[BNX]

Hi. I am a hobbyist. I now want to upgrade my brakes and wanted to do a 2 piece rotor with AP racing rotors to match my 986 (boxster) calipers (Wilwood doesn't sell the right thickness to the calipers). I've watched some videos with a lathe and I was wondering if I can make it with the 1100PNC? I mean I think the 1100 will be able to hold a tolerable clearance. This way I can make my own offset also, any make money selling the kit versus evening out with someone doing the hats. It's not like hundreds of people are buying, maybe 2 a year only. I was thinking about paying someone but whats the fun in that Wilwoods doesn't make it in 8x176.8mm, only in 8x7". That is close but not exact. Thank you.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

A mill is MORE than accurate enough to make a rotor hat. It does not require extreme precision.

Regards,
Ray L.

[WOTDesigns]

Have you checked racingbrake.com? I do a lot of custom work for them and they have one of the largest selections of kits for changing rotors, hats, and big brake kits.

Machining the hats is simple enough and doesn't require more accuracy than the Tormach can provide by any means. For one/two off you can get away with clamping the work to a fixture plate. I have quoted doing full production runs for them on the hats as well from 7075 forgings and the will be buying some 10" 6 jaws chucks soon to do production.

Brian
WOT Designs

[proengines]

I've done a lot of hats for AP and Brembo rotors but obviously with all the turning on a lathe first. There's quite a bit of metal to remove but if you do them in stages you should be able to do it on the mill. Machine the rear first and in the one setup, that way the face that goes against the hub and the face that goes against the rotor are concentric, also make sure you machine the bore to fit over the hub, the chamfers and the OD at the same time.

Then machine a jig. Clamp a piece of plate on the bed, machine a register to accept the OD of the hat with half a dozen of the mounting screw holes drilled and tapped and flip the hat over and clamp it in with a bolt and washer through the centre, machine the front side and drill/ream the screw holes, fit some screws through the holes to clamp it down, remove the centre clamp bolt and finish the front of the hub area and the wheel stud holes.

Make sure you machine appropriate radiuses on the transitions as the hats are under a lot of load and the last thing you want is the centre cracking out of it. That process should work for the solid mounted rotors, the floating ones require a fair bit more work on the mounting slots as the tolerances are pretty tight on clearance in the slots and the thickness. We made most of the hats from 6061 and they were just colour anodised, the floating ones were 7075 and hard anodised.

A lathe makes it a lot easier and leaves a better finish but if you have to make do it's possible. We used to rough then to within 1mm or so in a chuck and then finish the rear, ID and OD for the whole batch, then chuck up a piece of plate and machine the jig to suit to do the front. After that they'd go into the mill in a jig to machine the holes/slots etc.

[BNX]

Thanks Ray. I never tired thought they would had been balance but now I know I'm good.

WOTS Design, I will check that site you gave me. Honestly, I rather buy if the offset is correct. Thank you.

Proengines, that is a lot of good information to help me out. I am excited to start. I want to keep 15" wheel with porsche 986. I wish wilwood would have some better options for rotor size vs having rotors custom made from porterfield. Right now I am going to use 6061 and just powder coat. I was looking into heat treatment but I am sure many of them are not treated anyways. I might end up using 2024 or 7075 for better strength. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Thank you.

[jid2]

Check Girodisc as well, 2 piece rotors are their wheel house...

[BNX]

I got another questions. This seems to be a better place to ask these questions vs the car forum I've been hanging out at.

I've been thinking about making something like this, a drop spindle.


This was how I was going to make my fixture, I found this picture and it's a perfect example.


This is rear mr2 spyder knuckle. The front is no better to show what I have to work with. The only thing that sucks about toyota is that their knuckle assemble are huge! This is the front, I want to make all four and drop the body 1" to run 17" wheel or else I will never leave 15" wheel. 17s looks funny. The spyder is a small car.


Now I have seen people machine it all in one piece aluminum. That is got going to happen with my skills and with this huge piece, the stock would cost quite a bit. I can make a jig and build it back up moving the wheel hub 1" up, dropping the car 1" down in return. My question is, I was thinking about using 1018 mild steel, 1/4" thick plate. I'm not sure what kind of metal folks are using. I'm a hobbist with no formal engineering degree. I can not find 4041, I'm local to speedymetals, in good sizes. My guess is that folks are using mild steel. Thank you.

[BNX]

I do tig and mig at home too.

[BNX]

Check Girodisc as well, 2 piece rotors are their wheel house...

I checked their site. Nothing I need. Many of the kit comes 12-13" rotors. Imagine this on 17s. This is 15s.


I think if I make drop the body 1-2" like I've been thinking and put 17s on, it will looks wonders. Maybe even try to fit 18s, cor 17 front and 18 rear. Cut the fender out and I will do my own body work. Kind of like this.


16s are limited to tires.