RTI BRC450 Hub-Mounted On-the-Car
Brake Lathe

The advantages provided by on-the-car lathes are well known. The issue is not so much which is better, but how the two concepts differ, which the shop prefers, and which is better for a particular vehicle's design. About half of the world's OEM's suggest that hub-mount lathes are better. The other half suggest that caliper-mount lathes are better.

The BRC40 Caliper-Mount On-the-Car lathe is slightly less expensive. And, if the wheel bearing is pre-loaded, runout is eliminated automatically with a fast easy setup. No special skills are required. But, no existing caliper-mount lathe can machine rotors if the bearing is not pre-loaded. Here is where the hub-mount concept is superior. The BRC450 will machine rotors on-the-car, no matter how much bearing end-play is present, including rear rotors on free-floating axles. On the other hand, this additional capability does come with a price. The cost of the BRC450 is higher, and the setup requires relatively more time and more technician skill. The additional time and skill is proportional to the level of precision required. The issue is the process of "compensation" required to align the lathe spindle axis to the vehicle's hub axis.

With a special RTI design of the spindle to hub adapter, using special adjustable cranks with extra fine pitch (50 threads/inch) adjustment nuts, the time to achieve necessary compensation or alignment is minimized. Less than two minutes per wheel to get to around 0.002" of runout and only slightly more to consistently achieve "near zero" or less than 0.001". Changing from 4 to 5 or 6 lug hubs is fast and easy with one basic adapter setup. Competitors may require many additional extra cost adapters. No other adapter system is easier or faster with the same level of reliability and coverage.

The RTI/Hunger BRC450 has also been designed to use positive rake cutting tips with the special RTI shear angle tip holder, for the best possible surface finish. Negative rake tips and tip holders are also available.

The BRC450 comes with a goose neck dial indicator setup. This makes setup faster and more accurate. Also standard is the new hydraulically controlled Transport/Setup Lift, designed and produced by RTI. With this new Transport/Setup Lift, the BRC450, unlike one competitor's model, can be easily used even on four post lifts! Height is adjustable over a wider range than all competitors' designs. The lathe can be used without the Transport Setup Lift, therefore making it possible to be used with the vehicle on jack stands. The BRC450 can be specially ordered as a model BRC450- L, without the Transport/Setup Lift, at a lower cost.