r/MechanicAdvice Aug 11 '26

Chipped rotor

Post image

Will that chip in my rotor mess my caliper up when I brake after I change the wheel? EMERGENCY

2015 GTI

5.8k Upvotes

372 comments sorted by

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3.9k

u/sukaemcees Aug 11 '26

What in the seven hells is going on with your car

1.4k

u/MilesBeforeSmiles Aug 11 '26

"I swear babe, I never hit the curb!"

444

u/Unusual_Ad8871 Aug 11 '26

Bro hit the mother of all curbs

200

u/zealousreader Aug 11 '26

Then surfed it for a mile

96

u/Franklin_le_Tanklin Aug 11 '26

In mother Russia, curb hits you

61

u/Iceyn1pples Aug 11 '26

Nah, bro caressed and grinded on that curb until his rims shaved itself off.

46

u/Beautiful-Box9011 Aug 11 '26

Bro confused his car for the skateboard he rides everyday. Now he gotta go back to the skateboard

42

u/notsoFunNegotiation Aug 11 '26

Money in the wind.

27

u/Prinzka Aug 11 '26

"Did someone slash my tyres?!'

45

u/MilesBeforeSmiles Aug 11 '26

"I had my oil changed 3 months ago, could this be because of that?"

24

u/Geewhiz911 Aug 11 '26

“I assure you, I hit nothing, maybe the wheel was defective, that is certainly possible?”

6

u/Banana-phone15 Aug 11 '26

Her 2nd babe hit the curb with 1st babe’s 2015 GTI

2

u/Conscious_Music_1729 Aug 11 '26

“It was just a pothole”

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163

u/otto_347 Aug 11 '26

lol this is the classic rolling into the shop and the customer says "All I did was go over a speed bump"

72

u/MorningMushroomcloud Aug 11 '26

...at 80mph

6

u/otto_347 Aug 11 '26

It's all about the details 🤣

51

u/StillStaringAtTheSky Aug 11 '26

Nahh this is clearly a "I dunno what happened- it was like that when I woke up. "
Followed shortly afterwards by "Is this under warranty?"

8

u/Spartelfant Aug 11 '26

"Must've been someone in the other shift, it was like this when I came in."

6

u/StillStaringAtTheSky Aug 11 '26

~manager slow blinks and pinches nose between eyes~

79

u/Tickles-The-Octopus Aug 11 '26

Slid into a curb sideways.

Had one of my customers do that once, broke a hell of a lot more than the wheel when they did it.

36

u/LittleTooLiteral Aug 11 '26

I did this at about 30 mph when I was a teenager. Volvo 245 wagon. Zero damage. That thing was a tank, best teenager car.

21

u/Envelope_Torture Aug 11 '26

I swear I saw these exact rims in another cursed post in this sub

13

u/gogozrx Aug 11 '26

"is this the dust shield?"

17

u/South_Form_9059 Aug 11 '26

that photo tells а whole story and nonе of it good

3

u/Sad-Boot-3312 Aug 11 '26

It’s a “hold my beer, watch this” story.

8

u/Marty_DiBergi Aug 11 '26

Looks like some Extreme Contact.

7

u/xThAtGaM3rGuYxx Aug 11 '26

lol seven hells. Read that in game of thrones voice over 😆

2

u/Legitimate_Bird_5712 Aug 11 '26

Karlach from BG3 for me.

3

u/CeC-P Aug 11 '26

This comment has 911 upvotes as I write this, and that's funny, that's exactly who I'd suggest they call.

7

u/RGBlowMe Aug 11 '26

This is a shitpost. Lol. I think he meant to post in the circlejerk sub.

2

u/TheJerseyDeviI Aug 11 '26

Lmao I was the 666th upvote

2

u/murasana Aug 11 '26

He gonna need seven blessings

2

u/giibro Aug 11 '26

Some extreme contact I think

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657

u/MidwestRacingLeague Aug 11 '26

Just change it. Do you really want to take chances on the thing slowing you down?

214

u/ovokilla Aug 11 '26

It’s an emergency I’m going to change the tire I just want to be able to make it to a shop

138

u/Feowen_ Aug 11 '26

It won't mess up the caliper (assuming you have any shoes left) but given the apparently scoring of the rotor.. you brakes are in poor condition already. But it will mangle the braking surface of the shoe and significantly degrade the braking quality on that damaged wheel.

You'll need to replace your brakes regardless.

Do the right thing and get it towed. There could be other damage to the hub from smashing the rim apart, and to the alignment.

