Whose Rotors????
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 71
From: SOUTH SHORE Massachusetts
Whose Rotors????
for the upcoming winter projects, I am thinking about installing new rotors ...front and rear. I know the quality of steel is questionable with some manufacturers....can someone advise on who has good quality rotors. I am not into performance driving or autocross so that type is not really needed but its also not crossed off the list either..thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,526
Likes: 1,960
From: Temple Terrace Florida
Rotors
I got my replacement rotors from Van Steel. They are local for me. No matter what vendor you select, I would use a dial indicator on the rear rotors to measure runout. The repair guides specify that up to .008 is ok. I like to keep it less than .004. Jerry
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,413
Likes: 8,861
From: northern california
C2 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
My vintage racer and my bride's track car both run garden variety rotors I bought at NAPA. They work fine at full racing speeds and are reasonably priced. No reason to spring for anything any fancier for a street driven car.
Jim
Jim
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 71
From: SOUTH SHORE Massachusetts
fronts have been cut....rears probably need to be also...calipers doing the air pumping so run out is there...so a good project is to go through the whole braking system and replace with all new stuff that way I know where I stand should a new problem arise... every year now I am having to bleed the brakes to get a good pedal ..and a month later the pedal drops. At Carlisle I got the ss sleeved O ring calipers...and after some thought...decided to replace the rotors as well...this being retired is evidently giving me too much time to think of things to do...
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,191
Likes: 951
From: Corpus Christi, TX
I'm interested in the results you got with the o-ring calipers.
I converted my front ones about 10 years ago using VB&P's kit and regretted it afterward. During the install, I got suspicious when it was clear the o-rings were so tight in the caliper bores that the springs couldn't push the pistons out like when using the factory lip seals. Sure enough, the car had a "trick" brake pedal; evey so often it would travel halfway to the floor on the first application of the brakes after driving for some time. The pedal would come back up after the first push, but the cause was obvious.
The calipers were converted back to lip seals - no more trick brake pedal.
Do the SSBC o-ring pistons have the same friction issue?
I converted my front ones about 10 years ago using VB&P's kit and regretted it afterward. During the install, I got suspicious when it was clear the o-rings were so tight in the caliper bores that the springs couldn't push the pistons out like when using the factory lip seals. Sure enough, the car had a "trick" brake pedal; evey so often it would travel halfway to the floor on the first application of the brakes after driving for some time. The pedal would come back up after the first push, but the cause was obvious.
The calipers were converted back to lip seals - no more trick brake pedal.
Do the SSBC o-ring pistons have the same friction issue?
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 71
From: SOUTH SHORE Massachusetts
I'm interested in the results you got with the o-ring calipers.
I converted my front ones about 10 years ago using VB&P's kit and regretted it afterward. During the install, I got suspicious when it was clear the o-rings were so tight in the caliper bores that the springs couldn't push the pistons out like when using the factory lip seals. Sure enough, the car had a "trick" brake pedal; evey so often it would travel halfway to the floor on the first application of the brakes after driving for some time. The pedal would come back up after the first push, but the cause was obvious.
The calipers were converted back to lip seals - no more trick brake pedal.
Do the SSBC o-ring pistons have the same friction issue?
I converted my front ones about 10 years ago using VB&P's kit and regretted it afterward. During the install, I got suspicious when it was clear the o-rings were so tight in the caliper bores that the springs couldn't push the pistons out like when using the factory lip seals. Sure enough, the car had a "trick" brake pedal; evey so often it would travel halfway to the floor on the first application of the brakes after driving for some time. The pedal would come back up after the first push, but the cause was obvious.
The calipers were converted back to lip seals - no more trick brake pedal.
Do the SSBC o-ring pistons have the same friction issue?
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,191
Likes: 951
From: Corpus Christi, TX
MidYear, to answer your question, I never contacted VBP. Probably should have, but im my mind it was my own fault for not stopping the installation after the first piston, packing the whole thing up and returning it. That I was going to have problems with these particular o-ring calipers was self-evident. Just a minimal understanding of how Corvette calipers work would lead to that conclusion.
These people explain it much better than I can:
http://www.duntovmotors.com/tech-calipers.php
There may be better replacements out there now with very small, low friction o-rings, but I wasn't sure if your SSBC calipers fit that description or not.
These people explain it much better than I can:
http://www.duntovmotors.com/tech-calipers.php
There may be better replacements out there now with very small, low friction o-rings, but I wasn't sure if your SSBC calipers fit that description or not.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 71
From: SOUTH SHORE Massachusetts
Avispa...I got my new calipers from VPB...they just arrived today...and as soon as I decide which rotor to use I will let you know the results...I found some performance ac delco rotors on line and I am going to do some research abouth them...they say...Made in the USA...so we shall see...thanks for the input
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,099
Likes: 2,353
From: Allison Park, PA
MidYear -check out Brakewarehouse.com - they have 2 kinds of standard rotors, plus lots of choices if you want to upgrade. I dealt with them recently when I upgraded my "daily driver". Nice guys - very knowledgeable. Good luck with your project!
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,191
Likes: 951
From: Corpus Christi, TX
FWIW, I stopped cutting rotors a long time ago. Until about the mid 80s, good quality rotors were a dealer only item and they cost a fortune. It was worth cutting originals, at least if you still had more than the minimum thickness listed for the particular rotor. The problem was, and still is, they tend to heat warp even faster after cutting. Good rotors are avaialble from a lot of sources and they are not ridiculously expensive any more. It's just not worth the hassle to cut them these days, and this is doubly true with C2/C3 rear rotors: Unless you cut them on a lathe with the spindle attached, chances are good you will end up with enough runout to have air in the caliper problems.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,132
Likes: 71
From: SOUTH SHORE Massachusetts
info from major supplier
Brake rotors are no longer manufactured in the United States for aftermarket consumption. The “domestic” brands you may be familiar with (Raybestos,Wagner, Bendix, Centric, Motorcraft, Delco) are all manufactured in China/Taiwan. The plants and foundries that used to manufacture for aftermarket in the US and Canada have discontinued production. In addition, the European brands (Brembo, ATE, TRW, etc.) are sourcing a significant portion of their aftermarket rotors from China and Taiwan. Even Mexican rotor manufacturing is practically nonexistent today.
Centric Parts owns StopTech and Power Slot. All Centric Premium, StopTech SportStop, and Power Slot rotors are designed and engineered in-house, then Centric supervises strict manufacturing processes in Asia. They specify their own casting and manufacturing technologies. All parts are double disc ground, balanced, match the OEM vane designs and are E-coated (electrostatically applied black finish to all non-swept surfaces). Most competing brands do not offer all these OE features and benefits.
Centric Parts owns StopTech and Power Slot. All Centric Premium, StopTech SportStop, and Power Slot rotors are designed and engineered in-house, then Centric supervises strict manufacturing processes in Asia. They specify their own casting and manufacturing technologies. All parts are double disc ground, balanced, match the OEM vane designs and are E-coated (electrostatically applied black finish to all non-swept surfaces). Most competing brands do not offer all these OE features and benefits.
