Ifyou haven’t shopped for a new brake lathe lately, you’ll be surprisedby the fact that they are probably faster than the model you’rereplacing.

These new-age machines are also more accurate and canhandle a wider array of vehicle applications. You’ll also be pleased tonote that they are more durable than ever, and still quite easy to use.Some of the newest on-car brake lathes come with ergonomically designedhandles for ease of use and a built-in computer that controls the flowof information from a sensor inside the body of the lathe. This actioninstructs a solenoid to make fine adjustments until the lateral run outis at or below .001 inches.

Whether you’re looking for an on-caror off-the-car bench brake lathe, you’ll like the extras that will makeyour job easier. For example, does the lathe have a disc/drum controllockout and warning indicator light? If it does, this featureeliminates the potential crashing of the lathe, even with first timeoperators.

Also look for an auto measurement caliper option. Itinstantly measures drum or rotor dimensions to determine if the drum orrotor should be discarded prior to machining.

One company saysits exclusive anti-chatter technology oscillates the machining speed ofits lathe and eliminates the building up of vibration (chatter) thatcan occur when machining at a fixed speed. According to thismanufacturer, its lathe provides a smoother finish that prevents pedalpulsation – the number one cause of brake service customer comebacks.

Maybea heavy-duty trolley with an on-car brake lathe is best for your shop.The maker of this unit says it can service rotors in half the time ofother on-car lathes by providing variable speed and rotational torqueduring compensation and machining. Technicians can resurface rotors atthe fastest possible speed and change speeds on the floor.

Alwaysbe certain to check the featured parts and options on the brake latheyou purchase. A good bench lathe, for example, can be ordered with suchaccessories as a Toyota rotor back plate, a 4×4 pressed hub rotoradapter, a vacuum brake bleeder, a double chuck kit, D-clamps, aheavy-duty three jaw chuck, a brake fluid tester and many others fromwhich to choose.

Look, too, for the ability to switch frommillimeters to inches with the touch of a button, plus a feature thatallows your operator to automatically measure the thickness of therotor, the diameter of the drum and the total indicated runout.