Nickel Plated Rotors
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,400
Likes: 3
From: Sarasota Florida
Nickel Plated Rotors
Is there any downside to installing nickel platted brake rotors? I imagine the nickel will wear off where the pads meet the rotors pretty fast but I am thinking that the nickel platting should hold up pretty well on the hats and edges. Has anyone every tried using these types of rotors? Also I saw some rotors by SP Performance that uses diamond shaped dimples in conjunction with slots instead of round ones. They look really cool IMO but not sure how this shape would affect pad life or stopping power
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,913
Likes: 1,867
From: Hot Springs AR
I've never heard of anyone running nickel-plated rotors. Problems that could pop up:
1. Plating peeling or tearing off as the pads wear through
2. Corrosion getting underneath the plating at the edges, causing the plating to lift
As far as dimples vs. holes are concerned, both will be stress concentrators (dimples may be better than holes, but not as good as nothing). Probably not a problem as long as you only have them for show, but wouldn't trust them on the track. The slots will have more of an effect on pad life than the dimples will.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
1. Plating peeling or tearing off as the pads wear through
2. Corrosion getting underneath the plating at the edges, causing the plating to lift
As far as dimples vs. holes are concerned, both will be stress concentrators (dimples may be better than holes, but not as good as nothing). Probably not a problem as long as you only have them for show, but wouldn't trust them on the track. The slots will have more of an effect on pad life than the dimples will.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 111
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From: South Texas
My guess is it would be a bad move. This comes from intuition (nickel is very smooth) from working in my family's plating shop when I was a teenager.
I think the coefficient of friction is the question. I am not an engineer..I did a quick look at it seemed like galvanized steel had a higher coefficient of friction than untreated steel. I didn't find anything for nickel.
I never cared about the rust because performance is more important to me but if galvanized is better then maybe I need to rethink plating the rotors.
I think the coefficient of friction is the question. I am not an engineer..I did a quick look at it seemed like galvanized steel had a higher coefficient of friction than untreated steel. I didn't find anything for nickel.
I never cared about the rust because performance is more important to me but if galvanized is better then maybe I need to rethink plating the rotors.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Originally Posted by Hoichi
My guess is it would be a bad move. This comes from intuition (nickel is very smooth)...
I think the coefficient of friction is the question. I am not an engineer..I did a quick look at it seemed like galvanized steel had a higher coefficient of friction than untreated steel. I didn't find anything for nickel.
I think the coefficient of friction is the question. I am not an engineer..I did a quick look at it seemed like galvanized steel had a higher coefficient of friction than untreated steel. I didn't find anything for nickel.
Nickel or zinc coated rotors are not a good idea for braking fire paths. or where the pads and the rotors meet.
