Off car brake disk lathe

[BogBeast]

Hi All, I asked in the regional section but did not get a response, so going a bit wider...

Is anybody aware of a place that has an off-car brake disk lathe?

or maybe a lathe big enough to hand a bigger set of disks

For various reasons, my disk could do with a cleanup, and whilst I have a smaller lathe, its nowhere near big enough.

I am based in Oxford

[E-bmw]

Unless it is something obscure/exotic I would just replace them personally, they are generally cheap enough.

If you really need them skimming rather than replacing 2.3 seconds on google will normally do the trick.

https://oldmillmotorswitney.co.uk/promotions/speci...

https://skimmydiscs.co.uk/

http://discskimmers.com/

[Pica-Pica]

Do the brakes pass the MOT? Is it just appearance? Mine looked rusty. At a fluid and MOT, main BMW dealer changed the fluid, and quoted new discs and pads because “it would not pass the MOT”. I said “forget the MOT”. I took the car elsewhere, passed the MOT, but advisories on ‘corroded or pitted discs’.
Essentially having had little use and being subject to salt roads has caused the corrosion (it is all on the road facing side).
I am just driving as normal, and trying the occasional hard braking to self-clean the discs. Seems to be working, albeit slowly. At 46k miles, and a light braker, I think the discs have plenty of life in them, and the corrosion and pitted will get evened out after a bit more use. If not, then maybe new pads, and start brake-cleaning again. I am one who thinks best to leave things alone, rather than taking parts off to try for an improvement, which will be cosmetic only.

[Chris32345]

At 46k if the original disc's they are probably getting near the wear limit's modern discs wear a lot more the older ones due to the harder pads
Discs despite there thickness don't actually have much of wear area

[Pica-Pica]

Chris32345 said:

At 46k if the original disc's they are probably getting near the wear limit's modern discs wear a lot more the older ones due to the harder pads
Discs despite there thickness don't actually have much of wear area

My friendly local garage would have mentioned their thickness, I’m sure. I may pop them in their to get them to measure. My old Starrett micrometer is only in imperial so 1” or 25mm. Mine are 370mm m-sport brakes, minimum thickness allowed is 28.4mm. When I do replace I will go with slotted and/or drilled, I am sure they do a better job at keeping the pads (and thus disks) clean.

[Buzz84]

E-bmw said:

If you really need them skimming rather than replacing 2.3 seconds on google will normally do the trick.

https://oldmillmotorswitney.co.uk/promotions/speci...

https://skimmydiscs.co.uk/

http://discskimmers.com/

Maybe some of those 2.3 seconds could be spent actually reading the OP post where he asks for OFF CAR disk skimming, before you go and post 3 links for companies offering ON CAR disk skimming...

[Pica-Pica]

Buzz84 said:

E-bmw said:

If you really need them skimming rather than replacing 2.3 seconds on google will normally do the trick.

https://oldmillmotorswitney.co.uk/promotions/speci...

https://skimmydiscs.co.uk/

http://discskimmers.com/

Maybe some of those 2.3 seconds could be spent actually reading the OP post where he asks for OFF CAR disk skimming, before you go and post 3 links for companies offering ON CAR disk skimming...

But it’s helped me. I’ve just read up on one of the links and there’s a ON-CAR skimming facility jut 10 minutes away. I may try them. I can see the advantage of on-car skimming, why is off-car skimming better?

[Driver101]

Pica-Pica said:

But it’s helped me. I’ve just read up on one of the links and there’s a ON-CAR skimming facility jut 10 minutes away. I may try them. I can see the advantage of on-car skimming, why is off-car skimming better?

On car skimming will ensure the brake disc isn't machined off square. A competent machinist shouldn't have much issue doing that off the car.

The cost to get them skimmed on the car isn't cheap. I've heard garages asking £80 per corner. Some on car machines only manage up to 350mm.

I don't think your discs are that expensive? About £300 per pair? Is it really worth 50% of the cost of new discs to squeeze a bit more life out of the old ones? Will you get through a set of pads before the discs replaced?

[BogBeast]

E-bmw said:

Unless it is something obscure/exotic I would just replace them personally, they are generally cheap enough.

