Friday 22nd October 2004

Maker's name on discs saves lives

Brake discs show when replacement is due

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A new brake disc has been designed with the manufacturer’s signature embedded in the disc to advise motorists of inefficient braking. It uses a concept similar that deployed by Brembo, as reported earlier on PistonHeads (see link below).

Three Rossini signatures are stamped into each of the brake discs. Each signature should wear at the same rate, says the maker. Any sign of wear would be apparent through the wheel and the driver would be alerted to a brake fault. When the Rossini signatures disappear totally the discs are down to minimum thickness and it recommends replacing them.

Rossini reckons its discs are designed to improve a vehicle’s stopping power -- though it would be odd if they weren't. Specifically, performance is improved by multi-drilling the disc so it cools quickly. Grooves in the brake disc help to reduce brake pad glaze while removing brake dust and moisture fast.

The Rossini discs are manufactured from special steel with added magnesium and titanium to add strength and increase the brake disc’s life expectancy. However, see the link below for more information about ideal materials for discs, where it's suggested that in fact steel is not optimal.

Rossini brake discs are claimed to virtually eliminate ‘brake fade’. Drivers can experience brake fade when slowing down from high speed – especially in wet weather conditions. Brake fade prevents a vehicle being able to stop as quickly as it normally does and the end result can be lethal. The manufacturer claims Rossini brake discs can improve stopping distance by as much as 40 per cent -- though the company doesn't say what that's in comparison to.

Mark Cornwall of Car Parts Direct, the UK distributor said, "The manufacturer has combined the ultimate safety feature and combined it with the latest technology in brake disc performance – they’ve made it look amazing, too. The research and development has taken over a year – but it’s been worth waiting for."

Rossini says its range covers around 90 per cent of all vehicles on the road in the UK - including most performance cars, 4x4s, motor homes and even classic cars.

Mail order specialist, Car Parts Direct, supplies the range of over 9,000 applications of Rossini brake disc kits. Prices start at around £100. The full range of Rossini brake disc kits and prices can be viewed online at www.carparts-direct.co.uk Alternatively call Car Parts Direct on 01332 290833

Links:
Brembo story: www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=9041
Brake disc materials: www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/warped_rotors_myth.htm

[adrianr]

Ted, do you edit these press releases for guff?

We all know grooves and holes are just for cosmetics; the grooves would do just as good a job as the pretty letters for showing wear, and absolutely no-one driving anything modern is going to get brake fade just by slowing down from high speed.

AdrianR

[dannylt]

Why would wet weather be more likely to cause brake fade? Surely the opposite?

Also, if fade is an issue, I doubt a few holes and grooves are going to help much - what guff.

[andybrown668]

I think the point of these features is to make sure the owners spend more time buffing their cars than driving them; hence the improved safety ;-)

[greg_D]

and it also wouldnot surprise me if the level that they are designed to "expire" at proves to be WAY before you ACTUALLY need to replace them.

Blinkin' chocolate Teapot

Greg

[Ride Drive]

Another marketing ploy of creating a sense of need when there is none. You will have to drive a modern car extremely badly to get brake fade, and if you do get to that stage then you are in serious need of some driver training!

Jules

[Alfa Mad]

Ride Drive said:

Another marketing ploy of creating a sense of need when there is none. You will have to drive a modern car extremely badly to get brake fade, and if you do get to that stage then you are in serious need of some driver training! Jules

Not true, after trying 4 different types of front brake pads on my 155, Mintex pads were the only ones I experienced fade from- and that was after only 2 significant brake applications!!

BTW, none of the other pad brands ever gave any indication of fade! Perhaps you do not live in a hilly area, Ride Drive?

>> Edited by Alfa Mad on Monday 25th October 00:00

[rutthenut]

Ha bloody ha!

Definitely a load of marketing borrox.

Manufacturers name in disc is a safety feature, especially in detecting 'uneven wear'. Guffaw.

'Virtually eliminate fade'. Incredulous harrumph.
In fact, that statement is probably one of the most misleading claims they could dare to make. Product liability law-suit, anyone?

Reduce stopping distance by 40 percent? Perhaps in comparison to putting the driver's baseball cap on the road, with their head still in it?

This press release really does not deserve to be promoted on the PH site - unless it was intended to put it there for the basis of a humour article???

