Brake Rotor Suggestions

[imgon]

I need new rotors for my car this year and wonder what other people use. I did have slotted/drilled that came with the car and was told they were not good, prone to cracks. I noticed that the slots and holes collected alot of gunk and am thinking I should just use regular vented rotors. Is there an advantage to using slots over a smooth surface? I don't think I will get drilled style, as holes likely lead to cracks. Should I find a high performance rotor or is a stock rotor going to give me the same performance? I am going to use Hawk blues in front and blacks in rear. Thanks for your ideas.

[cuda6666]

I'm not an expert but...

OEM rotors with holes are often cast that way and are not drilled. They are no more prone to cracking than are solid rotors. However, most aftermarket "drilled" rotors actually are drilled and are prone to cracking. Slotted rotors look cool but only wear your pads down faster. The best approach I've found is to locate a supplier of cheap solid replacement rotors and treat them as expendables.

[zchris]

If your going to use a stock type rotor, use a good quality one like these Brembos
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brembo-25362-Fr ... es&vxp=mtr

[chaos4NH]

I agree with Frank. Stock and replace as needed. I bought some high priced OEM replacement rotors for the Speed 3 and got no better performance or wear than from factory stock ones.

[MiataSteve]

I have good results with the NAPA brand replacements. I have even run $10 RockAuto Wagner's on the rear. I ran a set of Moss slotted Brembos...cracked them in one track day

[wizzman]

I have good results with the NAPA brand replacements. I have even run $10 RockAuto Wagner's on the rear. I ran a set of Moss slotted Brembos...cracked them in one track day

I use NAPA brand OEM replacements as well.

[Neptune441]

DBA4000 series with 6x6 wiper slots I used hawk HP+ Then I switched to Carbotech XP10's Daily driven and tracked both sets of pads on the same rotor and still had plenty of meat on them. Stock work great too like others have said but I think the better question is are you using stock brake lines or SS and are you using a higher boiling brake fluid or regular brake fluid....

[imgon]

Thanks for all the responses. Car is a dedicated track toy. Lines are SS and I use high temp fluid. At this point I think I will go with good aftermarket replacement vented rotors. They are reasonably priced and if I get more than 1 season out of them, they will owe me nothing. Thanks again!

[eastcoastbumps]

I use Centric blanks from RockAuto.com You can always find a discount for 5% off with a quick Google search. I've been using Hawk DTC 70 pads and they've been great. Much easier on rotors than Blues.

[jeffw]

Napa Gold, nothing special. Carbotech pads are really easy on the rotors and I get most of the season on a set (40+ days).

[962porsche]

the slots in rotors is to remove gases that build up between the pad and rotor . the holes are to help cool the face of the pads . a slotted rotor should never crack . drilled rotors will in some cases . most of the time is because the holes are not drilled in the center of the inner vains of the rotors or your building to much heat (brake temps )
back in the late 1980's when i started to run drilled rotors on my 1st track car (87 GTI ) I CRACKED THE ROTORS . i like most people thought it was because the rotors were junk thinking that drilled rotors were BS . when the CO that makes the rotors asked me what temps i was running . all i could say is I DON'T KNOW ??? i was told all brake set ups need to run at a certain temps . from that day on i started to take my brake temps and running cooling ducts . my brake temps on the GTI with out coolducts were in the high 1000 degree range and i was cracking rotors after installng cooling ducts the temps dropped to what the rotors and pads should be for the set up i had about the low to mid 800 degree range . with no more cracked rotors . i have always run slotted and drilled rotors and never ever cracked any of them sense . i should add i was not getting any brake fade from over heated brakes i was just cracking the rotors . so i guess the tech guy at Ferodo was 100% right it was not the fact that i was using slotted and drilled rotors it was just my temps were not right for the setup i was using .

[grovefromnh]

I've used EBC rotors that are slotted and dimpled(not drilled). No worries about cracks.

[dradernh]

Is there an advantage to using slots over a smooth surface? I noticed that the slots...collected alot of gunk

the slots in rotors is to remove gases that build up between the pad and rotor.

+1

I run slots. If I have pads that give off a lot of gas (I don't anymore), I'm good to go; if I don't, I'm not giving anything up. If you run slots, and want them to do their job, you need to clean them after each session, along with the other wheels-off checks & maintenance you're doing each time you come in.

[CP]

Cheap blanks here...Raybestos last season (less than $60 for ALL of them) but I've have had good results with the cheap NAPA rotors too. I use Hawk Blues front and rear on my Spec Miata. I ran 35-40 (or more) 20+ minute races last season as well as qualifiers every weekend and several schools too. Ran the entire season on one set of rotors and 3 sets of front pads, 2 rears. When I can catch my fingernail on the small cracks in the face of the rotor, I replace them. Thinner rotors weigh less but don't act as efficiently as a heat sink when they're thin.

I think if you properly care for your pads and rotors then they should last a long time. NOT getting the pads up to their designed operating temp (driving too slowly) hurts both pads and rotors. NOT taking care to cool the brakes at the end of a session shortens their useable life. I never do any kind of "bedding" for my SM's brakes other than take some care to bring them up to temp slowly during the first heat cycle. But then they get hammered on after 6-7 minutes with no ill effects. Pace laps prior to a race consist of a few weaves to clean the tires before the first corner and then LOTS of quick, hard stabs of the brakes, as well as dragging when possible. I can feel when they're getting heated b/c the car slows down much better than with cold pads.

[horizenjob]

Considering all of the above, it makes sense to carry a spare front and rear rotor with you...

My policy used to be to carry a spare for anything that had ever broken on the car. That came to be a pair of rotors, starter motor, clutch slave and a pair of tires.