71 replies to this topic

[fightoffyoredeamons]

Glowing rotors are the coolest part of racing. Who wants too share their favorite pictures?

Edited by fightoffyoredeamons, 20 August 2015 - 17:34.

[Sharman]

aweful

[bradbury west]

If you are referring to the American-ised term for what we call brake discs, you are on your own, good sir. If, however you are talking about photographs of the outer, touching lip/seal on a Wankel type engine, with the engine running at such speed to make the rotors glow, I would welcome seeing such shots, with a full description of just how you or others managed to take such shots. From your opening line I take it that this sort of thing is quite commonplace.  Bring it on...

Roger Lund

[fightoffyoredeamons]

If you are referring to the American-ised term for what we call brake discs, you are on your own, good sir. If, however you are talking about photographs of the outer, touching lip/seal on a Wankel type engine, with the engine running at such speed to make the rotors glow, I would welcome seeing such shots, with a full description of just how you or others managed to take such shots. From your opening line I take it that this sort of thing is quite commonplace. Bring it on...
Roger Lund

I'll be honest I didn't know that rotor was an Americanized term. I call them brake discs too but I thought that rotor was a universal term.

But yes glowing red brake discs

[63Corvette]

Glowing rotors are the coolest part of racing. Who wants too share their favorite pictures?

 

Here ya go. More of them than you can believe;-)

https://www.google.c...CFQLQgAodY1EPJg

 

Fightoff it's not "Americanization". A "proper" disc brake has BOTH a "hat or inner ring for fastening to the hub, and a "ROTOR" which attaches to the hat, and becomes the friction surface........even in Blighty.

[D-Type]

Here ya go. More of them than you can believe;-)

https://www.google.c...CFQLQgAodY1EPJg

 

Fightoff it's not "Americanization". A "proper" disc brake has BOTH a "hat or inner ring for fastening to the hub, and a "ROTOR" which attaches to the hat, and becomes the friction surface........even in Blighty.

Be that as it may, 'rotor' may be a technical term, but it is not a word used in  Britain for a brake disc.

[Charlieman]

How did Frederick Lanchester describe his disc brakes? How did journalists describe his inventions?

[Sharman]

I know how Johnny Wallwork described the functioning of the discs on his TR, "work best when they are glowing cherry red", and that was in the 50s.

[Allan Lupton]

Fightoff it's not "Americanization". A "proper" disc brake has BOTH a "hat or inner ring for fastening to the hub, and a "ROTOR" which attaches to the hat, and becomes the friction surface........even in Blighty.

Never come across that nomenclature.with regard to conventional disc brakes.

It looks more appropriate for the brake packs used on aeroplanes and modern Grand Prix cars

[GMACKIE]

Shirley it would be necessary to have a clear distributor cap, to see a 'glowing rotor' ?

[Lee Nicolle]

I'll be honest I didn't know that rotor was an Americanized term. I call them brake discs too but I thought that rotor was a universal term.

But yes glowing red brake discs

It is, world wide. Brake discs really is more slang.

I will answer on either.

[Lee Nicolle]

I have no pics,, just a lot of watching  and competing in motorsport. 

Mallala at night meetings is always interesting, The track is very hard on brakes and most cars have the brakes glowing,, some of the drum rear cars have the drums glowing too.

Nascar at AIR in the past, some real hot brakes there. Half mile oval.

Sprintcars  [or Midgets] with brake problems [most do not have brakes!] with the rotors actually spraying molten metal,,, onto the seat. The  main rotor is under the drivers bum! That I have seen on many occasions. Why I really do not know but many Sprints seem to have a problem of the master not allowing the main calliper pistons to retract properly,, or on the other hand the brakes require 2 or 3 pumps to keep the pedal up.

The guys with good brakes often win through that alone,, and trash less equipment too.

[Glengavel]

It is, world wide. Brake discs really is more slang.

I will answer on either.

 

I'm in the UK and as an ex-Alfa driver I have plenty of knowledge of brake disc replacement(!) and I have never once seen or heard them described as 'rotors'. It's always been "Ah, yes, your brakes...you need new discs". Same with any other car for that matter, and every dealer, repair centre, garage or fitter I have ever dealt with has called them 'discs'.

 

A brief bit of unscientific research on Google search has UK references to "brake discs" greatly outnumbering "brake rotors", and this increases twofold when you use the -bike flag, which is fair enough given that the thin ring of alloy on a bike can hardly be described as a disc.

