redrilling rotors

[krisdeezy]

hey guys,
so im trying to do the front 300zx brakes with 4 lug...so i just wanted to know how did you guys redrill the rotors to 4 lug...? what kind of methods did you use or just take it to some machine shop...any recommendation ?

thanks !

-krisdeezy

[SoguRacing]

there's already a thread about this but... i'll help you out anyways. get a drill bit from your local hardware store preferably a titanium bit. then use the stock 4lug rotor as a template and line up one of the holes to the z32 rotor and drill the rest of your holes. make sure they are straight and drill slowly. 20 bucks as most for the bit and if you have a plug it drill that's all the better.

[krisdeezy]

there's already a thread about this but... i'll help you out anyways. get a drill bit from your local hardware store preferably a titanium bit. then use the stock 4lug rotor as a template and line up one of the holes to the z32 rotor and drill the rest of your holes. make sure they are straight and drill slowly. 20 bucks as most for the bit and if you have a plug it drill that's all the better.


ohh thanks alot ! +rep for you sir !! sorry just close this if there's another thread i tried searching but unsucessful =/

[TanaMU]

I used a drill press because I didn't want to screw up the angle of the hole or anything. But the rotors are hub centric, so I guess it doesnt matter ALL that much.

But yeah I also did it as described above. Put a stock rotor upside down on top of the new one, clamped it in place, carefully lined up the center hole and one lug hole, then drilled.


You're not really 14, are you? Geez when I was 14 I thought I could get a civic to 200 whp with a cold air intake and a spoiler.

[krisdeezy]

I used a drill press because I didn't want to screw up the angle of the hole or anything. But the rotors are hub centric, so I guess it doesnt matter ALL that much.

But yeah I also did it as described above. Put a stock rotor upside down on top of the new one, clamped it in place, carefully lined up the center hole and one lug hole, then drilled.


You're not really 14, are you? Geez when I was 14 I thought I could get a civic to 200 whp with a cold air intake and a spoiler.

thanks dude ! hahahha..yezzir im 14 =] well almost 15 next week :)

[pinkarrowsnow]

Haha I just did it yesterday man Im 17 and have had my car since I was about your age. Do what everyone said line the holes up and use a bolt through the hole that lines up to keep it in place. A hand held drill works fine too thats what I used.

[0wn3r]

wow that totally does not sound safe...why not swap in the 5-lug?

[clark]

wow that totally does not sound safe...why not swap in the 5-lug?

$$$$$$$$$$$$

[TanaMU]

It's perfectly safe, as proven by a great many people over the years.

[slipipinoi]

dang it kris why do you always have to do something to your car. :[ dang 14 year old

[0wn3r]

so someone could swap 300zx brakes but they can't afford to do a 5-lug swap? sounds like someone just doesn't wanna save up and do it right.

[TanaMU]

Again, I think you have the wrong idea about it. I don't understand why redrilling rotors is 'wrong'. Do you know how the original holes get there? They drill them. With a drill.

Now, since brake rotors are sandwiched between the wheel and the hub, it's not actually the studs that the braking force acts on. Rather, the friction fit between the rotor and the hub, and the rotor and the wheel.


To me it sounds almost as ridiculous as saying "if you're going to do a 300zx brake upgrade, you need to do it 'right' and swap the tail lights too."


As long as you use the proper brake lines (stock 240 lines wont connect to a z caliper properly) and upgrade the master cylinder, it's done 'right' by my book.



But what do I know, I'm just an engineer.

[murda-c]

There is such a thing as bad engineering.

Luckily drilling holes in a rotor hat works just fine.

[koolcat]

^^^yea what he said, i been running on redrilled rotors for like a year now, seem to be working fine. I redrilled all four rotors for the z-brake conversion, everything seem to be working. But best advice is doing it with drill press machine be when you drill it with a gun it could be kind of dangerous.

[SoguRacing]

I used a drill press because I didn't want to screw up the angle of the hole or anything. But the rotors are hub centric, so I guess it doesnt matter ALL that much.

But yeah I also did it as described above. Put a stock rotor upside down on top of the new one, clamped it in place, carefully lined up the center hole and one lug hole, then drilled.


