Hello all,
My name is Drake and I'm on the University of Colorado Denver's FSAE team. I'm in charge of the brake and steering systems and I could use a little help, please.
I have a good idea of the entire braking system: we're gong to (try to) use the calipers left over from the team two years ago, I've got the brake pedal (with adjustment bar) picked out, master cylinders are very close to taken care of as well.
My only trouble is finding brake rotors that will work with the 10" rims we want to do. It seems like most teams are going to the 10" wheels in competition and for good reasons (less overall weight, reduction in unsprung mass, etc...). Our team would like to use 10" rims as well. The rims/hubs have been chosen and a spindle has been created in Solid Works that we plan on machining. I'm having trouble finding brake rotors though. The rims have a 9.5" inner diameter and when allowing for clearance of the calipers, we'd like to go with brake rotors of about 7.85" diameter. I just can't find any this size anywhere. We're considering machining our own if we can't find any to buy. Is that what everyone else is doing? Or is anyone buying them from anywhere? I've considered ATV brake rotors but I'm not sure that the ones I've found would tolerate the conditions FSAE will expose the rotors to (and I don't know much about ATVs at all).
What does everyone recommend? I know that machining and treating rotors will be kind of difficult and time consuming but if that's the route I have to go, what kind of material and treatment? I saw another thread on here that recommended a strong steel, 1040 perhaps. If people are buying rotors this small, where are they buying them from?
Also, I'm not too sure about the steering system. If I could get some of you guys to point me in the right direction for things to research so I can come back and discuss it more I would appreciate that as well.
Thanks in advance for everyone's input.