| Author | Message | ||
     Buelltroll  |
What KIND of steel is used in making a brake rotor? I have access to a laser to cut steel with ,But I don't want to make one up and have it split in half or something like that the first time i use the rear brakes. | ||
| Chris_mackay  |
Brake rotors can be made of ductile iron but they're going to be prone to rusting rather rapidly. However, heat dissipation is superior to the other material of choice which is 410 stainless steel. The stainless is more difficult to machine, but if you've got a laser or water jet available it won't be an issue. That's really all the average person needs to know but considering this is the Bad Web and explanations are usually beyond the comprehension of us simple folk I'll try to make it a little more compliant by adding the fact that stainless steel is a strong, robust and durable metal that far exceeds life spans of several other materials. Stainless steel is not just one material, it is a family of chromium containing steels, which all possess an inherent resistance to corrosion. The chromium is distributed throughout the steel and its purpose is to form a sub-microscopic surface layer of hard, adherent chromium oxide on a steel, a few atoms thick. The film is known as the passive layer, and it protects the underlying material from attack by corrosive species. If the layer is damaged in any way, it instantly reforms in the presence of oxygen to protect the surface of the material. Martensitic grades were developed in order to provide a group of stainless alloys that would be corrosion resistant and hardenable by heat treating. The martensitic grades are straight chromium steels containing no nickel. They are magnetic and can be hardened by heat treating. The martensitic grades are mainly used where hardness, strength, and wear resistance are required. Type 410 Basic martensitic grade contains the lowest alloy content of the three basic stainless steels (304, 430, and 410). Low cost, general purpose, heat treatable stainless steel. Used widely where corrosion is not severe (air, water, some chemicals, and food acids). Typical applications include highly stressed parts needing the combination of strength and corrosion resistance such as fasteners and brake rotors. How's that? | ||
| Buelltroll |
 My hero. Thanks | ||
| Blake |
Chris, Care to give credit to the source of your information? Or did you author that yourself? | ||
| Blake |
"But I don't want to make one up and have it split in half or something like that the first time i use the rear brakes." I doubt any steel would split in half. But just about all steel in its raw rolled form will warp all to heck when subjected to enough heat. It is why brake disks are expensive. Some very rigorous annealing and stress relieving is required to produce a disk that will not warp. Good luck to you though. A rear brake disk will be the one to try as its smaller diameter will make it less susceptible to warpage. If I had the means, I'd probably give it a try too.  | ||
| Aaomy  |
hey buell troll , just strolled across your question here,, looks like you getting your answers. i left one where you ask me the question,, quick board,,When its cold machinist make chips,,,duh .. if you do make some post pics..latter,, PS see why blake called you persistent now!!! | ||
| Chris_mackay |
Blake - Some came from 28 years of machining, some from the Machinists Handbook and some from a supplier I use (M.A. Jorgensen). | ||
| Chris_mackay |
Oh yeah, If you do a search for motorcycle brake rotors you'll find they're usually listed as 410 or 420 stainless or the high performance ones are made of ductile iron. | ||
| Aaomy |
hell chris you have been making chips as long as i've been alive!!!  gotta love a job that lets you make your own parts, for most of my projects i have to. sorry about the age joke.. just had to do it. | ||
| Chris_mackay |
Age? What's that? I stopped getting older at 30 and now I've got 14 years experience at it! |
