Floating Rotors
04-10-2004, 11:32 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Floating Rotors
Can anyone out there lend me some expertise???
I bought some floating rotors for my new M5 (summer 1999) in Germany since they were unavailable in the US. It is a stock item over there. I believe it was due to insurance concerns. Suppossedly at about 100,000 miles the floating rotors "could" break/shatter because the pins holding the disc freeze and cause binding and uneven expansion...thus causing the failure.
The German mechanics/techs check this during scheduled MX and thus avoid the problem. My question is: What do they look for in particular and how do they check this? Is it all visual, or is a machine/tester involved? I now have 80,000 on mine so I'm trying to plan ahead. I suppose I could put the solid rotors back on since I no longer track the car, but I do like the look of the floating rotors.
Can anyone out there clue me in????
I bought some floating rotors for my new M5 (summer 1999) in Germany since they were unavailable in the US. It is a stock item over there. I believe it was due to insurance concerns. Suppossedly at about 100,000 miles the floating rotors "could" break/shatter because the pins holding the disc freeze and cause binding and uneven expansion...thus causing the failure.
The German mechanics/techs check this during scheduled MX and thus avoid the problem. My question is: What do they look for in particular and how do they check this? Is it all visual, or is a machine/tester involved? I now have 80,000 on mine so I'm trying to plan ahead. I suppose I could put the solid rotors back on since I no longer track the car, but I do like the look of the floating rotors.
Can anyone out there clue me in????
04-10-2004, 07:15 PM
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Burning Brakes
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Stem: The Porsche PCCB system, which is a floating rotor design, supposedly has a street life of 185K miles. Maybe it's an issue with dis-similiar metals that causes the BMW system to the rated for 100K miles? If that's the case I'd look for corrosion around the bolts holding the rotor to the hat.
P.S> Tell your dad he was missed at the Sebring DE this month and he'd better watch out next month as I should (keeping fingers crossed) have my GT3 in time for the 2-day DE.
P.S> Tell your dad he was missed at the Sebring DE this month and he'd better watch out next month as I should (keeping fingers crossed) have my GT3 in time for the 2-day DE.
04-11-2004, 05:55 PM
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Burning Brakes
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He just got back from VIR. Try to sell him on the GT3, and tell him he would really be able to utilize that unique performance profile. Be sure to point out that should let me have the TT. The 996 is nice, but I could always use a 100 or so extra HP, not to mention the AWD and bigger brakes. Stress the weight of the GT3 vs. the weight of the TT. Then be sure to point out that I ( that's his son) fly heavies (757 & 767, plus ex-KC-10) and I'd be happy to try and deal with that extra weight!! Tell him I'm used to it, and he NEEDS a lighter car!!
I've looked and there is no corrision yet. I guess I coud put the one piece rotors back on. Dixon Davies cyro treated them so they should be good for thousands of miles!
I've looked and there is no corrision yet. I guess I coud put the one piece rotors back on. Dixon Davies cyro treated them so they should be good for thousands of miles!
04-12-2004, 01:04 AM
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Burning Brakes
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Stem: I'll give it a shot next time I see your dad but I fear he may have become attached to the Tiptronic transmission in his Turbo. Now if the rumored double-clutch system for the 997 shows up in a future GT3 model you may have a chance.
