft-lbs at a time is the best way to get them torqued evenly. The exact torque value isn't all that critical. Even torque is. So make sure the studs and nuts are clean, free of burrs or nicks, and apply a very small of anti-seize to the threads. Torque the nuts to hand tight, then 50 ft-lbs, then 75 ft-lbs, then 100 ft-lbs, then go back around again to 100 ft-lbs. On my old car ('69 Dodge) the recommended torque is only 65 ft-lbs. Studs are about the same size as on the '10 Fusion. Who knows why Ford wants them so tight? Highest torque I've ever seen for a regular passenger car!

 

 

Hi 2010SEL. :D Only referring to the part I highlighted in red from your previous post above: Clean, free of burrs and nicks, tighten in a star pattern etc, is all perfectly correct, however Ford (and all expert wheel tire sites, i.e. The Tire Rack/Discount Tire etc.) specifically state not to apply any lubricating or anti-seize compounds to the lug nut threads

 

Applying anti-seize or other lubricants will throw off the torque wrench accuracy. Essentially, you will wind up over-torquing/tightening the lugs.

 

Not trying to tell you what to do with your own car, just providing the information that the experts recommend for anyone who cares.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

[FtLewis2002]

Even a good manual torque wrench will be +-5%. And that's once it has been calibrated. You'll never get it perfect. Having them evenly torqued, using a star pattern in increments of 25-35 ft-lbs at a time is the best way to get them torqued evenly. The exact torque value isn't all that critical. Even torque is. So make sure the studs and nuts are clean, free of burrs or nicks, and apply a very small of anti-seize to the threads. Torque the nuts to hand tight, then 50 ft-lbs, then 75 ft-lbs, then 100 ft-lbs, then go back around again to 100 ft-lbs. On my old car ('69 Dodge) the recommended torque is only 65 ft-lbs. Studs are about the same size as on the '10 Fusion. Who knows why Ford wants them so tight? Highest torque I've ever seen for a regular passenger car!

 

Well the Ford Service Manuals (DVD) specifically state not to use any anti-seize on the studs. Just wanted to make sure we give correct information to others. Of course, what you do with your car is up to you.

[2010SEL]

Interesting. I've been using anti-seize for 40 years and never had an issue with a lug nut/stud breaking, coming loose, stripping, or whatever they think will happen if it is used. To each his own I guess!

[akirby]

Interesting. I've been using anti-seize for 40 years and never had an issue with a lug nut/stud breaking, coming loose, stripping, or whatever they think will happen if it is used. To each his own I guess!

 

It simply changes the effective torque that gets applied to the lug nut, so you're either over-tightening or under-tightening. The torque specs are determined and tested dry. If you don't care whether your lug nights are properly torqued or not, then to each his own.....

[StephenVanLowe]

Could something with the calipers not releasing all the way, causing the pads to heat up the rotors more cause them to warp. Im having this problem in my car and was wondering if maybe there could be a problem with the calipers being bad. Also, would anyone recomend drilled and slotted rotors to help reduce the heat in a driving situation, that could be causing the rotors to warp. I just replaced pads and rotors about 20,000 miles ago cause i had this problem, and it never really completly went away.

[FusionDiffusion]

Why did you revive this three-year-old topic instead of just making a new one? Don't just read the first post and then decide to make your own post that has nothing to do with discussion as it ended so many years ago.

 

Like everyone else was saying here, first thing is to retighten your lug nuts to the proper torque. Stuck caliper slides are another. Bad calipers or wheel bearings are a third. Putting on slotted rotors does nothing to deal with the cause of the problem, so I would imagine those would warp too in time.

[StephenVanLowe]

Actually, I read the whole topic and not just the third post. And whats the point in starting a new topic on the same thing thats already here even if it 3 years old or not. I was just giving my opinion on what I thought it could be to see what someone else thought about it.

[Monochrome11]

It simply changes the effective torque that gets applied to the lug nut, so you're either over-tightening or under-tightening. The torque specs are determined and tested dry. If you don't care whether your lug nights are properly torqued or not, then to each his own.....

That is close on that explanation but not exact. Lubricant and anti-seize does not effect the torque, it effects the amount of clamp up at a specific torque. A lubricated stud will have a higher tensile stress at 100 ft-lbs due the higher clamp up. You can actually get more consistent clamp up with a lubricated stud but you have to back off on the torque specification and you have to make sure you lubricate it every time it is installed.

 

The company I work for makes and applies dry film lubricants for Aerospace applications. We have seen companies use high strength bolts with dry lube and not allow for the lower friction by lowering the torque spec. Many bolts have been broken because of this. Fastener companies take this seriously when determining torque values. They use a torque-tension test machine to determine this specification.

Edited February 17, 2012 by Monochrome11