Cadmium vs. Zink plated rotors!

[Rieger_RS4]

Which holds up better?

There is cadmium and there is zinc plating. The zink plating is awailable in silver, gold, and black........is there a difference onther then color?

[jesseahhstyle]

Cadium never rusts from my understand dont know much about the zinc Thats just my understanding. They also do the cadium in different colors also.

[Daft]

Zinc wash is a very weak anti-corosive coating. Many tool and hardware companies coat bolts and tools in zinc plating to make them "rust-proof" but, they only stay that way for a couple years.

I'm sure many of your read that and said "So what? A couple of years is long enough." The key here is that brake rotors get hot and then cool down hundreds of times in a year. THis accelerates the zinc breakdown process. In turn Zinc plating lasts only for a few months before it begins to pit and flake.

Cadmium plating is always the way to go. It's much thicker and it will adhere to metal surfaces much better than Zinc. Cadmium won't always stay bright and shinny but, it will always stay rust free.

[Rieger_RS4]

so how long does it take for cadmium to wear away?

[Anthony]

Cadmium = rust free = good!

Don't know that much about the zinc, but the above info sounds pretty accurate.

[widm3r]

and also if you get it in different colors is it anodized then the outer coat or what and does the color chip away or from weather or does it just wear down like the regular color?

[Daft]

The first set of cad plated rotors I had on any of my cars were made by Powerstop. They were on the car for about a year and a half. They were rustless the day I threw them in the trash can (they were warped by then).

My ECS Slotted/Plated rotors on my A4 stayed clean the whole time I had them. About 1 year. I know they'd stay rust free much longer but, the slotted parts wore out too soon. Those rotors were crap. The plating was good though.

[widm3r]

And also http://www.tantrumwerks.com/ sells rotors by Disc Brake Australia, never heard of them, does anyone know if they are good?And also what do you recommend flat rotors or slotted or cross drilled or both?

[Rieger_RS4]

so basically the zink plating won't last at all?

[BuffysRS4]

Originally posted by Anthony
Cadmium = rust free = good!

Don't know that much about the zinc, but the above info sounds pretty accurate.

I hate to burst everyone's perception about cadmium plating but it does not prevent rust as well as everyone thinks. I have x-drilled OEM Brembos cad plated on all four corners and am very disappointed at the color they are now, brownish red with speckles of silver. Cad plating isn't all that it seems. I'm just waiting to wear these out enough so that i can go BIG.