Brakes, can technology help?

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Wed 25 Apr 2007 18:28
Brakes, can technology help? - Clanger
Contemplating taking the rusty rear discs off the C3 for the second time in 58K miles and looking at a £50 bill from Andrew Page, I wondered if technology has the answer to mild steel discs which turn to cornflakes as soon as one's back is turned. Could the same inspired genius who gave us everlasting stainless steel exhausts be persuaded to market stainless discs?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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Wed 25 Apr 2007 19:23
Brakes, can technology help? - Group B
SS brake discs are available in the States but seem to be aimed at the top end of the market and "resto-modified" cars where appearance is important. I saw them fitting some to an old Mustang on Overhaulin' (Sky TV) the other night.

www.ssbrakes.com/

If you look at the prices on that website you will see you're better off with the £50 quote for rust-away discs! ($1900 for Ford Focus kit but that includes fancy calipers).


;o)
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Wed 25 Apr 2007 19:39
Brakes, can technology help? - L'escargot
mild steel discs .......


They're generally cast iron. tinyurl.com/p7gae

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L\'escargot.
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Wed 25 Apr 2007 19:55
Brakes, can technology help? - Micky
No, no and no. Stainless discs create lag in the wet, ask any Z1 owner. Although the rear discs on cars might not be subject to the same drenching as the front discs on motorbikes.

The best solution is - as always - is to make good progress along twisty B roads and make the brakes do the job they were designed to do.

Does the C3 handbrake work on the rear discs?
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Wed 25 Apr 2007 22:18
Brakes, can technology help? - kithmo
I'm convinced the rusting of brake discs is accelerated by washing the car then leaving it standing. Rain doesn't rust the discs because whilst the car is being driven the discs are hot and water evaporates when it hits or is wiped off by the next application of the brakes. When the car is stood the rain would have to be going sideways to wet the discs. See how quickly the discs rust over (lightly) after you've washed the car due to spraying the hose on the wheels. I always drive mine round the block after a wash to skim the light film of rust off, I usually run up about 50K miles on a car during my ownership and I've never had to change a set of discs yet (except one where the discs were shot when I bought it).
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Thu 26 Apr 2007 00:22
Brakes, can technology help? - Clanger
Cast iron, eh? I stand corrected.

Yes the C3 handbrake works on the rear disks, and you can't tell Mrs H anything about making progress, or firm braking, come to that :-x
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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