Rotor Question
 

Hey guys, just have to ask this one, is it critical on the rotors to have a left and right, you know, does it really matter directionally? Reason I ask is I got a set for my fork swap and the guy sent two left's. I contacted him and he has no issue with making the swap as he now has two rights, but he claims that it really doesn't matter.
Thanks for helping, I'm sure this is just the first speed bumb I'll hit on this project.

What bike are the rotors off? Stock or aftermarket? If I look in my Dennis Kirk catalog, at least as far as part #s, some bikes have the same part# for left & right and some don't. Some aftermarkets are directional and some non-directional. If they're stock look up the part#'s on a microfiche like ronayers.com and at least see if they have the same part #s and go from there.

Yeah, I've always wondered about them itty bitty arrows. What if I back up alot?

the parts them selves should be the same. the problem would be the wear pattern. your pads and rotors wont match at first so you wont have 100% of braking capability. your pads will probably wear faster until they are bedded in with the rotors. i think you should be fine, jsut give yourself 100-200 miles before you do any hard braking.

Yeah Capt, they're stock 320mm take off's for the rc51 fork swap I'm doing, Ron ayers shows em as left and right diff. part #'s.

Jay, I know the offset is the same, don't know the reason for the directional arrow, but I'm thinking it's there for a reason, maybe just to address the wear pattern issue if ya have to pull em off for some reason, like a tell tale to guide you for re-assembly.

Pete,
Yeah, I've always wondered about them itty bitty arrows. What if I back up alot?
I hear man, lol.

Probably just best to take the time to swap him 1 for 1 I guess.

Thanks aLL.
Dave

On some of the bike's the rotors are drilled in a pattern that's supposedly gives "better cooling" without increasing wear on the pads... I think the effect is rather marginal at best...

Wear pattern... Yeah... But the issue of bedding in the pads to a set of used rotors are there regardless of the arrows... Doesn't matter what way the arrow points, you should still go over the used rotor with a fine grit sandpaper and then clean it really good... And if you are using new pads, that's it apart from taking it easy until they are bedded in... If you for some reason are using pads that have been used, sand them flat as well before...

Yeah Tweety, they have some use on em before the PO swapped em out for a set of those cool wave jobbies, I plan on bringing em into work and bead blasting em then hit em with with contact cleaner. New pads are definatly on the list. Hell I didn't even know the things had directional markings until I read it on someones post on here, lol now that I know about it, I gotta deal with it, crap, sometimes ignorance is bliss. Sometimes not.
Man, I think I've caught some sorta condition from youz guys heheheh.

Oh just wait...it gets worse (better?)

I'll say worse. Stebbdt, you're already showing early signs of OCMD.

OMFG not OCMD, WTF?

if you back up a lot, you might be a coward. or worse.:p

I wouldn't worry about the arrows if the rotors center in the calipers when mounting the wheel. If you have a little sand blaster or sander, I would clean the rotors up evenly and the same with your pads after you determine proper fit.

LMFAO

What's worse than a coward? Shawk has no reverse so backing up a lot usually involves a steep hill. Not so cowardly, not with those mirrors!

what's worse than being a coward relative to backing up? you might wanna consult some of your friends in the bighouse.hahaha

don't panic peter. lighten up. just bustin balls:D:D

In addition to whatever else they may do, if anything, the little directional arrows help when you show the genius who just mounted a new tire on the front wheel that he put it on backwards.

When I did the 900 RR front end installation on my Hawk I used the original wheels and brakes. The rotors are handed. There is a Left and a Right. Confusing them causes the centering in the calipers to be off.

Tuition is cheap for you if you learn from my experience.

Actually the rotors are the same, no difference at all in offset... The spacers or the rim might be asymmetrical, but I highly doubt it...

Backing up...friends in the big house...peter panicking...and you think "just bustin balls" will help lighten that up? Bustin balls doing what exactly? Nope, let's end it. Don't even wanna know! hahaha+

i guess this means that when I visit my cousin in South Philly this summer, that I should not bother to let you know. :(

Ah, humor's a funny thing! All in fun, otherwise I'd be guilty of a threadjack, worse than cowardice or even that other thing you alluded to! South Philly's cool, but we better stay off South Street, they don't like that kinda joking in the Gayborhood!

I moved in with my cousin for 6 weeks(right across from the stadium) to help him with a construction job he took but got more than he bargained for. He is the king of ball bustin and 18 hrs a day with him changes one forever.

I did shoot at a queer in downtown LA when he wouldn't leave me alone. I verbally warned him first, kicked his door in the second time, and the third time I fired 3 shots at him with my 32 as he sped away; fortunately, I was impaired enough to adversely affect my ability to hit a moving target in the dark.:D