Are zinc-coated rotors rust-proof?
11-13-2005, 11:26 PM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Member Since: Aug 2004
Location: The Beautiful Pacific Northwest
Posts: 24,129
Received 1,029 Likes
on
549 Posts
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Are zinc-coated rotors rust-proof?
Looking for a rust-proof drilled/slotted rotor that I don't have to clearcoat myself. Will any zinc-dipped rotor stay rust-free?
Pics of your rust-free rotors welcomed...
TIA
Pics of your rust-free rotors welcomed...
TIA
11-13-2005, 11:33 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Feb 2005
Location: Snohomish WA
Posts: 825
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My understanding is that the zinc plating wears off rather quickly when it comes in contact with the brake pads. It will rust where the plating wears off. The rest of the rotor should be rust free and continue to look good.
11-13-2005, 11:37 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
All rotors will rust on the brakeing surface of the rotor once they have been bedded in prpperly. My Brembo Zinc wash rotors started looking like crap just weeks after I installed them. I think it had something to do with my Meguires wheel cleaner also but I then used header paint on the hats. Looks just like stock rotors but with D&S. 
11-13-2005, 11:42 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
It will last for a while (I'm at 1 year so far with no rust on the break surface not touched by the pads)... I expect it to wear off in another year or so...
11-13-2005, 11:46 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
I think they should not rust except in the firepath of the pads, which burns off as soon as you hit the brakes.
I think mine are cadmium plated,but this should give you an idea anyways
these are about two years and 10k miles old
I think mine are cadmium plated,but this should give you an idea anyways
these are about two years and 10k miles old
11-14-2005, 12:08 AM
#6
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2004
Location: Oklahoma City OK
Posts: 58,255
Received 1,673 Likes
on
1,296 Posts
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Mine are about a year old and no rust yet!
11-14-2005, 12:10 AM
#7
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Member Since: Aug 2004
Location: The Beautiful Pacific Northwest
Posts: 24,129
Received 1,029 Likes
on
549 Posts
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Originally Posted by jrose7004
Mine are about a year old and no rust yet!
11-14-2005, 08:06 AM
#8
Race Director
The zinc on the braking surface will be worn off as the pads do their job and stop the car. Then the rotor surface will rust just like any other rotor when it gets wet One buys zinc plated rotors to keep the hat area rust free. Don't use wheel cleaners on the zinc coating as it will discolor....
Same here
11-15-2005, 06:30 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Aug 2004
Location: Cranford, New Jersey
Posts: 2,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
No rust here......... 
.........Right after I washed the car
Fronts
Rears
After I went around the block
.........Right after I washed the car Fronts
Rears
After I went around the block
11-15-2005, 08:47 PM
#13
Drifting
Member Since: Oct 2002
Location: Langhorne PA
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by SGT. PYLE
All rotors will rust on the brakeing surface of the rotor once they have been bedded in prpperly. My Brembo Zinc wash rotors started looking like crap just weeks after I installed them.
I think it had something to do with my Meguires wheel cleaner
I think it had something to do with my Meguires wheel cleaner
The Zinc wash is easily removed by brake/rotor cleaner. The outer surface hadd entirely rusted, even in the holes and slots. The inner surface which had apparently never been sprayed with that stuff was as shiny as when new. Had the rotors recoated last winter, cost me $25 apiece. Still no probs.
08-11-2014, 08:46 AM
#14
Heel & Toe
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: Delmont PA
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rotor coating
I coated my rotors (the part that doesn't hit the pads) with a high heat resistant paint clear. I taped all the areas where the pads hit and put three coats on. Its been three years and no rust at all. Make sure you paint the very top of the rotor although its only a 1/8" where the pads don't hit. Good luck.
08-11-2014, 09:17 AM
#15
Administrator
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
Posts: 342,661
Received 19,209 Likes
on
13,925 Posts
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-
'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
I had a set of Baer Eradispeed rotors on a previous C5 that seemed to be very resistant to rust. Had them on the car for better than five years and they still looked good when I sold the car.
08-11-2014, 10:03 AM
#17
Safety Car
Driving in the rain will eventually cause rust. Here are my old Baer Eradispeed rears that were driven in a lot of rain for several years, before and after cleaning: 
. Here's the cleaned one again after two weeks of driving: 
. Cleaning means: took them apart, sanded and polished the rotors, coated with Captain Lee's metal prep which is an air dry zinc coating, coated with Sharkhide clear, polished the SS fasteners and put them back together.
. Here's the cleaned one again after two weeks of driving: 
. Cleaning means: took them apart, sanded and polished the rotors, coated with Captain Lee's metal prep which is an air dry zinc coating, coated with Sharkhide clear, polished the SS fasteners and put them back together.
