Hello Everyone.

So I had my series 2 up on the hoist for the first time in a while to change the brake fluid. While I had it up there I noticed the rear brake rotors are quite thin but the pads are new?? (I've only owned the car a year and haven't driven it or had a proper poke around underneath)

I tried to find a minimum thickness on the rotors themselves but they are so old and tired if its there its not understandable. Does anyone know what the minimum thickness for these rotors is? They look worryingly thin to me. But then again the cars previous mechanic must have deemed them OK to have put new pads on. hmmm....

They are about 1/4" thick. If i could figure out how to upload a picture of them I would! I haven't seen anything this thin on a car this big.

Thanks All.

Alex

 

New: .500"
Min: .450"






HA!







Yeah, replacing rear pads is a snap but nobdy in all these years wanted to go thru the effort of installing new rotors. Not unusual

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks Doug!

I dragged my self under the car on the drive way with the verniers and measured the rotors, banged my head on the spare wheel well a few times, still good job I'm skinny or id have given up. haha.

Would you believe it.... The rotors must be new!! I didn't quite believe it myself. Checked to make sure I wasn't using metric verniers, then used the digital ones and got .5215" (but they are flaky). I thought bug**r me!!

What a relief, I don't have to pull the rear end out of it yet.

haha - well it had me thinking Doug. I've looked at somethings and had to double take and then thought WTF. Like a weird caustic burning smell under the hood, lots of investigation led to the discovery of radiator gasket sealant used to seal the leaking thread in an EGR(?) bolt hole in the exhaust manifold. But I'm not here to point fingers. Maniseal is probably cheaper as an option ha!

Thanks again Doug.

Alex.

 

1/4" Wowee. Could not envisage a rotor that thin. so, I looked at a rule to improve my visualization! No way!. I can't envisage a rotor lathe managing that much of a cut.

But, even 1/2 inch or .5 still looks skinny.

Pun, I wish I was still skinny!! Just 6'0" and down to 225! Was worse. I'd like to see 200!

Carl

 

We've got so used to seeing ventilated discs that sight of an old-type non-ventilated disc can be a bit of a shock !

 

Hi Fraser/Carl,

I think your right. I get so used to working around ventilated rotors all the time. That even the rotors on Ford Kugas and Fiesta's are surprisingly larger than these. Throws off your estimations by eye.

Still 1/2" isn't a lot, but the car still stops when the little old lady pulls out I front of you while your doing near 40mph and can't find her gas pedal. You might loose your teeth on the steering wheel if you don't brace yourself though.

Haha I totally missed that pun myself Carl. I squished my 6'2" frame under the car with only my legs hanging out. I must have looked like the wicked witch of the west from the wizard of oz haha

Cheers

Alex