# Whats the rotor temp when glowing?



## Banditt007 (Oct 23, 2002)

Let me just say, i know glowing orange is a very vague description, but what is about the temperature that would make your standard cast iron rotor begin to visably glow at night?


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## phatvw (Aug 29, 2001)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (Banditt007)*

I think its about 1200°F or 650°C give or take. It would depend on how polished the rotor surface is though as the radiation constant of Iron has a range. Read up on black body radiation - neat stuff










_Modified by phatvw at 6:07 PM 2-28-2007_


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## clarksongli (Nov 4, 2003)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (phatvw)*

agreed, i measured mine just shy of 1400
if they are getting this hot thats usually not the best thing


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## collins_tc (Dec 19, 2000)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (Banditt007)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Banditt007* »_Let me just say, i know glowing orange is a very vague description, but what is about the temperature that would make your standard cast iron rotor begin to visably glow at night?

Are you getting yours that hot?
And for those of you who measure your rotor temps at HPDEs, what's the highest teperature you've seen? The two tracks I frequent most, Nelson Ledges and BeaveRun, really are not that hard on brakes. I'll be interested to see my temps at Mid-Ohio this year.


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## Banditt007 (Oct 23, 2002)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (collins_tc)*

on my stock brakes on the mkiv gti, i was runnign ferrodo ds2500 up front and redbox in the rear and tyrolsport caliper pin kit. I wanted to see just how much abuse the brakes could take before fading...well myself driving and my buddy riding shotgun, i took the car from 5-80-5mph or 5-100-5mph back to back runs for at least 10 minutes. WE literally had to stop b/c we were going to puke, not only from the violent back to back braking, but that 'hot motor smell' and the brake pad smell. I slowed to about walking speed, hopped out of the car while still rolling....as to not stop the pads on such hot rotors. Well...i didnt even have to get out of the car, since from the drivers seat I could see the pavement glowing 6'+ from the light comming off the glowing rotors... needless to say these things were a nice yellow/orange. The wheels (17" montes) would sizzle water/spit they were so hot. Didn't notice any fade/pedal change at all the entire time...and that was on 1 1/2 y/o factory brake fluid. Needless to say i was rather impressed. Tires were Falken azenis rt-215's, 225/45/17. With that said those tires were allowing serious braking (for street tires)
Was just curious about the temps. I'd reason to say that the rotors were glowing well before i was able to get out of the car and look.


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## phatvw (Aug 29, 2001)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (Banditt007)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Banditt007* »_on my stock brakes on the mkiv gti, i was runnign ferrodo ds2500 up front and redbox in the rear and tyrolsport caliper pin kit. I wanted to see just how much abuse the brakes could take before fading...well myself driving and my buddy riding shotgun, i took the car from 5-80-5mph or 5-100-5mph back to back runs for at least 10 minutes. WE literally had to stop b/c we were going to puke, not only from the violent back to back braking, but that 'hot motor smell' and the brake pad smell. I slowed to about walking speed, hopped out of the car while still rolling....as to not stop the pads on such hot rotors. Well...i didnt even have to get out of the car, since from the drivers seat I could see the pavement glowing 6'+ from the light comming off the glowing rotors... needless to say these things were a nice yellow/orange. The wheels (17" montes) would sizzle water/spit they were so hot. Didn't notice any fade/pedal change at all the entire time...and that was on 1 1/2 y/o factory brake fluid. Needless to say i was rather impressed. Tires were Falken azenis rt-215's, 225/45/17. With that said those tires were allowing serious braking (for street tires)
Was just curious about the temps. I'd reason to say that the rotors were glowing well before i was able to get out of the car and look.


Wow! I must have had my rotors glowing too when I faded out the DS2500's at the racetrack then! When I was working corners, I had to call a couple drivers in because by the end of the straight their rotors would be on fire!


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## Banditt007 (Oct 23, 2002)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (phatvw)*

haha yeah i could not imagine fading the ds2500's!! Whenever people say they faded the ferrodo ds2500's i'm always like







almost in disbeleif but i do realize that they can and will fade (they have to)The rear rotors were glowing just as bright as the fronts BTW


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## collins_tc (Dec 19, 2000)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (Banditt007)*

I would really like to do an HPDE at night. I'm sure some of us would look like this:


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## NOVAdub (Jul 28, 2003)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (collins_tc)*

When Ive been out at some of the local SCCA races you can see some of the heavier cars with glowing rotors during the day!


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## collins_tc (Dec 19, 2000)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (NOVAdub)*

The only car I've ever seen in the daylight with glowing rotors was an E30 M3 at BeaveRun on the kart track in the 2003 or 2004 One Lap event.


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## jamesb (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: Whats the rotor temp when glowing? (collins_tc)*

I see it all the time, but usually its in some good racing. The cars I see do it the most is like the T2 Evo, the SSC mini, and this ITC sentra. all of them easy to see if there is a small amount of overcast.


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