[63Corvette]

I DO hope that none of the Forum members think I am mean spirited by poking fun at my English cousins, but they seem to still be in the middle ages. I am a retired engineer, and I have worked with displaced British engineers in the US (displaced persons;-) who were incredulous in the 1960s to learn that our office windows did not open because we had full time air conditioning (both heat and cool). When I asked them "what do you do in your English office?" they responded that they were expected to bring a coat AND WEAR IT AT WORK!  

  StopTech Aero-Rotor Replacement Friction Rings

 

     

• StopTech Big Brake Kit AeroRotor Friction Rings and associated Drive Pin Hardware

StopTech Aero-Rotors are specifically designed for StopTech Big Brake Kits.  Use of the incorrect rotors may result in damage and/or non-optimized performance.

 

• 

    2pc Aero-Rotor Direct Replacement Friction Rings and associated Drive Pin Hardware (vehicle specific)

Aero-Rotor kits are 2-piece rotors that utilize an aluminum hat and an iron friction ring to save weight and increase heat capacity while utilizing the stock calipers.

Edited by 63Corvette, 21 August 2015 - 15:57.

[BRG]

 

I DO hope that none of the Forum members think I am mean spirited by poking fun at my English cousins, but they seem to still be in the middle ages. 

 

 We're in the middle ages because we don't misuse the word rotor to describe a brake disc?  Rotors are those big whirly thingies on top of helicopters.

[Option1]

Was there a topic in this thread, or is it just a bunch of folks getting their knickers/panties/tightywhities/shorts in a bunch/knot because there is more than one term used to describe something and that term might be different in one country from the term they use in their country and is therefore unequivocally wrong, especially when used on the WORLD wide web? 

 

Neil

[Vitesse2]

I've been wondering that myself, Neil.

 

As far as I can tell the only on-topic post is the first one from 63Corvette.

[Rob Ryder]

Maybe the topic should be given the boot (or is that trunk?)

[Allan Lupton]

As far as I can tell the only on-topic post is the first one from 63Corvette.

I'd have said that the OP's first one was on-topic, whatever the topic is.

The language used made understanding the point difficult. Leaving aside the "rotor" bit, if something is glowing it is likely to be hot, not cold/cool.

[bradbury west]

But does it constitute nostalgia, or a topic in keeping with this place's original ethos?  Or have we moved so far from that that we can accept threads about favourite drivers and helmet colours next?  OK so I appear to be in a minority these days.......... but I cannot help but think of all the key members we have seen forsake this place.

Roger Lund

 

btw. John, I recall Johnny Wallwork in a Volvo in period ISTR. Didn't he feature in seat belt ads?  RL

[Sharman]

But does it constitute nostalgia, or a topic in keeping with this place's original ethos?  Or have we moved so far from that that we can accept threads about favourite drivers and helmet colours next?  OK so I appear to be in a minority these days.......... but I cannot help but think of all the key members we have seen forsake this place.

Roger Lund

 

btw. John, I recall Johnny Wallwork in a Volvo in period ISTR. Didn't he feature in seat belt ads?  RL

Yes after he bent his face quite badly in a TR, but they were Volvo Concessionaires for the Manchester area although John was a works Triumph driver and his road car was an Alfa 1900 reg WVM 8, we used to dice up Kingsway in the rush hour, me in a Downton Minor reg WVM 7. We always got stuck in the Cheadle crawl before the Mersey bridge was built. I wish I was still that young

[sabrejet]

Be that as it may, 'rotor' may be a technical term, but it is not a word used in  Britain for a brake disc.

 

Not entirely true: aircraft brake packs consist of stators and rotors, so not such an uncommon term.

[Allan Lupton]

Not entirely true: aircraft brake packs consist of stators and rotors, so not such an uncommon term.

As I wrote in post no 9. . .

[D-Type]

Not entirely true: aircraft brake packs consist of stators and rotors, so not such an uncommon term.

But this is a motor racing forum and in motor racing nobody uses the term 'rotor' for brake components - Apart, of course, from specialist brake technicians when speaking to other specialist brake technicians.

[kayemod]

But does it constitute nostalgia, or a topic in keeping with this place's original ethos?  Or have we moved so far from that that we can accept threads about favourite drivers and helmet colours next?  OK so I appear to be in a minority these days.......... but I cannot help but think of all the key members we have seen forsake this place.

Roger Lund

 

btw. John, I recall Johnny Wallwork in a Volvo in period ISTR. Didn't he feature in seat belt ads?  RL

 

On Roger's first point, I agree wholeheartedly with most of what's already been said. Nothing much I can add, but if many members would prefer to create their own version of "TNF lite", short of Attilla the Hun type moderation, there isn't much that can be done about it.

