Brake disc fracture

[davidhowson]

Guys
I could do with a quick bit of advice, but I think I know the answer already...

Just had my car back from the garage, I was getting them to check out a creeking noise I have been geting from the wheel arch for a couple of weeks when I apply the brakes (can only hear it as I pull up in my garage, not on the road) and one of the engineers has spotted what he believes is a fracture running from the outside edge of the disc brake on the front off-side, it about 2" long and you can feel a ridge when you rub your thumb nail over it.

Should I leave the car parked up and get a pair of front discs order asap or do you recon I will be OK to continue using it as I have been for the last few hundered miles?!

Has anyone found a better supply of discs other than Maserati / Eurospares?

Thanks!

David

 

[reservoirfrog]

Dave , if you have a fracture to the disc its only a matter of time till it shatters, and as this will only happen when under pressure, ie when braking, do you want to put yourself at that risk.
I wouldn't.

 

[conaero]

You have probably been running around with this fracture for sometime....but as the frog points out, it will shatter. I am sure you will be ok to go buy the new discs in it, but then there is always 'Sods Law' If it were me, I would not chance it.

I certainly would not drive it more than once to get the discs, so a few hundred mile...you would be mad to!

 

[lozcb]

Guys
I could do with a quick bit of advice, but I think I know the answer already...

Just had my car back from the garage, I was getting them to check out a creeking noise I have been geting from the wheel arch for a couple of weeks when I apply the brakes (can only hear it as I pull up in my garage, not on the road) and one of the engineers has spotted what he believes is a fracture running from the outside edge of the disc brake on the front off-side, it about 2" long and you can feel a ridge when you rub your thumb nail over it.

Should I leave the car parked up and get a pair of front discs order asap or do you recon I will be OK to continue using it as I have been for the last few hundered miles?!

Has anyone found a better supply of discs other than Maserati / Eurospares?

Thanks!

David

Hi David ,over the years ive heard of several discs fracturing in this way , its not that common tho , i would suggest that if your driving is just local and low speed stuff, then it should be okay so long as you remember to keep your speed down and keep a nightly check on it as you have done (with the ridge it will start to eat the pads), then order some new ones , i would advise swapping out the pair ,

Re the disc thing an alternative wont be available untill around the 20th of October which is the new date that ap racing have booked me in for the brake up grade , they will be using my old discs as templates for manufacturing discs to order, and have already said they will be cheaper than oem and a far superior quality with a choice of drilled ,grooved or both but at the very earliest wont be available to order untill after that date , and my beta testing of their new upgrade is completed

As a purely temporary measure you could always buy some used ones cheap from David Askew, have them lightly dressed up , untill AP have there's ready for production

regards loz

 

[conaero]

David, I have a pair of good used ones in my garage, you can borrow them but I would want them back.

 

[davidhowson]

Thanks for your advice guys, I kinda knew that's what you'd probably say! Bit of bugger really but I've known for a while that this would be the last mot year on these discs.
I'll see if I can get a something off David Askew, otherwise I may take you up on your kind offer Matt.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks

David

 

[davidhowson]

Just another thought, I have noticed that Roberts Aerospace offer a re-furb service on discs. Has anyone had any experience of this? Any good?
Ta
David

 

[lozcb]

Just another thought, I have noticed that Roberts Aerospace offer a re-furb service on discs. Has anyone had any experience of this? Any good?
Ta
David

Several people on here David ,have had there discs skimmed , and only one that i know used Mike Roberts , the general consensus /outcome was that skimming is only a temporary measure as the discs started to warp , skimming tends to remove too much of the case hardening in one fould swoop , thats why i suggested a very light dressing up litterally half a thou , i have a old guy in Leighton buzzard that charges £10 a disc to skim if you take them to him and wait


regards loz

 

[safrane]

Does Performance Italia not have FD discs in stock with a Forum discount???????

 

[Easyplan66]

I thought I read that somewhere as well

 

[safrane]

http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/sho...e-Pad-offer-for-SM-Members?highlight=dynamics

 

[maserati]

I mention this for information and interest only. I hope that's OK with you. So what does the law say about maintaining braking systems? The rules governing this come from Regulation 18 of the Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regulations 1986. Essentially this states that every part of every braking system must be maintained in good and efficient working order and be properly adjusted. Now this is all encompassing. It ranges from serious hydraulic defects to the light on your dashboard indicating that the parking brake (hand brake) is applied.

Regards,

Paul

 

[Parisien]

Roll on the 20th October Loz.......better safe than sorry David.......

P

 

[conaero]

I have to echo Loz's post about re-skimming. Mike does a fantastic job, but it is a false economy in my eyes, and a cheap fix that will last 3-9 months. When the disc start to give you aggro, just bite the bullet and get new, otherwise you will end up with brake problems for months and in the end give up and by new anyway....if you have not crashed your car in the meantime due to the poor brakes.

...oh and one other thing, dont every use EBC red stuff pads on the road, great for the track but too hard for the road, and you never get enough heat in them for them to work effectively. Basically, you hit the brakes and nothing happens, the cold bite is terrible and cost me a fortune in underwear.

 

[reservoirfrog]

you will be wasting money trying to repair this as its a crack thats the problem.
you would have to start by using dye penetrant & developer to establish the extent & lenght of the crack, then drill a hole at the end to stop it extending. the crack would then have to be ground out & the disc welded where the crack had been.
then machined. this would mean that the case hardening is compromised & the disc would without a doubt be warped from the welding.
I would ot do this even as a temp. solution

 

[bigbob]

As an aside there is a GranTurismo for sale on the other forum with 28k miles. The advert says that it has new discs and pads. Wonder if they don't last as well with it being a heavier car?

 

[Klive]

then machined. this would mean that the case hardening is compromised & the disc would without a doubt be warped from the welding.

What makes you think the discs are case hardened?

 

[reservoirfrog]

whether the discs are case hardened or hardened by another process is irrelevent, they are hardened. and the point I was making is that thie disc is damaged beyond ecconomical repair.

 

[conaero]

So I think we are all agreed, dont take risks with brakes, your life depends on it.

Remember the old adage:

Its not the speed that kills you, its the stopping too fast that does.

 

[davidhowson]

Thanks for all the comments guys, it's very much appreciated as always.
I have looked at a number of options and looked again at the damaged disc and there is no alternative so replacements are on order.
The crack hasn't altered over the weekend, although I have bearly used the car / brakes! I have no idea how long the disc has been like this, but the creeking noise that made me ask the question last week has been going on for probably three weeks that I can remember, possibly longer.
Is there any use around the forum for my old discs when I swap them over? I'm quite happy to donante them to any R&D cause.
Thanks again
David