You take your car to a Utah auto repair shop because the brakes are squealing. After they take a look, the mechanics suggest you also allow them to refinish your rotors. Perhaps you aren’t sure if that is a necessary step or not. But they’re telling you they look pretty rough.

Rotors are the smooth sides of the disks, on disk brakes. They spin with the wheels. Whenever you apply your brake, the brake pads press against the rotor to slow the vehicle down.

Sometimes, if the brake pads get worn too far down, it can cause grooves and other surface damage to the rotor. If it is very minor, it is not something that needs to be addressed. However, from time to time, most experts recommend you get those rotors refinished.

Having the rotors refinished can help you achieve the goal of applying the brakes smoothly, effectively, and quietly. While some argue that resurfacing the rotors is usually not necessary, it can benefit the function and noise level of the disk brakes, if attended to once in a while.

On the other hand, proponents against refinishing the rotor, very often, are concerned about thinning out the metal of the rotor. Excessive lathing and sanding can make the rotor thinner than it needs to be. This could reduce the life of the rotors.

Some Utah auto repair shops will do a resurfacing as part of any brake pad replacement. Many do this because customers will return about the noisy brakes, if they don’t. In the end, it is up to you to decide if you feel it is beneficial, keeping in mind that when done in moderation, it can offer you some benefit without any drawbacks but the cost.