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1pc versus 2pc brake rotors

Joined
28 September 2012
Messages
49
Location
Florida
I'm looking to upgrade my rotors. The price between the Powerstop 1 piece, and the Racing Brakes 2 piece rotors are about the same. There is a weight advantage to the 2 piece. My car will be 99% street driven and maybe 1 track event per year. Which would be the best way to go? Thanks in advance.
 
You likely won't see much difference in street driving. 2 piece Rotor hats are aluminum so you do save some weight right away. I chose 2 piece for the looks. It was a personal choice for me but I like the 2 piece design.
 
I like the look as well. My old 2008 ACR Viper had the two piece rotors, and they looked great. I'm keeping the stock wheels, so going big brakes ain't gonna happen. Me thinks I'll get the 2 pc rotors.
 
The racing brake 2 piece is with a kit isn't it? I don't think you can simply drop in 2 piece rotors. And then the price is NOT that same.
 
The racing brake 2 piece is with a kit isn't it? I don't think you can simply drop in 2 piece rotors. And then the price is NOT that same.
They sell drop-in replacement 2-piece rotors, and you simply reuse the factory calipers. Upgrade to better pads of course. Somebody sells a kit too, with aftermarket calipers. Both options will fit the factory 16" front wheels.
 
If you are NA1 I believe stop tech also makes 2 piece rotors
 
It might be out of your price range, but I hope to eventually go with full Project Mu SCR-PRO 2-piece rotors front and rear.
 
Yeah I bought Stoptech 2 piece replacement rotors for my 03 GTI Anniversary years back. $1500.00 {ouch} but looked very good.
They sell drop-in replacement 2-piece rotors, and you simply reuse the factory calipers. Upgrade to better pads of course. Somebody sells a kit too, with aftermarket calipers. Both options will fit the factory 16" front wheels.
 
They sell drop-in replacement 2-piece rotors, and you simply reuse the factory calipers. Upgrade to better pads of course. Somebody sells a kit too, with aftermarket calipers. Both options will fit the factory 16" front wheels.

I must be missing something. I was just on their website and I don't see a "drop in" two piece rotor. The two piece rotors are larger and require the caliper to be repositioned, with a bracket and is therefore a kit, which is around $2000. Replacement NA1 rotors are like $200/set. What are you looking at? You may be looking at the replacement rotor for that kit I see nothing that will just bolt on as a 2 piece.
 
If you are NA1 I believe stop tech also makes 2 piece rotors
Which engine he has is irrelevant. There are two brake setups: the '91-96 NSX (which were all the 3.0-liter engine) and the '97-05 NSX (which included some with the 3.0-liter engine and others with the 3.2-liter). His sig notes that he has a 2000 NSX, so he has the '97-05 NSX brakes.

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If you're only doing one track event per year, don't bother. There's no difference in performance; the big benefit of two-piece rotors is that they last longer (many more track events before they crack). With only one event per year, that isn't a consideration at all.

But if you want to do it just for the looks and the bling-bling, go for it!
 
As Ken alluded to the major track advantage of 2 piece brake assembly (separate rotor bolted to a hat or hub) is less heat transfer to the wheel hub.Faster cool down of the rotor.This also prolongs wheel bearing life.
 
As Ken alluded to the major track advantage of 2 piece brake assembly (separate rotor bolted to a hat or hub) is less heat transfer to the wheel hub.Faster cool down of the rotor.This also prolongs wheel bearing life.
Actually, I think the major track advantage is the flexible connection between the outer "ring" and the inner "hat". That way, when the ring heats up from track use, it can expand out away from the hat, with a minimum of internal stress. Whereas with a one-piece rotor, it's all one piece, so when the outer part gets hotter than the inner part, it wants to expand more, and there's a lot of resulting stress, which is what causes cracks to develop relatively quickly.

And there's also the convenience of not having to change rotors or miss track time in the middle of an event due to cracked rotors, or at least, not having to do so as often. My rotor lifespan varied, but on average the two-piece rotors lasted twice as many track miles as the one-piece.

Theoretically, another advantage of two-piece rotors is that you can replace the rings while re-using the hats, thereby saving money. However, in my experience, the rings and the connecting hardware (plus somebody's labor to R&R them) cost almost as much to replace as replacing the entire assembly, so the savings aren't real.

Of course, the downside is that the two-piece rotors cost a whole lot more than one-piece ones.
 
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Geez Ken I only have 15000 posts :) I know what NA1 and NA2 are, but because the year matches the brake change and many refer to it that way, I did too. Not a big deal except a technicality. Also, his signature also says '91 NSX which was a previous ride. That is what I saw on a quick glance. But what I said remains a fact. Racing brake (nor anyone else) does not have a drop-in 2 piece rotor. I think he already stated he wanted it for bling, otherwise I would talk him out of the racing brake to begin with for track use.
 
^ Incorrect Dave :wink: i have drop in 2-piece RB rotors on all my 4 corners... 97+ sizes, but i bought only the rotors, no brackets :wink:

Nuno
 
^ Incorrect Dave :wink: i have drop in 2-piece RB rotors on all my 4 corners... 97+ sizes, but i bought only the rotors, no brackets :wink:

Nuno

I must be blind... LOL...
 
Yeah...a) Two piece rotors don't have to be larger. Rotor diameter is all that matters and you can obviously get two piece rotors in OEM diameters. b) Two piece rotors do cool better and the what nsxtasy said about the rotors being able to expand without the stresses a one piece would be subjected to. c) You probably can't justify fancy rotors for one track event a year and d) go ahead anyway because two-piece rotors look AWESOME. (No, really...plus if the rotor has to be replaced you don't have to replace the entire hat/rotor assembly...just the rotor part.)
 
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