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StopTech Rotor Replacement
StopTech
2-piece rotors use lightweight aluminum hats connected to iron rotors (also
called "friction rings") by hardware which allows them to
"float" and expand freely. Thus, they are known as "floating rotors."
Rotor (friction ring) attached to aluminum hat
Although
you can't see it in the photo, the hardware passes through oval slots
in the rotor rather than circular holes. Since iron and aluminum
expand at different rates, the slots allow the hardware to slide and the
rotor to expand and contract, unconstrained by the aluminum hat. This
system greatly reduces the stress on the rotors at high temperatures and
extends their life. Conventional 1-piece rotors tend to distort into a
cone shape during race conditions, leading to tapered pad wear and stress
cracks, especially at the outer edges.
Each StopTech rotor comes complete with
an installation kit, consisting of 4mm Allen screws, Inconel (Nickel
alloy) Belleville washers
that act as anti-rattle springs, drive pins, Loctite 290 thread locking
compound, and an instruction sheet.
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4mm Screw |
Inconel Bevel Washer |
Drive Pin |
Note: It is strongly suggested that
you use new hardware whenever replacing
rotors. For this reason, all StopTech rotors are now sold with the
mounting hardware INCLUDED in the sale price.
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Remove rotor and hat assemblies from
vehicle.
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Remove the Allen bolts from the drive pins
with a 4mm Allen wrench. To avoid stripping the
bolts, be sure the end of Allen wrench is not rounded from excessive use.
The Loctite 290 applied at the factory is very
strong, and occasionally a bolt may strip. Heat may be used to soften
the Loctite. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to use a vise grip to
grab the head of the bolt and break it loose.
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Remove old drive pins from hat and
discard.
It may be necessary to tap out some pins.
If a drive pin is really tight, screw one of the old bolts into the
drive pin from the inside of the hat and tap the pin out by hitting the
bolt head. Be careful not to drive the head of the bolt into the hole in
the hat. A drop of light oil on the outside of the pin body may help.
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Lay new rotor face down with mounting
flanges facing up.
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Place hat on top of rotor
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Install new drive pins into hat. They
should slide in, but light tapping is not uncommon. Be sure flat
on pin aligns with the hat as before.
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Flip rotor over and install bolts and
bevel washers finger tight. The concave surface faces downward,
making the washers appear as small domes.
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After installing all bolts finger tight, lay
the rotor, hat-side up, on a flat surface. Place a drop or two of 290 Loctite
into the ends of each drive pin. This special Loctite is designed to wick
into the threads and should NOT be applied to the bolts before
installation. Loctite must be applied BEFORE you tighten the bolts
with the torque wrench. Allow assembly to sit for a few minutes,
while Loctite flows into the threads.
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Tighten the bolts to 72 in/lb (6 lb-ft).
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Rotors can immediately be installed on the
vehicle and bedded in.
NEW ROTORS MUST BE
BEDDED IN.
The proper break-in procedure is documented here:
Bedding in new pads and rotors
If you have any questions about rotor
installation or any brake related issues, please call
Zeckhausen
Racing before you start taking things apart. If you prefer, hats may
be mailed to Zeckhausen Racing and new rotors pre-installed for you for a
nominal charge.
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