rotor / hub attachment

[Boyan B.]

I need to replace the front brake rotors on a 68. After drilling the heads of the rivets and punching out the rivet bodies, do I need to re-rivet the rotor to the hub? If so, what's the best way or can bolts be used? Also, I read in a previous post that it is critical to have the rotor machined with the hub attached. Does this hold true for the front rotors also? I'll also be replacing the front wheel bearings within the hub.

Thanks in advance.

[Pat Bush #35083]

Re: rotor / hub attachment

Boyan:

I turned a lot of front rotors in my history and changed over plenty of hubs too. Most were not riveted. If they were, we typically drilled the rivets out and then drove the studs out.

The key with the hubs is to make sure the mating surfaces on the hub and rotor are CLEAN, burr free, and have no rust before reassembly. This will assure there is minimum run-out when the unit is reassembled. We would scrape the hub assembly and clean any built up rust, use a fine file and make sure there were no burrs on the hubs, and then reassemble using new studs. I don't recall ever re-riveting the rotors and I believe the rivets were used only on "new" units as that is how they were delivered.

The hub/rotor units should be given a light cut to true them up prior to installation because no matter how careful you are, there will always be a slight bit of run-out. The cut is usually no more than 002-003 on each side, then a light circular sanding w/emory cloth to remove tool marks and you are ready to install. We used to charge about 10.00 a rotor to resurface and 5.50 to change over the hub + the cost of studs but that was in 1988. I don't know what people charge now since I do all this in my home machine shop.

Be sure you check the inner races, repack the berings, and replace the grease seals as part of the process.

Hope this helps -

Pat

[Jim T.]

Re: rotor / hub attachment

If you want the new rotors rivetted to your front hub you could send it to www.bairs.com and they will rivet the discs and true them and you will not have to worry about runout.

[Ed Jennings]

Re: rotor / hub attachment

If it would make you feel better to have the rotors "riveted" to the hub, you can tap the holes in the hub flang and install flat head screws to replace the rivets. You may have to countersink the rotors more to accomodate the screw heads since they have to be flush or just below flush. Lots of "furrin" car rotors come from the factory this way. I would use socket head (allen type)screws vs phillips or slotted to facilitate removal in the future.

[ERIC FAIRCLO]

Re: rotor / hub attachment

WHEN I CHANGED THE ROTORS ON MY 72 I DID NOT RIVET THE ROTOR BACK TO THE HUB. I JUST BOLTED THE WHEEL ON. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE RIVETED. THIS WAS JUST TO HOLD IT ON WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING BUILT AT THE FACTORY.

[John H.]

Re: rotor / hub attachment

The rotors were riveted to the hubs so they could be surfaced while piloted on the hubs/spindles and bearings at the component manufacturing source to minimize runout. For dial indicator-checking lateral runout, you can accomplish the same thing by installing the lug nuts backwards to hold the rotors tightly against the hub/spindle during the checking routine.