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I own a Dodge Nitro and I have replaced all the brake pads. Now I have just bought four(4) new rotors (slotted).
Do I have scrape the brake pads after I replace the rotors because the rotors are slotted? I was told that if the rotors were smooth (flat surface) I would not need to do that.
Replacing the pads would be best practice. However it is not mandatory that you replace them. Be aware that if you reuse the old pads, they may take some time to wear to the surface of the new discs for the first 100 miles or so.
If it were me, I'd replace the pads and junk the used ones.
No, there is no need to 'scrape' the pads in preparation for the new rotors.
After replacing pads or rotors, you should always 'bed' or 'burnish' the new parts according to the pad manufacturer instructions. This process usually involves several hard stops from 50ish mph to get your rotors and pads up to temperature, then driving for ~10 minutes without touching the brakes to cool everything back down. The purpose of this procedure is to deposit a very thin, even layer of pad material onto the surface of the rotor, which allows the pads to grab onto the rotor much more consistently when the brake pedal is pressed - the process also aids in reducing pad noise.
There is no need to scrape the pads as drilled/slotted rotors scrape at the pad every time you stop.
For best performance though, I would burn them in: In a safe area, drive 60mph and brake to 20mph. Do this 3 times without giving the rotors any time to cool down. After you do it 3 times, let it cool completely.
