DO NOT buy the Wagner quiet stops from Oreilly. I have installed them on 4 vehicles and they all squeal really bad.

 

Could be a problem.

During normal operation, a certain amount of brake pad material is deposited on the rotor, and embedded into the surface. That helps the brakes to work better; just like a drag racer laying down a layer of hot rubber before a race.

If you're switching to a differant pad material, you need to resurface the rotors to get the old pad material off, so you can lay on some new stuff. Sometimes differant pad materials are not compatable with each other.

 

Good point.
I have heard both arguments - I am not having any rotor issues, I'm just replacing the pads. I looked at the rotors yesterday, and they do look pretty smooth, but I guess I'll make the determination after I get the wheels off. In other words, I'll probably decide to have it done at the last minute.

 

You could just have them honed. Not quite as good, but removes less material.

 

I just scuff em up and run em. Never been an issue in any of my vehicles. I tow heavy too. The touhauler and truck come in just under 28k at times but always over 26k. YMMV though I suppose.

 

Another good point - I called our local O'Reilly's and they will turn them for $15 each, so it's not a big deal to get them done. I'll also ask about honing.

 

Just an update...

I replaced my front brake pads over the weekend, and dang, what a piece of cake!!! I had a little trouble getting the caliper back on because of the small nubs on the back of the pads, but dang, that was easy!! The dealer wanted $235 to do this. I was able to get the EBC Green Stuff pads for $92 and the rest went into my vacation fund.

 

The problem with turning them is getting them off.


I just did mine with value line when I did the balljoints at around 80K miles. Turned the rotors, replaced the balljoints, and put the value line pads on and it ran me about $720 to have a shop do it including parts. The rears were in great shape and the fronts were still ok, but replaced the fronts because it was all taken apart anyway.
Gonna replace the rears early because it seems like worn pads tear up the rotors and I want to just rough them up and slap in new pads.

 

To the O.P., I just changed my pads at 133,000 miles, I still had some pad left probably could have gone to 140K. I've owned this truck since new in 10/03 and went back with the upgraded OEM pads and new brake fluid. Brakes feel just like new, didn't have to turn the rotors either.

 

I went with the OEM (non valu-line) pads myself at 50K. No regrets.

 

I'm at 60K on mine and they are squealing terribly. I had my trans serviced today (drop the pan, adjust band, replaced the leaking neutral safety switch, and opened up one of the holes in the valve body to increase lockup pressure and decrease highway cruise RPM) by a seasoned Dodge transmission tech who I trust. He told me it is time to do front and rear brakes not due to wear, but due to corrosion. Corrosion is a little weird in AZ, but the truck spent the first 2 years in Golden, Colorado. He recommended the better factory pads and recommended turning the rotors.

 

Now the brakes are squeaking at 111,000 miles - pads are worn out. I ordered the EBC Greenstuff pads. Type 7000 for the front, type 6000 for the rear. Gonna get the rotors turned......

 

I call bs on that too. Mine squeal 9 of 10 times after driving a gravel dusty road then it goes away after some pavement miles.
Fronts lasted almost 90 k on mine. 6 speed and my wife drove it almost exclusively in the mtns and did not use the trans to slow down. Rears are still good at 115k.
No rotor turning either. Unless war

 

Mine didn't look too bad, but when I had them done I found that the inner pads on the front were at 2mm with 74K on the truck, outers were about 4mm. There was significant corrosion on the metal brake plates where they contacted the calipers, they squealed all the time. The rears were significantly thicker, but since I already had the new pads I had them done anyway. My truck seldom sees anything but pavement, so the squealing was not related to gravel/dusty roads. I had the brakes done back in April 2013, I used the factory premium pads and had the tech turn the rotors. The squeal is gone and it stops as expected.

 

Makes sense, pack rust peeling off the backer plates.
I wouldn't have expected such rust on a reltivley new vehicle. My 07 spent it's first 4 years on the Western Slope, CO, driven daily in the winter, 2 years on the wet side of WA and the last year here in AK and the only corrosion issues I have is with the cheap chrome job on the front bumper!
Always polishing the rust spots off of it.
If you were down to 2mm though that's pretty thin anyway, brake pads are cheap insurance!