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      01-01-2022, 04:12 PM   #1
Opie55
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Aftermarket brakes with shiny rotor hats?

The OEM BMW brake rotors have the big, rounded "hats" that are very shiny silver. The climate where I live is such that they stay shiny and I kind of like that look through the wheel spokes. Does anyone know if any aftermarket brand rotors are like that? I'm picturing Zimmerman and other brands having that dull gray coating.
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      01-01-2022, 06:45 PM   #2
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Can't speak for other rotors, but I can tell you that powder coating would be an option for you (lots of options).

L
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      01-02-2022, 09:34 AM   #3
Opie55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Luftpost View Post
Can't speak for other rotors, but I can tell you that powder coating would be an option for you (lots of options).

L
I think I'd rather pay the extra to get BMW rotors than pay to have something else powder coated. Powder coating won't duplicate that shine.
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      01-18-2022, 03:58 PM   #4
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The hat is shiny because the OE BMW rotor is a 2-piece riveted design where the hat is aluminum (which doesn't rust but can corrode over time) and the friction disk is iron. Some aftermarket and OEM suppliers also have a 2-piece product, including Zimmerman, Brembo, and Pagid. The 1-piece design has the rust-inhibiting zinc coating on the rotor hat as well since it's iron, which gives it that dull gray look that will eventually come off. You can powder coat or paint this part to keep the iron hat from rusting.

I would check the product catalog for the part number of the 2-piece rotor and try and get that. These are typically more expensive - often twice as expensive - as the 1-piece one. There are arguments over which is better, but I try to stick with the OE design which is 2-piece riveted for the stock floating calipers.
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      01-18-2022, 08:39 PM   #5
Opie55
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So are you saying the 2-peice units from Zimmerman or Brembo also have the shiny hats?
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      01-19-2022, 07:46 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie55 View Post
So are you saying the 2-peice units from Zimmerman or Brembo also have the shiny hats?
The ones from Zimmermann has not shiny hats. Not shure abouth brembo. Not all brakes from BMW either has shiny hats even if they are 2-piece design..
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      02-02-2022, 06:27 PM   #7
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On 2-piece rotors, the hat is aluminum so it doesn't have the problem of rusting over time. So it's not necessary to have the zinc coating on this part of the disk. Zimmermann and Brembo rotors may apply different amounts of zinc coating on the hat, which also might vary with the manufacturing batch. The Genuine BMW rotors I got had some overspray of the zinc coating on the hat, but only about an inch into the hat.

I haven't been able to find Zimmermann 2-piece, and I didn't buy the Brembo or Pagid rotors. But from pictures I saw online, it seemed like Brembo didn't coat the hat with zinc coating as much so you might get a shiny hat.
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      01-26-2023, 11:32 PM   #8
Opie55
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I have done more research and answered my own question for anyone else wanting to know. The only two-piece rotors with shiny aluminum hats I can find are OEM BMW and Brembo. Brembo's look cool, but they cost quite a bit more than the already-pricey OEM rotors.
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      01-29-2023, 03:14 AM   #9
rasa bmw
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ive got ebc black 2 piece discs,,so the bell is black also,looks great.pic but its hard to pick out.
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      01-30-2023, 10:22 AM   #10
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I bought some Brembo rotors and they are just like stock. Shiny center piece.
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