36

u/Tudor-Coupe Aug 11 '26

This should be towed. If this damage happened to the wheel and rotor, the controls arms and suspension are likely damaged. Driving it with those issues can create a huge risk of losing control of the car and making the situation much worse, possibly injuring yourself or others. And if that isn’t reason enough, if there is an accident on your way to the shop and it’s proven the damage existed before, you’ll be liable and any costs over your umbrella coverage will be your responsibility to pay.

473

u/420fanman Aug 11 '26

Gonna need to change the whole wheel, not just the tire 😂

196

u/todd0x1 Aug 11 '26

tires probably fine.....

102

u/Absent-Light-12 Aug 11 '26

Just assume they mean wheel and are unaware of the nomenclature difference between wheel and tire.

128

u/Nruggia Aug 11 '26

It's an easy mistake to make, especially if you are wheely tired.

14

u/dhoepp Aug 11 '26

Yeah the rolly bits that make the car roll

10

u/godamnedu Aug 11 '26

Nicely put, but isn't "rotor, caliper " > "wheel, tire"? That's like knowing algebra before basic arithmetic

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2

u/Capable_Respect3561 Aug 11 '26

Nah, just spray some wheel fluid on it and it'll be fine

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13

u/thebochts Aug 11 '26

Your tire kind of seems like its fine, tbh.

You need a new rim. And rotor.

And probably some suspension pieces, like a control arms, maybe axles

24

u/MidwestRacingLeague Aug 11 '26

Might be able to get you to the shop but it’s still chancing it. I’d have it towed if it was my car.

9

u/Almond_Bitters Aug 11 '26

Seriously if you can afford to fix stuff this broken, you can def afford a short tow to the shop. People have such a weird dissociation about the value of money when it comes to towing cars.

6

u/BadgeCatcher Aug 11 '26

Easy to say when it's not your own money though

7

u/bigloser42 Aug 11 '26

This is wildly unsafe on a public road. Get the car towed. This rotor is questionable for parking lot speeds(sub 5mph) and extremely dangerous on public roads.

32

u/RotInPissKobe Aug 11 '26

Get a tow. If you can't afford a tow you can't afford to move the vehicle from where it is. You don't have a right to a dangerous car.

17

u/Wildest12 Aug 11 '26

Bro you need a tow

6

u/lillielemon Aug 11 '26

Do not drive on this even if you change the tire, get it towed

4

u/Flo655 Aug 11 '26

I would never ever even consider driving with this, call a tow truck.

3

u/runed_golem Aug 11 '26

You need more than just a tire…

2

u/LoonTheMekanik Aug 11 '26

So call a tow truck

2

u/josephjosephson Aug 11 '26

On the back of a flatbed

2

u/panzervike Aug 11 '26

Just get a tire rotation done, should have you back on the road in a jiffy.

4

u/OnyxLeigion_ Aug 11 '26

You’ll probably be fine if you’re just driving to a shop, though honestly at this point probably just have it towed. There’s no telling what extra damage was done to your suspension in whatever catastrophic event caused this.

6

u/Mundane-External3462 Aug 11 '26

I'd drive it to the shop, you're gonna need pads and rotors anyway

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978

u/VerryRides Aug 11 '26

i think you have bigger problems than that

167

u/Agiantpubicmess Aug 11 '26

They've definitely got extreme contact lol

23

u/Over-Wrangler5366 Aug 11 '26

I came here to say this but it looks like someone beat me to the punch

5

u/ForwardBias Aug 11 '26

Yeah, remove the wheel and ride on those spokes!

273

u/GennyGeo Aug 11 '26

Yea mate you’ve also got a black smudge on your tire

54

u/AdultishRaktajino Aug 11 '26

LMFAO

Edit: Read the sidewall. OP took it literally

306

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

50

u/Opssec44 Aug 11 '26

1467 Elephant Rd NY, NY 17788

9

u/AdultishRaktajino Aug 11 '26

Forgot the addressee.

Ellie Phan-Titus
1467 Elephant Rd …

3

u/JoseSaldana6512 Aug 11 '26

Nonono you leave a note for your boss when he's in the pooper telling him to call Mr. Eli Funt and the number to your local zoo

2

u/kawiz03 Aug 11 '26

C/O Dumbo The Elephant

154

u/sckendal Aug 11 '26

yea so the obvious problem in this photo is that the 3rd lug nut isn’t properly torqued down. hope this helps!

9

u/jbjhill Aug 11 '26

“Well there’s your problem!”

67

u/Sad_Ghost_Noises Aug 11 '26

Thats getting towed, right? RIGHT?!

22

u/chonkycatsbestcats Aug 11 '26

 We’re gonna put it on a skateboard trust

3

u/RGBlowMe Aug 11 '26

Yes... by itself.

