kwhiteside

The attachment below is my front right rotor. No cracks to the edges, but dang that thing is spidered . I'm pretty capable of swapping at the track, but sometimes you end up losing a session, not to mention the stress.

2 days at Road Atlanta will be my first event. Highly doubtful to me that this rotor will make it through the event.

And what about the fear that it cracks during a hot lap and actually messes something up.

Can I get some experienced advice?

Maybe just a kick in the butt to tell me I'm being cheap and foolish if I don't toss it in the dumpster

Solofast

Lean over so we can get a shot at a good swift kick...

Kanmer

Generally speaking, rotors crack during cool down. As for the heat checking you have going on, check them with your fingernail. If the nail catches, change the rotor.

HTH,
Bob

CHJ In Virginia

It is a toss up if that rotor is going to make two days at road Atlanta - do your self a favor and change it. Rotors are cheap and track time is expensive. Save it for a spare.

ace996

When in doubt, change it. Not a good idea to chance an issue on a cheaply replaced part.

Snidley

If you do decide to change it, put the new one on and get it hot at least once just to make sure there are no obvious defects and to get the pads bedded to the new rotor.

sperkins

Swap it out and give it to Varkwso to add to his walkway collection.

Bill Dearborn

I've gone up to two days on a similarly cracked rotor. Sometimes you don't feel anything on the track but the rotor cracks afterward in the garage. Sometimes those spider cracks will start to thump while you are on the track and that means you should get off the track. After pulling off I have seen the spider cracks look like they are raised slightly (thus causing the thump) and after the rotor cools they finish cracking all the way to the edge.

Bill

longdaddy

2 days on that is pushing it, but possible. highly unlikely that it will pop in the middle of the session. listen for thumping sound/vibration as you apply the brakes for the first time after the car cools down between sessions. bring spare rotors and tools

AU N EGL

Street use yah. on the Track, I would change it.

Yes old rotors do make great walkways or retaining walls.

kwhiteside

Thanks for the advice. I'll swap it now.

Especially appreciate knowing they mostly crack during cool down off the track, and to watch for the brake thump. I have felt that brake thump, and within a session or two, the rotor gives it up finally. I just ordered 5 new ones (two for that one as I know its going anyway). The only way I could ever see putting one like that on, would be if I burned through two at one event and it was all I had to get me home. I guess that could happen though. Great, I'll eventually be lugging around 8 extra rotors. 4 new and usable, 4 spidered just in case ones.

Jason

Do you remember RA last March? Do you want to be changing a rotor in 40deg pouring rain? Me neither. Change it at home.

AU N EGL

Dont forget to season or bed in the new rotors properly.


40* pouring rain,

varkwso

Keep it as a track replacement spare. Putting a brand new one on with a used pad and no seasoning just increases the chance of it cracking also.

Only fully cracked ones fill potholes in my driveway...good ones like that I keep as a spare.

RA in March has, traditionally, been miserable weather...

kwhiteside

I usually do some 80mph to 30mph hard brakes to get them burnin some pad onto the rotors.

That said, how many times have we swapped rotors and/or pads at the track and the only bedding they get is the first few laps?

So would it be safe to say that the only benefit of bedding pre track would be a more pleasurable first half session?

Jason

Even at the track I try to take quick spin down the street on a fresh rotor. Time permitting.

varkwso

I have a near infinite supply of prebedded rotors....

kwhiteside

Hmmm, good idea.

If I had the lunch gas run at RR, I could bed them.

RA would be tricky as people fly on that road.

Barber: probably could do it on grounds as it is many miles just to get out. doubt any fast then 60 though.

Those are my only tracks thus far. Hopefully I'll have more time this year as I shed my passenger and don't have as many mandatory meetings between sessions.

kwhiteside

Are you suggesting I put all four of my spares on and bed them, then take them back off? If so, would they really be bedded, not knowing what condition my pads will really be in when they go on?

or are you saying you have a bunch of spidered ones?

drivinhard

I was looking at one of my spare rear uprights/hubs and calipers in the interest of building a rotor seasoning machine. the uprights will handle front or rear rotors and F/R calipers. be easy to build a station that you can do a bunch of HC on your spare rotors and bed your pads off the car.