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Brake Discs

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rlandrum

rlandrum

Jedi Trainee
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I'm having trouble finding brake discs for the 59 TR3A with the "A" type brakes. According to everything I've read, it takes an 11 inch disc.

I placed an order with TRF for a set of EBC Cross Drilled rotors, which I was told are still made in the 11 inch size. They're PN HP260.

They've been on order now for 31 days. I contacted TRF a week ago, and they said that EBC still sells them, but that they couldn't provide a ship date, and had no idea when they might arrive. I contacted EBC directly and they choose to ignore my email.

I'm looking for alternatives at this point because I want to get the front end installed and the tires back on the frame, and without brake discs, that's impossible.

Can anyone suggest a vendor that might have some on-hand? At this point, I'm prepared to sacrifice braking power for the ability to make more progress on the car, so they don't have to be cross drilled. And I don't like "open-ended" ship dates.
 
I have the 11" rotors on my 1958 TR3A. These are the original ones. I had them turned to clean up the surfaces and the thickness in 0.470".

This was done in 1990 and I have driven 97,000 miles with them since then with no problems.

Can't you have yours re-surfaced ?
 
How about one of our supporting vendors? British Parts North West of the Autoist?
 
Moss lists them for $54.95 each for standard 11" rotors. Under normal driving the cross drilled rotors won't improve your braking but could reduce your pad life. So you might be better off with the standards anyway. If Moss does have them in stock, Tony (The Autoist) Barnhill, one of the supporting vendors, could save you a few dollars on them.
 
As I said, my rotors are the original ones that came with the car in 1958. I changed the brake pads for the front rotors after 43,000 miles from new. The second set lasted from 43,000 miles to 174,000 miles and then I changed the pads last spring - 2007.

This is with smooth rotors. To me they stop on a dime.
 
hmmmmm..

Cross drilled rotors will not, not, not, not, not improve your braking... especially on a street car.... heck even on a race car. Goto a track; do any serious drivers use cross-drilled rotors? No. They use solid rotors. Why? because pads don't gas up anymore and cross-drilled rotors crack so much easer then solids.

For a street car, cross drilled rotors are only for bling.

Now with that being said.. some manufacturers (like Ferrari) do install ultra exotic cross-drilled rotors that cost $5k/each.. they're the good ones. Pretty sure that they don't make any for a TR6.

Save your money and get solids.

Sorry for the rant. Off soap box now.
 
I cancelled my order for the cross drilled and slotted brakes. What I was really after was a brake rotor that would hold up well to sporty back roads driving. I've managed to warp the rotors are my diesel Golf by driving fast on back roads, and I was hoping the slotted, drilled rotors would solve that issue.

They aren't worth waiting for. If I or my Father warp the non-slotted, non-drilled ones I ordered then we'll step up to the slotted.
 
The rotors on your diesel golf, if they are like other newer German cars, are considered a "wear item" in the brakes and are not meant to be turned but replaced. They are softer, so they are quieter, and they wear faster/warp easier as a result. You should be okay with the standard solid discs for the TR3. Remember, it also weighs a lot less than your Golf with a front disc most likely the same size or larger.
 
There are lots of guys who have really fast race TRs. A few weeks ago, the topic of cross-drilled rotors arose and one supplier advertised "for improved performance" and down at the bottom was printed "not to be used for racing".

Now go figure.
 
I put on cross drilled rotors, only because I needed new ones, as I changed over to Toyota 4-pot calipers and needed the smaller diameter rotors. It's only there for the bling. Cross drilling can cause places for cracking to occur. The only way to prevent that with a drilled rotor is to do what Porsche does...they cast the holes in there when they make them. And it is true, that most rotors today are throw away items, not made to last. I'd feel very confident with using an original style solid rotor on a TR3.

If I run into any problems with my cross drilled bling, I'll machine down the diameter of my original 11" rotors and use those. I didn't want to do that at the moment, because I want to keep everything so the car can be put back to original if I ever sell it.
 
Don Elliott said:
There are lots of guys who have really fast race TRs. A few weeks ago, the topic of cross-drilled rotors arose and one supplier advertised "for improved performance" and down at the bottom was printed "not to be used for racing".

Now go figure.
Click to expand...

That's mostly what erks me about the whole cross-drilled rotor thing. The companies that sell them advertise improved performance and that's not remotely the truth.

It just bothers me.

-s
 
It it bugs you too much, consider that they do add a marginal benefit by reducing the unsprung wieght by the amount of the material removed from drilling. :wink:

Hey, it's something.

Actually many racecars use drilled rotors with multiple rows of holes for reduced weight as well as better cooling. https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/bigpicture.asp?RecId=1098

And they are most like marked "Not for use on roads."
 
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