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Old 2003-11-12, 11:45 AM   #4
AtomicLabMonkey
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Real Name: Austin
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oshkosh, WI
Posts: 4,063
 
Car: '13 WRX
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sperry
O M G.

I *really* hope those Willwood's are just the caliper on a homemade rotor.... I'm no engineer, but I'm pretty sure that rotor's a little big.
That's what it looks like... somebody took a Wilwood caliper and stuck it on their own dookie-ass rotor. It's got plenty of bling... never mind the fact that the caliper is using less than half of the available rotor surface.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sperry
The other 2.... we'll, a pair might work well on the front fork of 400lb motorcycle, but I sure as hell wouldn't drive a car with those on it.
Yeaaaaaaaah.... I love the ZMI website (http://www.zmibrakes.com/whyzmi.html):

Quote:
1. ZMI rotors are born from aerospace grade titanium for unprecedented weight savings and uncompromising strength.
*Sniff* *Sniff* What's that smell?

Even if they used a high-grade titanium with a really high yield strength, the Young's modulus of titanium is roughly the same as cast iron - so with about half as much material there from using an unventilated rotor instead of a typical ventilated design, the rotor will flex about twice as much for the same amount of load.

Quote:
A patented design is cut into the rotor to allow for the "active cooling system" to take effect. This cut allows the rotor to expand under heat in such a way that air can enter and cool the rotor more effectively than veins or cross-drilling. This design guarantees that your ZMI rotor will never warp due to heat.
*Sniff* Hmmmm, yep... I smell bullshit. No question.

I can't even believe I'm reading this. Allowing the rotor to expand for more effective cooling? Even with an 800F temperature rise under severe braking conditions, a 2" long slot like the ones they cut in their titanium rotors will only elongate 0.00784 inches. Wow. I'm speechless, guys. Your space age materials, cutting-edge engineering and innovative design might get a whole 0.0000000493 CFM more airflow through that dookie little slot.

And I don't think I really even have to go into why cutting all those channels and slots in a solid piece of rotor metal is a bad idea purely based on structural strength and safety reasons...

You know, instead of spending $4000 on their brakes, you could simply stack all that money in a pile on the floor and light it on fire. It would be a hell of a lot more entertaining and safe than actually trying to use those things on your car.
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