Brake Disc Grooves.

Author
Discussion

wixer

Original Poster:

373 posts

251 months

Sunday 14th November 2004
quotequote all
I'm currently renovating the whole of my suspension and brakes on my Griff 500 and as there isn't much wear on the brake discs I'm just going to have them re-faced. Whilst they are in the machine shop, I'm tempted to get them either cross drilled or grooved. Does anyone on here have any technical knowledge on the ideal amount, shape, depth and profile the groove's should be ?? Or does anyone know of a site where I can find this detail out ??

Thanks in advance.

GreenV8S

30,223 posts

285 months

Sunday 14th November 2004
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If they're in reasonable condition I'd be inclined to leave well alone. If they're worn, new discs are relatively cheap so it may not be worth the cost and hassle of resurfacing the old ones. Obviously, the more material you take off to resurface them, the less thickness you have left for your grooves/holes etc.

If you decide to do it any way, I advise you not to cross drill them under any circumstances. Even new discs suffer from mechanical weakness and stress raisers afer cross drilling. There doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule about grooves except that they should be angled at about 45 degrees (rather than radial) to prevent pad chatter. Doesn't matter which way they are angled. Grooves are typically about 5mm wide and 2.5mm deep. Don't run the grooves right out to the edge of the disc, and make sure you don't leave any sharp corners at the bottom or ends of the grooves. Four or eight grooves per face are ample. However, my advise would be to leave them alone unless you're confident you know what you are doing.

johno

8,431 posts

283 months

Sunday 14th November 2004
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Which way is preferable for the grooves in rotational terms .... swept backwards or swept forwards .... if you know what I mean.

I have just got 300mm bells and rotors with AP 4 pots and unfortunately they are drilled as well as grooved, would have preferred grooved only as have cracked disks historically, although there are many manufacturers ( Porsche ) seem to swear by them ...

I think some of the issue is how there are drilled. They should be a counter sunk hole, as this seems to be better than straight drilled holes ...

GreenV8S

30,223 posts

285 months

Sunday 14th November 2004
quotequote all
johno said:
Which way is preferable for the grooves in rotational terms .... swept backwards or swept forwards .... if you know what I mean.


If the vanes are angled you need to make sure you get those the right way round, but the grooves work just as well either way round.

johno

8,431 posts

283 months

Sunday 14th November 2004
quotequote all
Cheers Pete .... the vents are just straight and I have read some debate on here before about which way for the grooves .... one way looks much more sensible to me as it would seem to encourage the gas/dust flow towards the outer edge rather than towards the bell ...

MGBV8

160 posts

257 months

Sunday 14th November 2004
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jellison

12,803 posts

278 months

Monday 15th November 2004
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I agree with the countersuck. I had and inch bigger in the front of my last Chim500 - and asked for no holes or grooves for that reason - but have gone for both this time (but hole sunk to disipate likelihoos of cracking.

http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00195316f00000038.jpg

GreenV8S

30,223 posts

285 months

Monday 15th November 2004
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I've seen and experienced too many problems with stress cracks in drilled discs (including countersunk) ever to trust them. Its just not worth the risk imo. Grooved is far safer and gives all the same benefits.

saxo-stew

8,006 posts

239 months

Tuesday 16th November 2004
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ive tried running the my gooved discs both ways and have found the grooves facing forwards work better.