Finally, I got around to installing my Rotoras rotors and Axxis Metal Master pads. It took a total of about 2 hours. I had all the necessary tools. I started with the front left wheel. The left brake setup took about 45 mins. Instructions came courtesy of http://www.abunchofcars.com/diy_page...frontrotor.htm
The caliper bolts came off very easily courtesy of my stripped-bolt breaker bar and PB Blaster - it's way better than WD-40. PB Blaster also made using the Impact Screwdriver a breeze. The right brake setup took about 15 mins. I mistakenly put the 2 right pads on wrong in the picture. I later switched them. It was a good experience. Easier than I thought. No way I'm paying someone to replace my brakes anymore.

Here's the right brake setup courtesy the camera phone

 

did you do the rears or just the fronts?

looks good, i did my own rotors and brakes in the front as well but ihear the rears can be tricky

 

No, I haven't done the rears. Are the rears cheaper than the fronts? If they are not too difficult to take off, I'll do them myself and maybe paint the calipers.

 

they are cheaper but i hear theres a different way of changing them than the fronts, but i dont know

 

is there a noticable difference between the stopping power of oem rotors/pads vs just the front aftermarket rotor/pad. were your oem rotors warped b4 u swapped them?

mike

 

I have my 4 Rotoras just sitting in the basement waiting for an install. I'm scared of doing the install myself. I'm also replacing the calipers and installing stainless steel brakes lines.

 

Can't really tell yet, because you have to take it easy for the 200-500 miles so the brakes settle in. So no hard stopping for me

 

congrats fool. but i got drilled and sloted zinc plated ahahhahha and the ebcs baby.... now i need the rears 2

 

welcome to the "i hate f'n brake dust" club.

I have the same combo and my silver wheels are always black with dust.

 

Did any of you found any rust on Rotoras after a while?Mine have a rust circle in the middle after only 4 weeks..

 

Hate to point this out, but the rotor in the picture is on the wrong side of the car. The idea behind the slots is to channel off water quickly when you apply the brakes. The slots should angle toward the rear of the car not the front. I'm not up on Rotoras, but the slots should be cut in opposite direction to one another...hence a left side and right side.


EDIT.......look closely at the photos in your link above...you'll see what I mean.

 

^you really have no idea what you are talking newbie. The rotors screwholes come pre-drilled to make them idiot-proof. Rotoras makes their rotors idiot-proof.

 

Rotor direction is not based on slot direction, it's based on internal vane direction.
http://www.baer.com/Support/TechTips.aspx?TechTipID=2
He installed them correctly, plus you CANNOT jack the install up, they are labeled LEFT & RIGHT.
My LEFT/FRONT:

 

Not trying to start a flame war here Gents, just trying to help. A newbie here, I am...however new to the Auto industry I am not. As I mentioned, I am not familiar with Rotora. You are correct in that the internal vains are directional (on *some* rotors), as in left and right. I have been a Certified Journeyman Master Tech for 26 years and used to slot-cut and cross-drill rotors 20+ years ago. The pics in the link are correct as to showing the proper slot direction. If Rotora cuts them the opposite direction, then they are mistaken on the entire reason to do so, unless you do all your driving high speed in reverse. Think about it logically.......water on the rotor...pads squeeze the rotor and centrifugal force wants to whip the water toward the rear of the car, not the front. That's why the slots should angle rearward. With cross-drilling, it really isn't so important since we're talking about cooling rather than channeling water out.

You might also notice about those internal vains (vents) of the rotor....are sometimes also angled. If so, the opposite applies....they should angle toward the front of the car so that they scoop air into the cavity of the rotor.

Like I said, I am not trying to be an ass, just passing on some knowledge.

 

Like I said, it depends on internal VANE direction. Porsche, Ferrari, Brembo, Wilwood, Stoptech, and other brake companies must have it wrong.... as they are designed all just like Rotora's slot direction.

Again, LEFT/FRONT:

 

Yummm Smells like ownage teh

Props to your 20+ years with rotors errr whatever, but you botched this argument.

 

On my VW RIGHT/FRONT

 

Nice Presentation NiteQwill

Good cross section of vehicles!

 

wow i woulda thought they went the other way too...

 

one argument he should have done his research on.

 

actually, slot cutting rotor faces has very little to do with water or water vapor transfer. the reason it was initially started is the fact that , under high speed braking, pad to rotor clamping produces off-gassing of the pad material which becomes trapped between the two surfaces, resulting in reduced friction and increased stopping distance (i.e. "brake fade"). slotting allows for the escape of this microscopic layer of gas. a secondary result , any trapped moisture between the surfaces will also escape.
with the advent of space age composites used in some high peformance pads, now readily available, the off-gassing is significantly reduced and the need for slotting may be moot. however the correct combination of pad/rotor is necessary. so slotting guarantees no matter which pads are chosen, the assembly will perform. the practice of cross-drilling rotors accomplishes the same result.
there remain other issues and features of rotor design (the introduction of vented rotor construction) dealing with frictional heat transfer and drilled and/or slotting of rotors and amply discussed in many previous threads on this forum

 

mine are on the other way

 

Shit.....mine too..

Gotta check the vent direction tonight.

 

My right front:

 

Again, rotor direction is based PRIMARILY on internal vane direction, NOTHING external (at least on ventilated discs) determines the direction of a rotor.

 

And it needs to be that the vanes "scoop" the air, and not push it, right?

 

I completely agree with you niteqwill and I have a front and rear set of rotoras, but it is also true that not all companies have the slots\cross drills facing that way.

at my second job I deal with many difference cars .. S55, SL55, and CLK55 AMG's cross drills go the opposite way of the Rotoras, so do the Porsche carreras. I've seen all of these up close and first hand and I purpously took notice. so I can see how he would've gotten confused.



Left front wheel of an SL55 AMG.



Right front wheel of a Porsche, either the GT3 or GT2 not sure.

 

also, many ventilated rotors are not constructed with the "vanes "/ spacers on a bias, those i speak of eminate from the center out (non directional). the main "work' of the spacer separating the inner/outer rotor rings allows for significantly more surface area to facilitate heat transfer to ambient air (i.e 4 surfaces in lieu of 2 in the case of non vented solid rotors)
btw, rusted /clogged ventilated rotors lose much of energy transfer ability. so buy them zinc plated and keep them clean for max performance

 

I checked mine, and it seems they have been on backwards this whole time.....I don't think it will make much performance difference, but I went ahead and shuffled them for peace of mind anyways..

AND its a good thing I did this....I found out that the dumbasses at the tire shop I went to Sat. decided to cross the threads on one of my lugs, and then used a impact gun on it. I ended up popping the fucking stud trying to take the damn thing off. I called them, and the guy was very nice at first, telling me he would make room for me tomorrow afternoon to have it replaced. I said fine, and made a time.....THEN HE TOLD ME IT WOULD RUN ~$150.00!!! I told him that it would be replaced free, and I would think about not suing them for negligence. .....I really have no basis for that suit, but it scared the shit out of him. He told me to bring the car in for free, and then that he would throw in a wash and hand wax

Who's your daddy now, Les Schwab Tires of Roseville??

 

is there a diy ont he rear rotor install?

 

It's the same as the front rotors...

Remove tire
Remove caliper & pads
Remove Caliper mounting bracket
Remove 2 screws that hold rotor to hub
Slide off rotor.

Installation is reverse...and the screws reinstalled are optional

Also, be sure the E-brake is off......you'll never get the rotor off with it on (duh!!)

Hope this helps