Another Brake Rotor Thread

[Kumba]

The pitch change can be a hard spot, thickness variation or the rotor on the lathe with excessive runout due to sloppiness of the lathe adapters. The best way to check for hardness is by using sandpaper to smooth the rotor turning peaks while the rotor is still mounted. If you feel the sandpaper grabbing and releasing, that is when it transitioning between the soft and hard surfaces. You can then train yourself to look at the surface for the shiny hard spots.

I was never good at feeling the change in the sandpaper, so what I used to use was a moderately stiff spring to hold the sandpaper, and then push that against the rotor as I spun it. when the spring moved I had the hard spot. The spring I used to use was an old adjuster spring from a '65 Mustang. Worked great for me

As far as the Akebono Euro pads on all 4 corners they are amazing! they feel good new but after about 5K-mi they finally bed in good and and give you great bite and consistency. They do get a somewhat odd smell to them when you push them hard. And by hard I mean standing on them from 45 to 15, flooring the car for 5 seconds, then standing on them again and doing that repeatedly for about a minute. Spotless performance all the way through but definitely get a slight whiff or something as they cool off.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Kumba,

How ya doin? Thanks for the added info. The reason I was keeping the Brembos in the running was for the 320 upgrade possibility. Does anyone know if you can get 320 Jag rotors through the Ford dealer??? Just kidding. Maybe I'll have to spec them out from my non existant Jag dealer in my area. Ouch! That price is going to hurt. So the only thing different is the caliper brackets. You said in your 12.6" upgrade that the spacing was different. So how did you get the brackets to bolt up to the LS knuckles???

---Mike---

 

[Kumba]

Kumba,

How ya doin? Thanks for the added info. The reason I was keeping the Brembos in the running was for the 320 upgrade possibility. Does anyone know if you can get 320 Jag rotors through the Ford dealer??? Just kidding. Maybe I'll have to spec them out from my non existant Jag dealer in my area. Ouch! That price is going to hurt. So the only thing different is the caliper brackets. You said in your 12.6" upgrade that the spacing was different. So how did you get the brackets to bolt up to the LS knuckles???

The difference is in the location of the threaded holes and some of the machining. The actual bolt-pattern is the same as is the landing for the caliper and relative position of the guide pins. They are just simply further apart from each other as a whole. The bracket even looked to be from the same casting just with the machining in slightly different spots. Considering they only needed 10mm more rotor radius it wasn't hard to just move things a little bit at both ends of the bracket to pick up that slack. A pretty simple and effective way of getting it on Jag's part. Easier to re-tool for 1 part in a supply chain then getting specific castings done.

I've been quite happy with my Centric blanks up front. The AZ rotors in the rear seem to be doing fine. In retrospect I would have gone with Centrics out back too but my wallet got impatient with me and, well, stuff happens. The OEM Jag rotors are most likely not US made. Considering it's a Jag specific part I would imagine it being of european origin. Since Tata Motors now owns Jaguar it might be from India at this point. Who knows. Spend weeks just tracing down the CoO on things anymore.

 

[TooManyToys]

There is a lot of bad information given out by consumer parts countermen. I had one participating on another forum who insisted the Wagner pads were the exact pads used on the F-150 assembly line. He was told so by the local company rep. I explained they came from two different plants, different friction, different steelbacks, different insulators. The company rep kept reinforcing what he had told him. Told him to go buy an OE set from the Ford dealer and take pictures of those and the Wagners he had on the shelf behind him. If they were the same I would pay for the Ford pads and give him $200 for his trouble. He never participated on the forum after he said he was going to the dealer to show the forum I didn't know what I was talking about. At least under that handle.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

4 Bluebox rotors ordred today. $325 OTD! They'll be in Wednesday. Might be a little cheaper, if I still have a credit on my Ford perks card. Time to start looking for some hi-temp paint for the hats.

Thanks TMT and Kumba for your feedback.

It was hard walking away from the Brembos, but it seems quality is starting to suffer, since manufacturing has moved to china. Over the last few years, as I have noticed a decline in the quality of aftermarket parts, I have found myself going to the dealer more and more. Hard to belive I was going against my own practice. I guess I was getting starry eyed, with the idea of some magical improvement. My car is just a daily driver, that gets pushed to its limit occasionally.

For anyone interested in doing Kumbas upgrade using ATE rotors, You can get both front brackets, and all 4 rotors for $420, with a 5% discount at RA. My finger was twitching, but I didn't want to deal with the slots or the coating.

 

[cammerfe]

High-Zoot

Probably should start looking for carbon-fibre rotors for the LS.

KS

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Yeah. I could just see those on my daily driver. A four wheel setup would cost more than the value of my car.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Well,

Picked up rotors today from dealer. Total with Perks discount card was $299 OTD. First thing I noticed was "made in brazil". Took them home, opened up the box, and noticed that the vane section, and non contact surfaces of the hat were painted black.

These are starting to look alot like Fremax rotors, which are supplied by Beck/Arnley. Never seen a factory rotor with painted black centers and edges. At this point I am suspect. Thinking about ordering the Beck/Arnley Jag 320's + stock size rears, and seeing what I get, as far as quality and country of origin. I will also compare rotor configuration, and thickness of disc surfaces, compared to vane section. If this all pans out the way I think it will, I can have the big brakes, including the caliper brackets for $287.

---Mike---

 

[TooManyToys]

Along with the COO there should be the manufacturers logo cast into the same area.

Aftermarket companies will private label OE parts if the cost is too high to tool for a low sales volume. If you look at both the Fram and Motorcraft oil filters for the Powerstoke 6.0L motor you will find the same Racor supplied filter, the same company that supplied the production line filter.

Or it's possible that the OE supplier no longer has the rotor plant in operation (or company) and Ford went to a supplier that met it's requirements. It will be interesting to see who the manufacturer of those parts is.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

TMT,

Took a close look on the back of these rotors. There is a bunch of info, but the casting is rough in this area. It is hard to read, but I was able to make out a "Ford" insignia, and also "Varga". :shifty: So it seems these are exactly what you describe above. ^^^ So are Varga rotors any good? Are these keepers, or should I pursue the Beck/Arnleys. I can return either, but for a nominal shipping fee on the B/A. I might be able to purchase 1 B/A rotor from a local parts store, and compare the markings. Then if that seems the better road, purchase the rest elsewhere. Maybe this is all worth it, just for the education.

---Mike---

 

[TooManyToys]

These are the original equipment Ford rotors made by Varga -> Lucas -> TRW of Brazil. TRW is currently the parent company. If they have the Ford insignia then they were made in the original tooling that Ford paid for. The insignia is part of the contract with suppliers.

We used OE TRW rotors for our tests (where TRW was the supplier) that had the black paint. That's normal. It all depends what the vehicle manufacturer specifies.

 

[atxsaint]

my 02 lincoln ls front rotors are really bad, I've took en everything I need to take off and the rotors will not come off, there really corroded, wtf should I do, am I missing a screen or something

 

[LS4me]

my 02 lincoln ls front rotors are really bad, I've took en everything I need to take off and the rotors will not come off, there really corroded, wtf should I do, am I missing a screen or something

Spray around the studs and hub with penetrating fluid and let it sit (overnight is best). If that doesn't release the rotor right away just whack on the edge with a hammer. Don't hit too hard as you don't want to damage the hub bearing.

 

[Kumba]

The OEM spring retainers might still be on the rotor. They were put on by the factory to hold the rotors on the car while it travelled around the factory. But just make sure you take the caliper and bracket off, and if it doesn't budge then start tapping around the back edge with a hammer till it does.