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Rotors

franka

Active Member
Can someone tell me the difference between "floating rotors" and so called standard rotors?
 
The floating roaters are mounted using spring loaded bobbins that allow the rotors to move a little away from the wheel and will allow for any inaccuracies in the brake/wheel positioning
standard rotors are bolted directly to the wheel

Brian
 
Standard rotors are 1 piece. May have many designs or patterns cut into them, but still one piece.
Floating rotors are 2 piece (more if you count the pins), inner and outer. They are attached by pins or rivets that are about the size of a nickel. The two pieces dissipate the heat better and won't warp as easily. If you go to ebay and type in Harley floating rotor then Harley rotor you will see pictures of both.
Look close, at first the difference is subtle.
 
Breeze has you covered, but here is the instructions for floating disc kit:

View attachment Floating_Rear_Brake_Rotor_(Disc)_Kits-J04986.pdf

As you can see the center hub section is separate from the floating disc brake swept surface which is typically stainless steel, the hub can be virtually any material high strength alloy for lightness/strength and may be anodized, powder coated to suit. The pins allow the disc to be more forgiving to the runout or calipher alignment so the wear on the contact pad surfaces is even.
 
Here's a couple of HD floaters. Notice the little 'rings' that seperate the inner piece from the outer piece?

 
do they stop any better?

Better? Don't about better, but they will stop more smoothly because any irregularity in the 'flatness' of the rotor surface will be smoothed out by the fact that the brakeing surface 'floats' separately from the mount points of the whole assembly to the wheel.
 
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