actually the reason the rotors are drilled or slotted is to let gases escape. granted the gases come from the pads being heated...
the rotor being vented (the hollow center with veins) is to help disapate heat...

.02

 

I hear a lot about drilled and slotted rotors cracking due to heat. I suspect that part of the problem may be in the plating process used to cover the new rotors. Plating deters rust and enhances visual appeal, but may weaken metal parts if not done correctly. Just my latest conspiracy theory...

 

This nonsense again.

Cross drilling has shown very little in the way of helping with the braking power or heat dissipation in tests. It is used on race cars to help reduce the rotating mass and to help gas escape from under the pads. But I stress that in test after test there is little to no gain on most cars stopping power using a cross drilled rotor.

Cross drilled rotors have a rather high likelyhood of cracking under severe stress also. You are not using the same quality discs on your car as race teams do so do not try and tell me that because they don't break on race cars they won't break on yours...

Slotted rotors have shown marked improvement in stopping power, they help keep a pad clean from debris, and they allow gas to escape from under the pad as the rotor spins.

Large rotors like in the Willwood kit add alot of rotating mass, but they add alot of surface area. The larger rotating mass will make your car respond slower, but the huge amount of braking surface will make your car stop very fast. So thats our choice if you want to spend $3000 on some brakes.


In short order, don't waste money on a cross drilled rotor (unless you are spending $2000+ per disc, just the disc), buy a good manufacturers slotted rotor and help your car in the braking area. Also you will wear through pads quicker, but stock pads are cheap. If you really want to help the stopping power for little money and you don't mind lots of brake dust, grab yourself a set of the HAWK, or EBC Greenstuff pads. That along with Rotora slotted stock sized rotors will help you a ton... Cheap upgrade without going to a full brake kit.

The stock brakes can damn near lock up the factory tires even with the ABS system, upgrading your brakes without upgrading your tires is worthless. I've put the stock brake system through numerous track events with very little to no fade noticed. If you upgrade your pads/rotors, grab yourself some stickier tires also.

Then you have to think about heat. Adding braking power mean adding friction, which turns the kinetic energy into heat... The stock steal rim is good at soaking up that heat and I've gotten the rim so hot that the paint caught fire (yes the stock black rim paint, but don't worry that fire went out real quick). Grab yourself a set of aluminum rims to help dissipate that increased heat. Make sure though that the rim isn't just a cheaply manufactured rim with junky aluminum, get something once again from a decent manufacturer so you know the cast aluminum is going to help get that heat away from the brakes and into the air.

 

blah ba blah blah blah.... just ask this guy about brakes. He just ran his xB into a damn pole doing 15 mph. now what

 

Git back to work hosebag. I hit water at 15mph in a parking lot, hydroplaning = no traction = no care what brakes. I will however walk to your desk and stab you. Be right over.

 

go for the pretty ones

 

LMAO!!!

That's some good stuff!!!

 

True. And unless you have '60s era asbestos brake pads, you don't need slotted or drilled brakes.