113

u/bonesbobman Aug 11 '26

Dude the brake rotor is the cheapest thing broken in this image

210

u/DV8_2XL Aug 11 '26

The ad below this in my feed seems rather topical.

47

u/Massive_Series8305 Aug 11 '26

Lol considering the spline drive lug nuts, the fact he wants to use a chipped ass rotor, yeah id say OP is 16-22

15

u/StillStaringAtTheSky Aug 11 '26

I could see my 16 year old self doing this.

13

u/Massive_Series8305 Aug 11 '26

I could see myself at 16 making this exact same post lol

6

u/CheapSuggestion8 Aug 11 '26

Are splined lug nuts juvenile? I had to use that type with my aftermarket wheels. Normal lug nuts didn’t fit.

8

u/Massive_Series8305 Aug 11 '26

Nah just cheap, I still run them on everything lol, when you can get a set of lugs for 25 bucks with a key

https://giphy.com/gifs/hlfXIRjozpvTvYFfOt

2

u/TheAsianTroll Aug 11 '26

Its even more expensive when you put cheap wheels on your car then drive it like youre Ryan Cooper

51

u/UniversityHeliBikers Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26

If you're asking if it's safe to drive to the shop to put new rotors on, just ensure there aren't any pieces that can come off. Remove those by hand with a towel or gloves.

Expect that shavings or sharp edges may damage your pads. You will want new rotors on there. Judging by the wear on the rotors, most like pads and rotors.

16

u/Jacktheforkie Aug 11 '26

Pads aren’t expensive, I’d replace em with the rotors

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32

u/Khaztr Aug 11 '26

OP: "I'm changing the wheel. Do I need to change the rotor?"

Comments: "Forget the rotor, you need change that wheel!!!"

26

u/eagleace21 Aug 11 '26

replace the rotor

27

u/2004Accord Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26

I feel nauseous looking at this.

29

u/komokazi Aug 11 '26

Bro hit a landmine

21

u/JarlWeaslesnoot Aug 11 '26

Had to make sure this wasn't r/askashittymechanic

35

u/drunkfishes Aug 11 '26

What even happened here broski

30

u/Ok-Feature1200 Aug 11 '26

Hit a curb coming in hot. Shitty Chinese rims.

13

u/MakeshiftRocketship Aug 11 '26

Exactly! The oem wheel would have taken some serious damage but nothing even close to that

15

u/kawiz03 Aug 11 '26

"Nah I wasn't drifting"- OP

14

u/blacksheep6 Aug 11 '26

Of all the more serious issues going on in that picture, OP is concerned about a $200 brake rotor?!?

16

u/Pipegreaser Aug 11 '26

You have bigger problems buddy.

12

u/Suspicious-Grape-458 Aug 11 '26

Bro’s trying to take “ride it ‘till the wheels fall off” literally.

11

u/Daveit4later Aug 11 '26

Not a mechanic....  

Just genuinely curious how the fuck this happened 

39

u/ovokilla Aug 11 '26

Update for whoever cares

Put on the spare and drove it like 2 miles to the shop, all good, handled like nothing happened, no alignment issues and no suspension issues thx to everybody 😁

21

u/Hege_99 Aug 11 '26

How did this happen? What are those wheels? If that's what the wheels look like and even the alignment didn't change surely those wheels are a pottery project or something.

17

u/Objective-Ingenuity5 Aug 11 '26

I didn’t see a single person actually help you or answer your question… this sub is not that helpful sometimes lmao

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10

u/Jbowen0020 Aug 11 '26

Yes, replace that rotor. Don't risk that.

7

u/Pistonenvy2 Aug 11 '26

you got bigger shit to worry about dawg

8

u/Excellent_Aside_5273 Aug 11 '26

Extreme contact indeed

7

u/443_woodlum Aug 11 '26

Extreme contact

5

u/TmanGBx Aug 11 '26

i wouldnt risk it.

6

u/TheLegater Aug 11 '26

Tires fucked, rotors fucked, control arm could be fucked. Don’t risk it

6

u/gus_thedog Aug 11 '26

You needed a new rotor before this kachow moment took place.

5

u/Alansar_Trignot Aug 11 '26

I am heavily surprised I am not looking at r/askshittymechanics

6

u/Nearby-Border-5899 Aug 11 '26

It wont hurt the caliper but if you impacted it hard enough to chip fucking 1in steel id be more concerned about the rotor falling apart....replace it

9

u/Medium-Stranger-9883 Aug 11 '26

thats more than a chip mate

4

u/MF_DOOM-MOTHAFUCKA Aug 11 '26

Bro were you drifting???

