Are the rotors indexed?

[Wwabbit]

Changing rotors today, saw this (step 7) in the manual, "align the match marks"..
and indeed there are painted marks on new Ford rotors at 3,6,9 and 12..
but there are no index marks on the spindle. Any body know what they want us to do?



The marks on the rotors are clocked differently rotor to rotor, so nothing is obvious. I've actually bolted everything up and am back on the road, but am curious.

 

[steved57]

I saw the same info when I installed new ones but did not understand either so installed them as normal and everything is fine. Any input from anyone who might know ?

 

[Wwabbit]

I'm hoping one of these smart Ford tech guys will chime in and tell us what this is all about. Or maybe we'll never know - or care.

 

[Sinovac]

The alignment marks are necessary only if you are reinstalling the original, unaltered disks. The portion of the manual you quoted assumes this. The page preceding the one you referenced states in step 2 "match mark the hub and brake disk". If you are putting new or turned disks on, the existing alignment marks are irrelevant.

The index marks in your picture are odd since only one index mark is needed, yet there are four on your disks. Are the disks original to the car? I highly doubt Ford balanced the hub/disk before installation, but I can't see any other reason why the disks would be marked like they are.

 

[DanQ]

I'm guessing the 4 marks inside the hub area are from the fixture used when they painted the rotor hat area? Just a guess.

 

[Sinovac]

I'm guessing the 4 marks inside the hub area are from the fixture used when they painted the rotor hat area? Just a guess.

excellent observation

 

[Wwabbit]

You win gentlemen;

DanQ - the marks are indeed a lack of paint due to the fixture. Even up close they sure look like painted marks. I wiped the area with acetone and sure enough more black shows up.

Sinovac - thanks for that, you're right the manual just assumes you removed and then reinstalled that same rotor.

Thank you for your help gentlemen. The Forum rocks. Thanks!

 

[steved57]

Mystery Solved !! Thanks Guys !!

 

[Specracer]

Just a guess, but if I recall, as there are only 3 retaining bolts to hold rotor to the hub (and of course they are not symetric), the rotor will only go on one way over the lug studs. Maybe this is the index reference.

 

[Wwabbit]

Just a guess, but if I recall, as there are only 3 retaining bolts to hold rotor to the hub (and of course they are not symetric), the rotor will only go on one way over the lug studs. Maybe this is the index reference.

You are right in that there are 3 non-symmetrical, threaded retaining holes in the spindle, but the rotor has 5 symmetrical drill thrus, allowing the rotor to be installed in a number of different clocked positions. That's what raised the question about the relevance of any particular position, but alas, it doesn't matter.

 

[MAD IN NC]

I'm guessing the 4 marks inside the hub area are from the fixture used when they painted the rotor hat area? Just a guess.

rotors were added at the saleen plant.....

great trip R1


Here was Fred looking at Belly Pan indents...


to see on the next stations this on lift....


re rotors... this was the step in production where the spindles were verified...



then rotors were slapped on... the next station showed this....



GT Tech can tell more.....

then ship to wixom

 

[MAD IN NC]

at wixom.... fluids added, checked and indexing / "hashes" added.



and Franks picture with ATOMIC light for sale....

 

[topshot]

what kind of new roters did you go with??

 

[Wwabbit]

what kind of new roters did you go with??

Just basic OEM rotors. I was about to jump to a slotted rotor, but I'm going to try these one more time with a different pad and see if I get more life out of it.

 

[Xcentric]

How much life did you get out of the current set? How much track time? And what was the issue? Warping?

 

[Wwabbit]

Rotors were cracking badly using aggressive pads after 400-500 track miles. Slotted, floating rotors would probably last longer but cost 3-4x as much. So I'm sticking with OEM for another few cycles and trying different pads to see if I can find some reasonable middle ground. -- I just know Ron is going to have something to say about this