I installed one of the new 14 inch rotors tonight and couldn't believe the difference 2 inches makes in size.
The edges are lined up in this shot
That is a stock rotor on the right

 

Could someone here educate me on what bigger rotors do? I know they help braking offcourse but how? Is it because the bigger circumfrence?

 

I'm not an engineer, but I would guess that more braking surface = more stopping power.

D. Ocean
Miami, FLA

 

It's the bigger radius. The greater the distance form the center the greater is the torque when applying the same amount of force. In simpler words: it's like an extension (pipe) that you would put on a wrench...

 

It's like have a big, um you know, it doesn't actually help with the girls, but you have more confidance

I can say that because I was one of the first ones around here to have 13" rotors on my Vette...

 

If you look at the two rotors side by side the surface area would be the exact same, therefore the only advantage would be more braking torque.

 

Hi Corvus,
I think they stop better becauce of time+distance= stopping. The brake puts friction to more distance in the same amount of time. The same reason they put brakes on rims of bicyles.

 

I know you have the 13 inch rotors but did you post pictures of it. If you have some post them here. I would like to see how you did the hat. I would like to see anything to get ideas.
I am finishing the one caliper holder tomorrow hopefully.
The second hat was turned today and only needs fine tuning.

 

imagine trying to stop a spinning wheel by grabbing the center versus grabbing the very outside..big difference

 

Norval, Just courious why did you go with the angled hole pattern on the new ones instead of straight out like the old ones. Is there an advantage to the angle holes?

 

curved vane rotors.....

 

Twin Turbo has it. None of those holes is on the same hollow between the vanes.
Each hole has a heavy wall or vane protecting it from the next hole to prevent cracking.
I never had a single crack in my other stock rotors and they have many holes in the same hollow but at $512 for 2 rough rotors and all the warning I read about drilling holes I didn't want to take a chance of putting two holes next to each other.
I posted close up pictures of the rotors in another post a while ago and showed how each hole is seperated by a vane.

 

Marck I emailed you today offering the computer program for drilling any hole pattern. It is about 1 1/2 meg and really easy to use.
Need an digital readout to use it but if you ever have access to one it sure makes drilling ANY bolt pattern easy. Square round or any other shape.

 

Norval,
Thanks for your help with my C5 rotor conversion. I only need to find an 8in 6061 bar to make the hats! Sure would like to see pix of your caliper brackets. Are they aluminum or steel?

Larry

 

Norval... Could you email the program to me as well? Sounds pretty cool...

My email adress is rocknrod at gmail.com @ replaced with at for spam prevention...

Thanks

 

I'v just been schooled.

 

Craftsmanship and attention to detail! Norval, I need to come over for another visit soon to see the finished project in person. The pics are great but do not compare to seeing it up close.

 

longer lever = more leverage = easier to modulate and more torque (using same about of force)

also,

larger disc = more mass (usually) = more thermal capacitance = steadier temps = less fade

 

I did post a pic of it, last summer sometime. Yes it's a pretty bad pic.
I have a better camera now but the car is still in storage....

I used the Vette Brakes aluminum hubs and some custom Coleman rotors. The hubs are solid aluminum and quite heavy, I'm sure I could remove a lot of material.

Here's the hub/rotor assy They only sell stock sized rotors, but will sell the hubs bare.



The nice thing is that the hubs are the same diameter as the center of the 17" TT2's and gives a nice clean look.

The rotor being undrilled looks huge, drilling seems to make them look smaller...

BTW, since I know people will ask. The black stuff above the cutouts is from welding not from the exhaust.

 

They do look huge. Mine are a different style since my hat is hollow and I use the existing hub, Mine are more like stock in that they just slide over the studs.
My hat also shows alot because it is 10 inches.