[lanciachris]

Ride Drive said:

Another marketing ploy of creating a sense of need when there is none. You will have to drive a modern car extremely badly to get brake fade, and if you do get to that stage then you are in serious need of some driver training! Jules

Seconding the fully untrue comment. Unless by 'badly' you mean, in a manner which is not appropriate on public roads.

[Diceboy]

After fitting these disks to my Cav SRI I have noticed some improvement already. I have only had them on for a week and am still bedding them in so i will keep you all posted!

the thing is drilled and groved brakes do work its been proven on the track. so why not use them for every day road use! Plus they look the biz!!

[m-five]

Diceboy said:

the thing is drilled and groved brakes do work its been proven on the track. so why not use them for every day road use! Plus they look the biz!!

The track is not the road!

You see F1 cars on track only 2cm above the surface would that also benefit normal road users? Do you wear a helmet on the road - they seem to all wear them on the track and they are proven to reduce head injuries?

Components that are used on track are usually replaced every 100 miles or so! Even the expensive Porsche Ceramic brakes only last about 10,000 miles and cost £12k to replace each time!

If you want to replace your discs and pads every 100 miles then you're welcome to!

Drilled discs are more prone to cracking due to stress build up around the drilled holes - the holes were not meant to be there when the discs were cast/forged and so the inherent strength in the solid disc is compromised when drilled - unless the holes are made during the forging/casting.

Grooved discs are better as they allow more hot gasses to escape and keep the pad clean and level - however this also leads to increased pad wear as to keep the pad clean & level the grooves scrape off a later of pad material.

[KRIS_ROMANKIW]

I take it from the way the majority of you have spoken about the topic you haven't gone for a drive in the country on a sunday afternoon in a hilly area. Brake fade is obviously a common occurance otherwise there would be no need for larger discs or four pot calipers. drilled and grooved discs do work as it has been proven, it is an advance on the current disc as was the vented disc to the solid. im sure most of you would be up in arms if you drove your vehicles with solid discs and then experienced fade. yes there is a difference between track and road but the track is the testing ground for a multitude of automotive advances. abs, esc, independant suspension they are all luxuries of safety i know i driven many vehicles with and without. what im saying is grooved and drilled may not be required for road use everyday, but it's nice to know the eventuality of fade is even harder to come by. For those of you still wishing to ignore the advantages of the grooved and drilled discs, your obviously stuck with anti-evolutionary mindset, you might aswell be driving a mk1 mini with four-wheel drums.

[skymaster]

Your average driver could do some good by getting their brake fluid changed a bit more often. There are 1000s of cars on the roads with old fluid with too much water content. When I worked for a motor dealers we used to advise people every two years, many people ignored us assuming it to be something only really anal car owners paid attention to. I get mine done annually.

[AndyCowman]

This maybe old but thought I would drop my 2 pence in...

I had a mk2 GTI on which I replaced the standard pads with EBC Greenstuffs and a fresh pair GTI discs from Brembo. The difference over the old was hugely noticable (when the old were new and then worn out!)

I opted for this slight upgrade as it was not that much more expensive and because it allowed for a lot of long road trips (playing in the Alps for example) and trips to the Ring as well as being excellent for everyday driving. On the old set up I wore the brakes out much quicker and had alarming brake fade due to very spirited driving!!

The worth of an upgrade all depends on how you plan to use the vehicle, on a corsa I wouldn't bother though ....

[anonymous-user]

Lets be honest, only a small percentage of drivers, normally enthusiasts, actually checks the state of the pads and discs, and these people would check irrespective of whether a name is written into the metal. Most people just jump in the car and go without giving it a second thought, and they are no more likely to notice worn-out writing than they are to notice that the pedal is a bit spongy or that one of their brakes is binding and the wheel is red hot etc..

Just a marketing ploy to sell more discs by indicating that they're worn out when in fact they are still perfectly usable.

[gareth.e]

Did I just read a news article or an advert?

Edited by gareth.e on Monday 13th October 17:11

[Vesuvius 996]

Wait until Porsche hear about this.

One good stop and they'll need new ones, sir.

[mikee boy]

Tosh. But then people pay for tosh.

Which explains the aftermarket pads on seatbelts.