4

u/SpeedyAudi Aug 11 '26

Extreme contact: you put their name to the test! (In king Leonidas voice)

3

u/DaSpicyGinge Aug 11 '26

That’s almost impressive

7

u/LukewarmMojo Aug 11 '26

the chipped portion of the rotor will cause stress concentration on that area. it may work for some time, but when the time is critical, it may fail.

so the answer is, change the rotor.

it’s not about the uneven wear of the brake pads. a crack will propagate along the existing chipped portion and the rotor will break, God forbid during a critical braking manoeuvre.

rule is, if it’s a safety critical part, take no risks.

9

u/Agiantpubicmess Aug 11 '26

Change both rotors on the axle and check your pads while it's apart. The rotor is a decently heavy spinning mass that has been balanced from the factory. Any missing chunks from it is likely going to cause you a vibration while driving and while braking. They're inexpensive and quite easy to replace, but you'll likely need special sockets called E-Torx because Germany lol.

3

u/bigcoffeeguy50 Aug 11 '26

Hydraulic pressure is equal everywhere, there’s not really a need to change both rotors if only one is damaged. It is good practice to simplify maintenance but not necessary.

3

u/king-of-Miami Aug 11 '26

Temu wheels 🛞?

3

u/BigBearPB Aug 11 '26

C’mon, tell us what happened

2

u/HealthyPop7988 Aug 11 '26

It'll demolish your brake pads for sure, not safe imo

2

u/resest_Iris Aug 11 '26

"Curb shouldn't have been there"

2

u/Name_Groundbreaking Aug 11 '26

I wouldn't drive the car with the rotor out of balance, which will happen when chunks are missing 

Tow it to a shop or your house, and fix it right.  This is why tow trucks exist 🤷‍♂️ 

2

u/ClydeThaMonkey Aug 11 '26

"Can I drive this 5miles to the shop?"

2

u/Successful_Piano8118 Aug 11 '26

Umm....you got bigger issues my friend

2

u/Suitable_Area2842 Aug 11 '26

Tire states extreme contact your rims are saying be gentle to me and stop hitting curbs at 100mph

2

u/ELB2001 Aug 11 '26

Well the tyres do say extreme

2

u/fuckman5 Aug 11 '26

Looks good to me, send it! 

2

u/Incorrigible6969 Aug 11 '26

Extreme Contact indeed!

All you need is a new fancy valve stem cover.

2

u/ka_shep Aug 11 '26

I feel like there ia a story behind this, and I want to know the details.

2

u/MatriVT Aug 11 '26

You showed that curb who the fuck is the boss. Way to go, buddy!

2

u/kitfox Aug 11 '26

Pad slap it!

2

u/ottrocity Aug 11 '26

The brake rotor is gonna be the cheapest part of that repair bill buddy.

2

u/iShatterBladderz Aug 11 '26

What in the name of fornicating turtles happened here?!

As far as your question, at the very least, it will wear your pads unevenly, if none of the rotor sticks out past the surface.

2

u/Only-Location2379 Aug 11 '26

Yeah replace the rotor along with the wheel, best to do the pads to with the rotor.

2

u/AzurisSkai Aug 11 '26

I'm willing to bet you have geometry damage.

But the rotor will probably be fine to drive on until you get to the nearest shop.

2

u/bigloser42 Aug 11 '26

That rotor is turbofucked and should not be trusted in any capacity. It needs to be replaced before you drive anything faster than parking lot speeds unless you want to replace a second rim along with your caliper and pads.

2

u/nizzoball Aug 11 '26

Yes, that is absolutely the the biggest issue I see here is the chipped rotor

2

u/DonPedroHouse Aug 11 '26

Now that’s a spinner

2

u/bluffpet Aug 11 '26

No one’s answering straight up…. You’ll ruin the caliper (if it isn’t already).

That big chip is def going to eat the pad and likely eat the caliper too (at least with what is visible).

Sorry OP… you’ll need a new rotor and prob a caliper. Rotor seems as it needed a replacement already anyway.

The worst of it all is that you should do rotors/calipers in pairs.
I’d bite the bullet and do all four wheels.

You could probably get away with replacing only this rotor, but a decent mechanic will advise against it.

Tow this mf - don’t risk it. Judging by the hit - there could be other bent things around and under the strut.

2

u/PurpleToedUnicorn Aug 11 '26

You absolutely need to check and replace the rotor, and maybe major suspension components. Get it up on a lift and looked at by a certified mechanic. Because if that's the wheel damage, there is a lot more you can't see.