 

The John Wallwork thing though brings back memories. His garage and showroom premises mostly opened onto Manchester's Sackville Street, directly opposite the entrance to the Technical College, I forget its official title in those days, probably something incorporating the terms Science and Technology, though it was always referred to as "The Tech". I went there on day release to study printing technology, and in the lunch hour, together with one or two like-minded fellow enthusiasts, often went into the Wallwork premises to study his secondhand stock, which always contained plenty of interesting cars. This part of the place was like a small hangar, fairly dimly lit, with the vehicles quite tightly packed in parallel rows, all facing the exit. We behaved ourselves of course, chattering excitedly and fairly knowledgeably, though never touching or fiddling with the cars, and no-one ever seemed to mind. The sales staff probably viewed us as potential customers, once we were able to stop studying and start earning, but in my case another four years of mostly full time study awaited before I was able to get properly mobile.

 

It's many years since I was last in Manchester, but I think that if the old Wallwork building still exists, it more or less overlooks the Alan Turing memorial and surrounding gardens.

[GMACKIE]

Just be thankful no-one has so far called them brake disks !

[63Corvette]

And yet.......................................NONE of you have stated that this statement is.....................wrong?

 our office windows did not open because we had full time air conditioning (both heat and cool). When I asked them "what do you do in your English office?" they responded that they were expected to bring a coat AND WEAR IT AT WORK! 

 

By the way.............you are ALL more talented than I am, and I am always very impressed with the very civilized language that y'all use to argue or diagree with each other.

Edited by 63Corvette, 22 August 2015 - 01:11.

[brucemoxon]

Back to the actual topic...

Will this do for starters?

Bathurst 12 Hour, 2014

 

 

Bruce Moxon

[GreenMachine]

... and for seconds, a Lambo:

[Lee Nicolle]

But this is a motor racing forum and in motor racing nobody uses the term 'rotor' for brake components - Apart, of course, from specialist brake technicians when speaking to other specialist brake technicians.

Except for the racers that also replace and fit ROTORS as part of their job.I have some old rotors here in a box,, and they are marked brake ROTORS by the mainstream manufacturer.

A little research via Google. The popular manufacturers. DBA & RDA call them rotors, Bendix refer to rotor prep in fitment guides. 

EBC and Bosch call them brake discs.

I do know when I call for rotors they do not ask if I want discs!

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 23 August 2015 - 06:27.

[john aston]

If Sniff Petrol (a humorous motoring themed website m'lud ) were doing a parody of the Nostalgia Forum they couldn't do much better than some of the harrumphery on this thread . I wonder if a similar reaction would have occured if  Dan Gurney or Jim Hall had uttered the word 'rotor' ? .

 

I'm no techy but even I knew exactly what was meant by 'rotors' - do you know , some of those colonials even have the effrontery to use some other terms of their own- straightaway , turn,  header and - shudder- cubic inch. ,

[kayemod]

If Sniff Petrol (a humorous motoring themed website m'lud ) were doing a parody of the Nostalgia Forum they couldn't do much better than some of the harrumphery on this thread . I wonder if a similar reaction would have occured if  Dan Gurney or Jim Hall had uttered the word 'rotor' ? .

 

I'm no techy but even I knew exactly what was meant by 'rotors' - do you know , some of those colonials even have the effrontery to use some other terms of their own- straightaway , turn,  header and - shudder- cubic inch. ,

 

I think that your mention of Jim Hall and Dan Gurney, 63 Corvette's diversion on office heating, and my bit on the late John Wallwork are the only elements of nostalgia in this thread, what's nostalgic about present day brake components?

[kayemod]

Now this really is nostalgia, though no connection with modern car parts. JW is top right with his Volvo P1800 registration JCW 1 below. I remember a genial presence almost always dressed in a swirling Arthur Daley type camel-hair coat. Always bearded, one of the salesmen told us it was to cover up old motor racing facial injuries.

 

[chunder27]

Bizarrely with all the discussion about discs, rotors, disks and the like.

 

Has anyone actually thought abotu the point made, that glowing whatever are the coolest part of racing?

 

Hogwash

 

Sound, commitment, scenery are all far more important!

[Sharman]

Now, now, Kayemod I'm the one who introduced nostalgia, in my opinion (and to hell with retired solicitors) the OP was more like neuralgia. This is TNF not a site for arty farty pictures of hot brake discs which are not within the spirit of the forum, and I did say that he (JW) had bent his face.

