Time for a Rotor Upgrade?
#1
Time for a Rotor Upgrade?
I have a 2008 Z06 and I run road courses like VIR with Hoosier R6 tires. I have been using DBA4000 rotors and with front spindle cooling ducts. I try to drive for 10 minutes or more off track after each 25 minute session to cool down gradually. After only 6-8 runs I am noticing what look like tiny stress fractures in my front rotors.
Should I consider upgrading to Zip Corvette/AFX rotors (the 2-piece kind that are based on Coleman rings)?
How hard is it to replace the rings on 2-piece rotors when they wear out? Is this a do it yourself job?
Thanks
Should I consider upgrading to Zip Corvette/AFX rotors (the 2-piece kind that are based on Coleman rings)?
How hard is it to replace the rings on 2-piece rotors when they wear out? Is this a do it yourself job?
Thanks
#2
Melting Slicks
Steve A.
#3
If you want ultimate safety and zero maintenance (other than pads) you could go with carbon ceramic rotors. I pull off the track and immediately park mine after the checker flag at Oak Tree. Expensive but bullet proof.
Ian
Ian
#4
I like the idea of the weight savings too, thanks.
#5
Drifting
If you go with the Performance AFX 2-piece, definitely go with the HD rings. The light weight rings do not last well for HPDE. You should expect only 5-6 track days on the light weight rings. I don't have data on the HD rings yet.
Jim
Jim
#6
Melting Slicks
Steve A.
#7
Instructor
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Running wilwood 2-piecers on my c5Z and they came unassembled and was very little trouble to tread lock and torque down. Safety wiring can be a little annoying but if you take your time its not really that hard (hardest part is snugging the line without stripping the wire and to tie the final knot). Overall I'm very happy with them. I did stainless brake lines with Hawk HPS pads and the braking is very solid and reliable on the track even after consistent high speed stops. Nice cracks by the way :laugh: you must of been glowing those suckers red.
#9
Drifting
I just mounted the new HD ones after having the light weight ones fail due to cracking after only 4 1/2 track days and 20 - 30 minute sessions, all VIR. The first three days were with the Cobalt Friction XR-2 pads with the fourth day was on Hawk DTC-70 pads. I also noticed a lot of rotor wear after those four days, much more than with DBA 4000 rotors and Carbotech 12's and 16's.
I'm now running the Wilwood W6A front calipers with H compound pads.
I have two events come up in June. I'll let you know how they look after four track days.
Jim
#10
Burning Brakes
The rotors in the pictures look fine to me. The rule of thumb is use them until the cracks are big enough to catch your fingernail on when you run it across them. Maybe its just the picture but none of the cracks I see look that big.
#11
Drifting
Those rotors are fine and that is completely normal. No need for an upgrade. I run the same rotors and have a C5 Z with XP12 pads, and brake ducting. After 6 events and nearly 3000 street miles this is what mind looked like. My mechanic said as long as they don't have real cracks in the rotors then they are fine.
#12
Le Mans Master
Just to make you aware, us track rats go through rotors like candy. One of the single biggest disposable items for track day folks. I literally have a small replacement stack at my house and just change when a crack goes from the outer edge to the inside hub area. And I mean a large continuous crack, what you have are just heat check cracks. I would get at least a few more days out of those if not more.
#13
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Just to make you aware, us track rats go through rotors like candy. One of the single biggest disposable items for track day folks. I literally have a small replacement stack at my house and just change when a crack goes from the outer edge to the inside hub area. And I mean a large continuous crack, what you have are just heat check cracks. I would get at least a few more days out of those if not more.
The Coleman AFX Heavy Duty front rotors last me about the same amount of time the stock C6Z rotors do (5 days). IMO buy the stock rotors from Parts Taxi for $72 plus shipping and save yourself some money (look for the new part # to get the price). Here are some pictures of my last cracked Coleman Rotor (5 days use).
Notice the internal cracking where the fins separated from the inside face of the rotor. The rotor was just about ready to come apart. That is the first time I ever had that happen on any rotor in 20 years of track events. What I felt and heard was similar to what you get when a pad wears down to the backing plate so I was looking for that. I was very surprised to find the crack and how extensive it was. By the way the rear Coleman Rotors have been on the car since last July and are holding up well. The stock rear rotors would crack about as often as the fronts. Not sure why the rear Colemans are doing so much better.
I am running the Wilwood WA6 caliper with H pads in the front and the stock caliper with Raybestos ST47 pads in the rear.
Bill
Last edited by Bill Dearborn; 05-24-2012 at 11:33 AM.