What would be the point of bigger rotors...

[Philippine Mango]

If you add bigger rotors to your car, how would they improve braking performance if the ABS is kicking in? I mean if ABS is kicking in, wouldn't larger rotors have no benefit? How would having a larger rotor improve braking distance? I mean I have an idea and then I don't, I just dunno... Explain how do bigger rotors improve braking...

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
If you add bigger rotors to your car, how would they improve braking performance if the ABS is kicking in? I mean if ABS is kicking in, wouldn't larger rotors have no benefit? How would having a larger rotor improve braking distance? I mean I have an idea and then I don't, I just dunno... Explain how do bigger rotors improve braking...

On dry pavement I've had my break pedel on the floorboard, didn't have the ABS kick in and still wished I could stopp faster.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

 

[spidey07]

Better control.

And you'll stop faster if you don't engage the ABS.

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
If you add bigger rotors to your car, how would they improve braking performance if the ABS is kicking in? I mean if ABS is kicking in, wouldn't larger rotors have no benefit? How would having a larger rotor improve braking distance? I mean I have an idea and then I don't, I just dunno... Explain how do bigger rotors improve braking...

bigger rotors=more friction area for braking. Also bigger rotors dissapate heat better due to larger surface area.

did i spell dissapate right?

 

[tasmanian]

Theres allways the "big man" factor.

 

[Howard]

When ABS kicks in, it means the tires are the braking bottleneck, so no, bigger brakes won't help as far as reducing stopping distance. But does ABS always come on when you brake hard?

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

..:thumbsup:

 

[Malak]

I don't have ABS.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
If you add bigger rotors to your car, how would they improve braking performance if the ABS is kicking in? I mean if ABS is kicking in, wouldn't larger rotors have no benefit? How would having a larger rotor improve braking distance? I mean I have an idea and then I don't, I just dunno... Explain how do bigger rotors improve braking...

It's mainly for heat dissipation.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That was implied by me mentioning the bigger calipers and pads, but yes... surface area is much larger.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That's not really a bottleneck, though. Even stock brakes produce enough friction to make the tires skid.

 

[randay]

yeah, brake fade = the lose. going with monster rotors on your daily driver... one would probably do such a thing right after the stickers and hugemongoid spoiler.

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
If you add bigger rotors to your car, how would they improve braking performance if the ABS is kicking in? I mean if ABS is kicking in, wouldn't larger rotors have no benefit? How would having a larger rotor improve braking distance? I mean I have an idea and then I don't, I just dunno... Explain how do bigger rotors improve braking...

Braking has more to do with your tires. All your brakes do is stop your tires from turning.

 

[M2008S]

simple, bigger rotors= more stop. ABS is a joke, if it ever goes out then dont worry about it unless its a newer car, retarded to fix. its nice to have and works well when its supposed to but yeah.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That's not really a bottleneck, though. Even stock brakes produce enough friction to make the tires skid.

Thats true... Though in high performance cars (which are most likely to have bigger rotors), the width of the tire increases aswell, as, generally will the weight, meaning "average" brakes won't generate enough force to lock the wheel.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: randay
yeah, brake fade = the lose. going with monster rotors on your daily driver... one would probably do such a thing right after the stickers and hugemongoid spoiler.

meh, it really, really sucks when you push down on the pedal and nothing happens.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: M2008S
simple, bigger rotors= more stop. .

It's not that simple.

From a 60-0 stop, in an emergency situation, upgraded rotors are not going to help you stop any faster.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That's not really a bottleneck, though. Even stock brakes produce enough friction to make the tires skid.

Thats true... Though in high performance cars (which are most likely to have bigger rotors), the width of the tire increases aswell, as, generally will the weight, meaning "average" brakes won't generate enough force to lock the wheel.

Trust me, they'll lock the wheels. My Z's wheels will lock up, and also a Vette's will.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That's not really a bottleneck, though. Even stock brakes produce enough friction to make the tires skid.

Thats true... Though in high performance cars (which are most likely to have bigger rotors), the width of the tire increases aswell, as, generally will the weight, meaning "average" brakes won't generate enough force to lock the wheel.

Trust me, they'll lock the wheels. My Z's wheels will lock up, and also a Vette's will.

Yea but then neither of those cars have ur average car sized rotors

But yea without getting into a big debate i do agree with your point..

 

[her209]

It would cause your wheels to lock because the bigger braking surface area. This would cause you to in turn skid. That would be my guess.

 

[makken]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
If you add bigger rotors to your car, how would they improve braking performance if the ABS is kicking in? I mean if ABS is kicking in, wouldn't larger rotors have no benefit? How would having a larger rotor improve braking distance? I mean I have an idea and then I don't, I just dunno... Explain how do bigger rotors improve braking...

It's mainly for heat dissipation.

QFT.
If you're looking to reduce your 60 to zero distance, then a larger rotor wouldn't really help, and in some cases can actually worsen it.

However, if you brake from 60 to zero 5 times every minute you're driving, how long would it be before you brakes overheat and begin to fade? this is where larger rotors help out the most.

under normal street driving, you should never, or at least very rare encounter fading problems, on a racetrack though, it's a completely different story.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That's not really a bottleneck, though. Even stock brakes produce enough friction to make the tires skid.

Thats true... Though in high performance cars (which are most likely to have bigger rotors), the width of the tire increases aswell, as, generally will the weight, meaning "average" brakes won't generate enough force to lock the wheel.

Um, your car will come with brakes strong enough to stop your car... otherwise why would it come with brakes at all?

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: randay

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
My guess would be that larger rotors provide more surface area for heat dissipation, thus keeping brakes cooler and reducing fade. Plus, if you're going to bigger rotors, you'll probably have bigger calipers and pads as well.

You forgot the big one... Bigger surface area for friction!!

That's not really a bottleneck, though. Even stock brakes produce enough friction to make the tires skid.

Thats true... Though in high performance cars (which are most likely to have bigger rotors), the width of the tire increases aswell, as, generally will the weight, meaning "average" brakes won't generate enough force to lock the wheel.

Um, your car will come with brakes strong enough to stop your car... otherwise why would it come with brakes at all?

Thats not my point. Take, for example a BMW M3, with 500-700 extra pounds of weight + wider tires. over a small hatchback, for example a civic, will the civics brakes generate enough force to lock a wheel? im guessing not likely. ignore other factors like the strength of the calipers etc, the easiest way to increase the force generated is to increase rotor diameter and therefore surface available for friction... This is ONE reason why a car like i mentioned would have a bigger rotor.