who makes the best off the shelf discs?

[jason61c]

I'm after a set of discs to this spec

https://www.bremboparts.com/europe/en/catalogue/di...

Who makes the best off the shelf discs? its for a conversion so they'll be getting re-drilled and centre bore.

[GreenV8S]

jason61c said:

Who makes the best off the shelf discs?

Everybody.

Unless you are getting ceramic or steel discs they are basically plain old cast iron, and the most significant difference between brands is the box.

While you're getting them adapted to your hubs please don't cross-drill for ventilation or anything daft like that.

[jason61c]

GreenV8S said:

Everybody.

Unless you are getting ceramic or steel discs they are basically plain old cast iron, and the most significant difference between brands is the box.

While you're getting them adapted to your hubs please don't cross-drill for ventilation or anything daft like that.

do none of them do curved internal veins?

I'm not cross drilling or similar. I would like 4 groves like the cp g4 range https://www.gartrac.com/shop/ap-racing-vented-brak...

I would have thought not all casting's are equal?

[GreenV8S]

jason61c said:

do none of them do curved internal veins?

You can basically ignore all the cr@p the aftermarket people will tell you about how superior their discs are. For example, you'll find some people promoting different vane designs, but check carefully and you'll see they aren't handed. These are the same people who will try to sell you cross drilled cast iron discs with dozens of grooves per side and so on. Utter garbage. Basically, this is about marketing not engineering. What you've suggested with a handful of grooves per side and no cross drillings is perfectly sensible, and I'd only suggest grooves if you know you need them.

If you are paying 10x or 20x more for ceramic or steel brake rotors then no doubt you'll find important differences, but here at the bottom of the market where you are buying cast iron discs, they are a very cheap and common commodity and the difference between brands is nothing to do with how well they work and all to do with persuading people to pay more.

[colin_p]

I'd say Brembo themselves.

Widely available and at erocarparts when they have one of their weekly sales on quite cheap too.

I say Brembo as they have a stove enamelled type finish on the non friction / non wiped exposed parts of the disc which keeps them looking nice.

If you are not bothered about cosmetics, then any. Although pagid used to have a zinc coated the same as where the Bremos are enamelled but not half as nice.

[stevieturbo]

jason61c said:

I'm after a set of discs to this spec

https://www.bremboparts.com/europe/en/catalogue/di...

Who makes the best off the shelf discs? its for a conversion so they'll be getting re-drilled and centre bore.

So you just want a set of bog standard discs, as opposed to racing discs...which would be "off the shelf" and potentially offer more choice with regards design ?

Obviously going with a brand name like Brembo, quality should be assured. But it would be very easy to do a disc/bell setup too

[jason61c]

I want quality discs that will last on trackdays and possibly the odd hill climb.

I've new ap cp5040 calipers to use. 1155 pads.

Yes, bells and discs are 'easy', however £270 for hubs, £430 for ap discs, £30 for mounting bobbins, so £730.

Or find the very best discs I can that are in the offset/diameter/thickness I need, then pay £20 to have them centre bored and pcd changed.

[227bhp]

Brembos and get them Cryo treated, they last a lot longer then.

[GreenV8S]

jason61c said:

I want quality discs that will last on trackdays and possibly the odd hill climb.

These are conflicting requirements, because you will need to cope with sustained heating on track days, but on hill climbs the brakes will barely get warm.

[jason61c]

GreenV8S said:

These are conflicting requirements, because you will need to cope with sustained heating on track days, but on hill climbs the brakes will barely get warm.

Yes but quite a common thing. given my relative lack of speed up a hill its not a major issue!

[GreenV8S]

jason61c said:

not a major issue!

As long as your brakes work OK from stone cold, you'll be OK. That will depend on your choice of pads.

[E-bmw]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Sierra-Cosworth-4-...

Have personally used this brand (Evora) on a 328 & Cooper S with uprated brakes with good success.

[KungFuPanda]

Eicher. Premium.

[The Wookie]

GreenV8S said:

Everybody.

Unless you are getting ceramic or steel discs they are basically plain old cast iron, and the most significant difference between brands is the box.

There are plenty of details in machining process, heat treatment, quality control and simple dimensional accuracy that might not seem important but can actually cause significant performance issues in service particularly if you’re planning on pushing your brakes hard.

Iron discs look simple but are a pain in the arse to make properly.

You may get lucky and find a small manufacturer who has captured someone from a bigger brake company to bring across those details but you’re safer buying quality stuff.

[CarsOrBikes]

I used Brembo for my R56S mini brakes I fitted to my R53, the Brembo pads lasted a day at Oulton park but the same discs with BMW pads was just great, pads barely touched, discs spot on, no heat marks or vibration, later in the year some slight disc wear was evident, but even, no scoring, no taper, no cracks, but they do rust faster than others if the car was left, I'd use again, although I don't know if they are made in the size I have now.

so many options that may be just fine I guess, but these I liked fwiw.

[sgtBerbatov]

Mintex have always been good for me.

[Andy S15]

I've had good success with Delphi. Cheap as chips on eBay and a big brand with OEM parts. I've got through 3 sets on my S2000 with hard track use and very high temp sintered pads, they have been great. Plain discs, circa £40 per pair.

I think in general, as long as you avoid anything drilled you'll be fine with any brand at the lower price point. If you want (reliably) fancy ones, then go with a fancier brand.