Fellows. One way around the minimum thickness requirement imposed by
legal liability on the machinist is to tell him they are off as non road
use vehicle. In my case, I was restoring a Model A, and had a rare set
of original vented front brake drums. I told him they were off a tractor
(many tractors did use Ford parts). We both were happy. Jerry.
Random wrote:
>
> Kinderlehrer wrote:
> >
> > 1. I took the rotors to the only guy that said he'd do it late Sat.
> > afternoon, but after looking at them, he said they were pitted (definitley
> > were at the edges) and if he machined them, they would come back worse and
> > wouldn't be safe -not just the edges. Is he right?
>
> Unless you have a specific problem to solve (vibration, pulsating pedal,
> pulling, etc.), don't have the rotors turned. Once you give them to a
> machinist to be turned, he is legally required to not return them to you
> if they don't meet minimum thickness standards. (and IMO the legal
> thickness requirement is too high.)
>
> > 2. Why are TR3 rotors 3 times the price of TR4 rotors?
>
> I'd guess supply and demand. Relatively few people buying new rotors
> for TR3s, while the TR4 rotors also fit TR250,5,6, (probably lots of
> other cars) which are still going a lot more miles.
>
> BTW, I've disassembled cars that were using TR4 rotors with TR3
> calipers. Seemed to work OK, although the pads wore funny and possibly
> had to be replaced more often.
>
> > 3. Why didn't I get a TR4?
>
> Because the sidescreen TRs are much 'cooler' <g>
>
> > 4. The pistons don't look pitted at all, but they do seem to have a healthy
> > build up of crud in a ring about where they go into the caliper. Can this
> > be removed, or am I into new pistons also?
>
> Most likely, it can be removed. If the usual 'brake cleaner' won't take
> it off, try carb cleaner (the kind with methylene chloride will take off
> almost anything, including skin) and scrub gently with a 'brass
> toothbrush'. Afterwards, wash with brake cleaner, then brake fluid, to
> make sure all traces of carb cleaner are gone. If the surface is still
> visually perfect (no crud, pits, wear, etc.) then you can reuse the
> piston.
>
> Randall
> 59 TR3A
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