You're not really 14, are you? Geez when I was 14 I thought I could get a civic to 200 whp with a cold air intake and a spoiler.

people in their 20's still think that lol

[projectRDM]

wow that totally does not sound safe...why not swap in the 5-lug?

Drilling rotors is completely safe as long as you don't slip and drill into yourself. While it's better to do on a press, the process of drilling new holes doesn't do anything that the original drilling did. They're just holes, the wheel and hub sandwich the hat and keep it hubcentric. You could drill it for 6lug and 8 lug too, won't hurt a thing.

[pinkarrowsnow]

so someone could swap 300zx brakes but they can't afford to do a 5-lug swap? sounds like someone just doesn't wanna save up and do it right.

How is doing 300zx brakes and not going to 5 lug not doing it right? Whats your logic, drilling holes in rotors is a perfectly safe and easy way to do the swap. If you already have wheels and cant afford to drop another 1-2k on wheels and 5 lug then its a fine way to go about putting z32 brakes on.

[jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj]

i think the safest way is to get a stock 4-lug hub and take out all the studs except one.

lay the rotor down with the holes up.

clamp it to something so the rotor doesnt move around too much. (if you have a drill press then just use the vice)

put the hub in up side down and slide the stud in any of the five holes. (the rotor is hub-centric so there is no possible way for the alignment to be off unless youre using a hand drill and you drill it crooked)

drill out the other three holes and repeat process for 100 rotors and sell them to everyone you know ;)

i personally do not like 5-lug unless you have some nasty lmgt4s or any other wheel that is not made in 4-lug but, thats just me.

[SoguRacing]

same thing but not everybody has an extra 4 lug hub laying around...more likely a 4 lug rotor.

[0wn3r]

i think the safest way is to get a stock 4-lug hub and take out all the studs except one.

lay the rotor down with the holes up.

clamp it to something so the rotor doesnt move around too much. (if you have a drill press then just use the vice)

put the hub in up side down and slide the stud in any of the five holes. (the rotor is hub-centric so there is no possible way for the alignment to be off unless youre using a hand drill and you drill it crooked)

drill out the other three holes and repeat process for 100 rotors and sell them to everyone you know ;)

i personally do not like 5-lug unless you have some nasty lmgt4s or any other wheel that is not made in 4-lug but, thats just me.

This makes sense, +1. but you are talking about having to do this each time you replace your rotors. If you are braking hard (which if you upgraded why aren't you?) and have to replace your rotors often, then you would have to find a press and drill 20 holes each time. Unless you buy multiple rotors, but if you don't have money then how is it possible?

Simple question, would you trust riding in or around a car you knew had rotors drilled by a 14 year old kid?

I work with engineers everyday...I agree with what murda-c said.

[jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj]

yeah either way works fine!!! i just threw up that option for people who are like me and not too good with lining things up. just kind of a fool proof way of not drilling off. and you dont NEED a press just helps speed up the process. a drill works just fine but if its not lined up perfectly straight it slows down the process. a good bit is key to speedy drilling. the first hole we made went through so fast that we started drilling the press stand till we realized it was already through the rotor.

and i dont know about you guys but i rape my car pretty damn hard. out of all the redrilled rotor setups ive done i havent changed them out once other than to pull them and put them on a new chassis(usually last about 2yrs or so but by that time ive already crashed the cars more times than worth fixing). but thats probably cuz i dont live in the mainland and drive around crazy un-nessecary distance only to rape it. my e-brake shoes on the other hand are a different story.

[UNISA JECS]

I heard pictures are worth many words:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u159/zilvia_album/P1310001.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u159/zilvia_album/P1310002.jpg

[jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj]

I heard pictures are worth many words:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u159/zilvia_album/P1310001.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u159/zilvia_album/P1310002.jpg

couldnt of said it better myself. it cant get any easier or fool proofed than that!

[first240sx]

I just did a Q45 brake swap on my s13 88rotors.com provided the rotors drilled for 4 lug and they were crossdrilled and slotted for $75 calipers were junkyard it works perfect look them up they advertise on here

[Xandy Boosts]

dude you need some periods! had to read it twice to get what you were saying :hs:

i think you can use a spray can too right to line up the rotors. I read somewhere they fit perfectly in between, then use some lug nuts and studs thru one hole to line them up