AdvanZ33

iTrader: (105)

I'm in the market for new rotors and I emailed a company regarding zinc coating and if they offer it. They replied that they do not use it because it makes the pads/rotors squeal. I find this hard to believe since reputable brake companies such as Baer zinc coat their rotors. Anyhow, does this squealing business hold any merit or are they trying to get me to buy their rotors?

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

brake noises are derived from a variety of sources - most notably, the pad composition.

I've used Zinc coated rotors on my own cars as well as customer cars and have never found them to be any more prone towards noises whatsoever

winchman

The zinc coating will transfer to the pads, but parts not touched by the pads will remain coated and protected from corrosion. You might try using your old pads with the new rotors long enough to wear the coating away on the contact surface, then install new pads for squeal-free performance.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Agree. If you coAt a brake rotor with Zinc (or any other material) the coating on the friction surface will soon be gone.

350ZTheStandard

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like they are talkin' BS, I only use rotors that are Zinc coated.

mx594

iTrader: (4)

I got a pad and rotor package from Concept Z Performance (CZP) for my Brembo's. The rotors are zinc plated and they have never made a sound. The price was great too!

Chris_B

Zinc plating is quickly removed by the pads with no side effects. Cadmium plating, on the other hand, often causes issues such as pad contamination and buildup on the rotors. STILLEN has been zinc plating rotors for a couple of decades with great results. It can be a little finicky at times as cast iron does not want to plate as cleanly as wrought steel, but there are some tricks to the trade to get a nice, durable finish.

By the way, these are brakes -- the most important safety feature on any vehicle. Don't trust them to just any company with a web site and a machine to drill/slot rotors! Go with a company with lots of experience so you can rest assured you can count on your brakes when you need them.

Chris

350ZTheStandard

iTrader: (4)

^ Do you work for Stillen???

Chris_B

Yes.

350ZTheStandard

iTrader: (4)

^ very obvious, I was being sacastic as your were advertising for your employer.

Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.”

JM Auto Racing

iTrader: (9)

The Zinc coated rotors are just a way to add more money to the cost of a product. a Z1 has said, Ive also used zinc coated rotors and depending where you live, do the same thing as non-coated ones.

Team STILLEN

iTrader: (2)

I think Chris was just trying to be very up front.. he's the brake division manager here at STILLEN, and has had an impressive career in all things brakes even before STILLEN , including working with race teams, not to mention being an enthusiast as well.

If you search around you'll see his involvement in a lot of enthusiast forums, just sharing his knowledge and offering advice, he is not a salesperson, just an enthusiast like yourself and happy to help. If he references a product like he did, it's because he can speak in certains, as he oversees the manufacturing of it.

Chris_B

And also add significant corrosion protection for that small amount of money. Assuming one does not park in salt water every night!

Chris

JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

Dude when i first read this, i thought i made this thread lol. I asked 88rotors about zinc paint and they said they don't do zinc paint on there rotors because they cause squealing noise.
@Chris_B Do you think that 88 rotors have decent rotors? they quoted me $60 for rear pair rotors drilled and slotted.

AdvanZ33

iTrader: (105)

From the replies, though informative, I want to clarify; I'm not trying to "cheap out" on rotors, I just want know if zinc coating causes squealing. Based on the info, I would say I have found my answer.

SuperBlack350z

iTrader: (59)

You never installed those brembos?

AdvanZ33

iTrader: (105)

No. I bought the rears from Z1 and they were noticeably a different shade of gold. I also figured I could use the money elsewhere since brake performance wasn't that high on my list of priorities. Sold the rotors and bought coilovers

Now my pads are running thin so I bought StopTechs and figured I will change the rotors while I'm in there.

Sarges24

iTrader: (2)

I just inquired about zinc coating to a manufacturer too. though my reply was a bit different...

from what I was told certain manufacturers won't zinc coat the actual braking surface because of mentioned issues. Not only that but because the coating itself will wear off rather quickly because of the pads... However the rest of the rotor is zinc coated, or might be, to prevent rust. Any area the brake pads do not touch are coated. They explained that any ebay items or other offering fully zinc coated are kind of misleading because that actual coat will wear off with use in normally a short period of time

I'm no genius when it comes to rotors but it doesn't seem logical, sensible, what have you. And unless the cars sitting all Summer like my Sebring has any rust buildup that you might get from it sitting for a short period of time can be brushed off and worn off once you take the car out and make several stops.

Chris_B

I'm not familiar enough with their product to offer an opinion. But here is what I would ask anyone selling rotors:

1. Which grade of iron are the castings made from and where are they made?
2. Are they vertically molded (Disematic split-mold process) or horizontally sand cast?
3. Are they heat treated and how?
4. Are they balanced and how so?
5. What sort of quality control steps are in place to catch porous castings?
6. How is hardness and carbon content checked?
7. What type of machining is done and where is it done? Radius chamfer for cross-drilled holes, ramped-out saw-cut slots? Are the holes peened to reduce the onset of cracks?
8. How is the drill and/or slot pattern laid out and why?
9. How are the rotors prepped before plating?
10. Which type of plating is used (zinc dichromate using trivalent or hexavalent chromium)?
11. How long has the company been selling rotors? Been in business?
12. What is the warranty policy?
13. What is the return policy?
14. Can I speak with one of the qualified, degreed and state-licensed automotive engineers on staff to get my answers?

Call me ****, but we're talking about brakes here. Almost anyone can start a small business, start buying cheap import blank rotors, get a shop to machine them and a plater to zinc them. Now join a few forums, open PayPal and eBay accounts, grab a stack of USPS priority mail flat rate boxes and you're in 'bidness'. But where are they when support is needed?

Chris

Chris_B

It is way too expensive and time-consuming to mask off the fire path before plating -- especially when it isn't necessary at all. There is nothing misleading about zinc plating the entire rotor and having the pads scrape it off when bedding them in. Of course it wears off, it is SUPPOSED TO! There is no coating or plating in the world that will live as a brake friction surface. Now, plasma spray, that's another story...

It is always best practice to drive around the neighborhood after washing the car to dry off the brakes. This helps reduce corrosion and prevents pads with high metallic contents from seizing on the rotors. If you live where is is often wet (Pacific Northwest) or around salt air (Hawaii), you just might be replacing rotors a little more often -- unless you upgrade to carbon-ceramics!

Chris