If you really need them skimming rather than replacing 2.3 seconds on google will normally do the trick.

https://oldmillmotorswitney.co.uk/promotions/speci...

https://skimmydiscs.co.uk/

http://discskimmers.com/

Thanks for links, I found old mill motors before, they only do 'on-car', the others are all 'on-car'

I need to take my disks to someone who has can do them 'off-car' as the car has the gearbox out, so wont move for a while. While not moving I figured I could get the disks seen to.

Yes they are a bit special, yes I could get a new set but I would much prefer just to get them cleaned up

I know Barum engines have got what I want > https://youtu.be/5z2JQ89h7uk?t=334 but they are a bit far...

[stevieturbo]

BogBeast said:

Hi All, I asked in the regional section but did not get a response, so going a bit wider...

Is anybody aware of a place that has an off-car brake disk lathe?

or maybe a lathe big enough to hand a bigger set of disks

For various reasons, my disk could do with a cleanup, and whilst I have a smaller lathe, its nowhere near big enough.

I am based in Oxford

to "hand" a bigger set of discs ? What's that ?

What's wrong with the discs, that any regular machine shop can't do them ?

[stevieturbo]

Pica-Pica said:

But it’s helped me. I’ve just read up on one of the links and there’s a ON-CAR skimming facility jut 10 minutes away. I may try them. I can see the advantage of on-car skimming, why is off-car skimming better?

Hard to really say if one is better than the other.

Skimming off the car....any machine shop anywhere will be able to do it.

On car....only a small number of people have the gear, and likely more expensive.

[Pica-Pica]

Driver101 said:

Pica-Pica said:

But it’s helped me. I’ve just read up on one of the links and there’s a ON-CAR skimming facility jut 10 minutes away. I may try them. I can see the advantage of on-car skimming, why is off-car skimming better?

On car skimming will ensure the brake disc isn't machined off square. A competent machinist shouldn't have much issue doing that off the car.

The cost to get them skimmed on the car isn't cheap. I've heard garages asking £80 per corner. Some on car machines only manage up to 350mm.

I don't think your discs are that expensive? About £300 per pair? Is it really worth 50% of the cost of new discs to squeeze a bit more life out of the old ones? Will you get through a set of pads before the discs replaced?


That last paragraph reflects my view, but just going through the possibilities. They brake well enough, just a bit of judder on heavy braking that was not there before (before lockdown, low mileage, corrosion, and salting, that is!). The pad info says about 4k miles to go, so I’ll see how they all go towards that time.

[Driver101]

I don't think the estimations on BMW brake pad wear is very accurate. I remember one of my cars got down to I think it was 3200 miles and it stayed there for thousands of miles.

The vibration would annoy me.

[E-bmw]

Pica-Pica said:

Buzz84 said:

E-bmw said:

If you really need them skimming rather than replacing 2.3 seconds on google will normally do the trick.

https://oldmillmotorswitney.co.uk/promotions/speci...

https://skimmydiscs.co.uk/

http://discskimmers.com/

Maybe some of those 2.3 seconds could be spent actually reading the OP post where he asks for OFF CAR disk skimming, before you go and post 3 links for companies offering ON CAR disk skimming...

But it’s helped me. I’ve just read up on one of the links and there’s a ON-CAR skimming facility jut 10 minutes away. I may try them. I can see the advantage of on-car skimming, why is off-car skimming better?

Perhaps buzz should follow his awn advice.

I did read & hence that one in particular, I just gave other options.

[BogBeast]

stevieturbo said:

to "hand" a bigger set of discs ? What's that ?

sorry, meant 'handle'

stevieturbo said:

What's wrong with the discs, that any regular machine shop can't do them ?

Yup was just asking if anyone had any recommendations, a machine shop with a brake lathe or a general lathe that would happily accept a walk I from members of the public. The few places I knew of have either closed or not really bothered about doing work forjoe public

[Driver101]

Is Coventry too far?

I don't know your area and nothing is showing up in a search for me. There's always guys like this not too far away.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&amp...

[BogBeast]

Driver101 said:

Is Coventry too far?

I don't know your area and nothing is showing up in a search for me. There's always guys like this not too far away.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&amp...

Many Thanks!