My new '04 is shuddering on braking hard, so I'm going to get a full set of Hawk ceramic pads. How do I know if the rotors need resurfacing, and how much does Autozone charge if I take them down there for resurfacing? What is the advantage to getting the Racing Brake Sport rotors?

 

If you have vinyl record type grooves in your rotors you definitely need new ones.

The interior curved vane and exterior slotted Racing Brake rotors dissipate heat more quickly than stock during/after brake usage, therefore far better for the track and street, plus they look great.

edit: LOL; presuming you know what a vinyl record is.

 

Just an update - installed the new Hawks on Friday (piece of cake) and so far, so good on the squeal being gone. No real noticeable difference in the stopping vs. the non-ceramic pads.

 

Do the Hawk ceramic pads have a longer life than the OEM pads?

 

As easy as they were to change, they could last half as long as long as they stay quiet. The squealing was embarassing. But I believe the longevity of these should be at least as long or maybe even longer than OEM pads.