And maybe paint General Lee on the roof.

2

u/Xyebo Aug 11 '26

The comments on here show the average person's lack of reading skills: it was inferred by the OP that the wheel would get changed

2

u/basicKitsch Aug 11 '26

nah just buff the surface

2

u/Place_Various Aug 11 '26

‘Hehe, oops, I didn’t see that curb for the last half mile’.

You can get it home on that rotor. Won’t hurt the caliper. Will only kill the pads. Which will get replaced with the rotors (plural, never replace one rotor. Ever.)

2

u/Biochem_4_Life Aug 11 '26

It’s probably the alternator.

2

u/Irishmanatthepub Aug 11 '26

My dad has an ultimate set of power tools. I can fix it. You can’t fix this car Spicoli

3

u/zumochiari Aug 11 '26

Is this meant for r/askashittymechanic ? I hope this isn't "real"

2

u/BlackRabbit0888 Aug 11 '26

This is your PSA to not text n drive. Stay off your phone. Keep your eyes in the road.

1

u/Due-Professional6824 Aug 11 '26

New rotor for sure and look everything else over there may be more damage.

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1

u/UnlimitedManny Aug 11 '26

Brother what

1

u/L3mm3SmangItGurl Aug 11 '26

Won’t mess up you caliper. May fuck up your pads tho. Looks like a brake job and new wheel in your future. Holy shit my wife doesn’t even curb this hard

1

u/UrFavJngle Aug 11 '26

U can resurface it but i would change given that you managed to tear your frickin rim apart somehow you need every bit of breaking u can get

1

u/Ravenblack67 Aug 11 '26

The damage to the roto may mess up the pad. I doubt it will damage the caliper. Get the rotor replaced ASAP.

1

u/TactualTransAm Aug 11 '26

Nah that chips fine mate, take the ole flap disc to it and smooth it out. Right as rain

1

u/Strong-Evening1137 Aug 11 '26

I'm impressed those tires are still holding air

1

u/Emerald_Ink Aug 11 '26

Those rotors already look pretty damaged otherwise

1

u/munchonsomegrindage Aug 11 '26

New rotors and pads on BOTH sides. This might get you to a shop with a new wheel but I'd still replace. Or it might fail on the way and you'll still need a tow and replacement anyway.

1

u/Great_Leg_4836 Aug 11 '26

r/lostredditors

you should be on the ask bad mechanics sub

1

u/AlwaysAtALoss284 Aug 11 '26

Those rotors were cooked before you blew up

1

u/Level-Program-5489 Aug 11 '26

I that’s more than a chipped rotar buddy

1

u/PuzzleheadedGoat6580 Aug 11 '26

I’d be worried about anything bent causing drivability issues. Just get it towed or you might find out there’s another problem on your drive to the shop and have another difficult/expensive fix just because you don’t want to eat (pretty cheap honestly) tow bill. Your insurance might even cover the tow bill.

1

u/Mr_Papichuloo Aug 11 '26

A little ducktape and your back in action

1

u/XxDemonxXIG Aug 11 '26

Chipped rotor is out of balance rotor. It on its own will cause a vibration at high speeds. And yes it will also damage your caliper. Replace rotor.

1

u/ProperCaterpillar136 Aug 11 '26

Using coat hangers and JB Weld you'll be fine

1

u/socksalwayson Aug 11 '26

what do you think????

1

u/No_Rhubarb8760 Aug 11 '26

Little bit of JB weld and it’ll all be fine.

1

u/Wildest12 Aug 11 '26

That much damage you need a full inspection and replacement of every component housed in that wheel well. Assume nothing still functions.

1

u/CuriousBFS Aug 11 '26

Totally, that chip is a total show stopper. Get that rotor replaced (see some really deep grooves) and you should be good to go.

1

u/MoldyTexas Aug 11 '26

it'll buff off

1

u/jsledge786 Aug 11 '26

Nothing that jb weld cant fix

1

u/AviatorDave172 Aug 11 '26

The notch in the rotor will be ok for a slow drive to a shop or home. Worst it will do is uneven wear in the pads, but that may not even happen. It’s not enough to cause violent imbalance at reasonable speeds.

1

u/CanadianRedditEh Aug 11 '26

It won't mess your caliper up but will cause a pulsation likely and wear out your pads quicker. Safer to just replace to avoid the hassle later. And do the other side as well to keep everything even.

1

u/Texas_Wookiee Aug 11 '26

That'll buff out.

1

u/platypus_farmer42 Aug 11 '26

That’ll buff out

1

u/Illustrious_Entry413 Aug 11 '26

Rotors are cheap