Now this really is nostalgia, though no connection with modern car parts. JW is top right with his Volvo P1800 registration JCW 1 below. I remember a genial presence almost always dressed in a swirling Arthur Daley type camel-hair coat. Always bearded, one of the salesmen told us it was to cover up old motor racing facial injuries.

 

 

[lyntonh]

To be literal not colloquial.....a glowing brake disc/rotor thingie would have to be the HOTTEST ....not the coolest.

[lyntonh]

I saw my first motor race at an Oran Park night meeting in 1968,

& as an 18 year old I reckoned the glowing brakes on Pete's Mustang were quite impressive,

along with the noise, the smells, the crowd.....

[john aston]

Glowing brakes on Mikkola's Gp B Quattro in Dalby Forest at night on the much lamented RAC Rally were more than cool, if I may use current argot.But  not as cool as the elephantine bellow which preceded its arrival by several minutes. Trying to recall when I first noticed them on Grand Prix cars - late 80s would it have been ? 

[Sharman]

Something else I recall about the Wallwork cars, John's son Barry, at one time drove AP1800, which was the registration mark too!

[RStock]

Shirley it would be necessary to have a clear distributor cap, to see a 'glowing rotor' ?

Sparking round two of the Revolutionary war, we call those things "rotor caps".

[63Corvette]

I saw my first motor race at an Oran Park night meeting in 1968,

& as an 18 year old I reckoned the glowing brakes on Pete's Mustang were quite impressive,

along with the noise, the smells, the crowd.....

"The roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the FORD"

[GMACKIE]

Sparking round two of the Revolutionary war, we call those things "rotor caps".

Promoting High Tension, are we ? Left off the "cap" to save ink.

[Lee Nicolle]

Clear dissy caps were available in the distant past. For some reason they seemed to crack very easliy.

And yes they were a bit of a light show. Especially in the dark!

Though in more recent times watching HEI ignitions with U/S components too on a cold damp night can be a lightshow. Leads, plugs and dissy caps all glowing and arcing. Have even seen it on more modern stuff with sick coil packs too.

[GMACKIE]

I believe that electronic ignition is rather pointless.

[RStock]

I believe that electronic ignition is rather pointless.

Agreed. Just a fad. They'll never stick.

[RStock]

 Left off the "cap" to save ink.

Practicing to be a condenser, I see.

[f1steveuk]

My ten pence!!! When I did my apprenticeship (Caffyns Ltd, Austin Morris, Jaguar/Rover Triumph, Leyland Commercial and Rolls-Royce)

 

we were sent to college once a week. One class was in English. I questioned why we were doing English to which our lecturer passed a matchbox around the class, and we were asked to look in it and write down what was in there. The course was being taken by people from many different makers, and we had TWENTY SEVEN different descriptions of what was in the box (core plug, welch plug, gallery plug etc etc) so it doesn't surprise me that a there is a brake rotor, brake disc etc etc.

 

I also recall working on the audio out on track during practise/quali at F1 events and saw many a glowing disc, and at places like the first chicane at Hockenhiem, you could also feel the heat, and I was actaully caught being able to identify the Wiilliams without seeing the car, as the Carbon Lorraine brakes they used, smelt different. Iwas accused of being an anorak..........................

[Lee Nicolle]

I believe that electronic ignition is rather pointless.

Agreed, it will never catch on.

[Dipster]

It is, world wide. Brake discs really is more slang.

I will answer on either.

I may well be wrong but didn`t Dunlop develop, perhaps invent, disc brakes originally? In Britain.  I think they named them disc brakes. Personally I grew up understanding rotors lived in distributor caps.

 

But that said i cannot see the fascination in "glowing rotors" myself. I would hate to have to work on them!

Edited by Dipster, 23 August 2015 - 06:37.

[Dipster]

And yet.......................................NONE of you have stated that this statement is.....................wrong?

 our office windows did not open because we had full time air conditioning (both heat and cool). When I asked them "what do you do in your English office?" they responded that they were expected to bring a coat AND WEAR IT AT WORK! 

 

By the way.............you are ALL more talented than I am, and I am always very impressed with the very civilized language that y'all use to argue or diagree with each other.

No. it was not wrong.

 

But in Britain in the 60`s we were still comparitive paupers compared to the US having fought the 2nd World war years before. That war nearly broke the UK financially. The UK was paying back the war debt to the US for years afterwards. I was born after the war but the first five years of my life were spent with food rationing. So I guess my parents had other things on their minds than air conditioning.

 

Sorry to have gone so wildly off topic. I will go and make a nice cup of tea now.........