I have a 997 C4S with the big red brakes and new 997 TT wheels. Looks great but then there are the butt ugly factory painted silver rotor hubs. Simply falls short of a detailed finished look. I'm looking for ideas on how to clean this area up? Do I paint them or is there something else I can do? I read somewhere else in the forum where someone was talking about a stainless steel hat? What is this? Where do I buy them?

 

The stainless steel 'hat' as you call them are on the PCCB equiped cars. While many think that the PCCB option merely is different ceramic rotors, it's a substantially different animal including larger bearings. As such, I doubt very much that you can just swap in the SS centerpieces on the stock S system.

Others merely wind up painting them to ward off the inevitable rust showing up. Since you're in the LA area your only problem would be if you're within 5 miles of the coast (and salt air) The normal ones shouldn't rust for years.

 

Thanks for the education on PCCB. I am still open to other ideas on how others dressed this area up? It would be nice if someone made a "hat" that fit nicely over the hub to clean up this area. Sounds like a business opportunity for someone.

 

You can paint them it takes about 45 min per hat.

 

I used pink nail polish.

 

rzundel - I recently painted the "top hats" on my 996 and posted the results on the 996 board. Here is the link to that thread.

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/294227-painted-my-top-hat-today.html

Most of the info you need is in the thread. If you do this, make sure you cover the body of the car with a drop cloth (the clear plastic type would work) other wise you could end up with some paint overspray on the car. Here is a link to a post where someone spray painted their calipers and used the plastic drop cloth to cover the car. Click on the pics to enlarge them.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showpost...&postcount=113

PM me if you have any questions.

 

I thought I remember reading that the PCCB stainless steel hats will fit on a non-PCCB equipped car. Does anyone know anything about that? Thanks.

 

I use the pink screw polish myself,...hmmm, I can't find the devious eyes emoticon.

 

This is what I would be interested to know? Anyone know the answer to this?

 

Thanks for your input!

 

Since the steel 'hats' as you call them are an integral part of your steel rotors I can't possibly see how you can fit the PCCB SS centers to those rotors. Those steel parts are cast as a single part/

 

Most of the rotors I've seen are "single plates" and don't have "hats" attached. If the PCCB's are ceramic I'm not sure the hats could be part of a steel single part but then again I don't have PCCB's to look at nor am I really that knowledgeable on brake assemblies. I'm sure somewhat smarter will answer for us.

 

Dan - you are correct. The "hat" is part of the rotor, as shown in the 996 PET screen shot below.

 

Thank you - a picture is worth a thousand words. I now have a better understanding of brake assemblies...and agree that replacing "hats" alone is not possible.