plating brake drums...

[62fairlane]

I know it sounds kinda lame and all but I hate the look of crusty drums and while paint is nice it is hard to keep it on things that see nice midwestern road salt. the fairlane is due for a brake overhaul and I was thinking of new drums drilled for cooling and having them nickel plated to keep them looking nice. I am going up to some 17's in a year or so and if they are gonna become visable I want to have them look nice at least (currently has chipped edges and are crusty as hell) will the nickel hold up ok or should I go to chrome? would jet hot maybe be a better option? high temp matt black powder coat? just looking for something that will hold up better than some cheap brake paint.

Nick

[Paul]

plating will make them retain heat,

you want to dissipate heat.

Paul

[62fairlane]

well chromium has a heat transfer rate ("K") of 54.1 btu/h-ft-F and iron is 46.4, copper is 231.7, nickel is 52.4

(numbers pulled from my heat transfer textbook) these values would be the rate at which heat is radaited off the surface. now the rate of transfer within the plated section might be lower causing it to insulate a little but in teh end it will reject heat to the atmosphere faster.

I will look around for the internal transfer rates and for some numbers on iron oxide (rust)

Nick

[metalshapes]

If you are going to put on 17's you are not worried about it looking traditional.
So why spend money on making a set of drums shiny?
I'd put on some discs instead...
There should be plenty of stock Ford stuff that can be made to fit a Fairlane.

[62fairlane]

well I need brakes now and if I do discs I am looking at 13" rotors and some big 4 pot calipers....but those don't fit under 14" wheels that I have now. the 17's are about a year or more down the raod most likely not until I get out of school and get a real job and all. the rims I have picked out are the mustang bullet rims so I am trying to keep a tradition look to the car. I am keeping them in grey for that torque thrust look.....no chrome no polishing.

Nick

[lurker mick]

Nick, the rear drums on my roadster are HPC coated.
They look nice and seem to work just fine.
Probably someone around your area that does header coatings.
Mick