YACT - Changing brake rotors

[TechBoyJK]

Getting New Brake Rotors....

So it looks like my brake rotors are warped.. pads are low, and when i need to brake hard, i get some serious vibrations from the steering wheel. tires are balanced, front end is aligned. it seems that as the pads get lower and lower, the vibration is getting worse.

I decided I want to get some nice new rotors when i change the pads. I've been looking at the following packages on eBay, and just wanted to know if anybody had any insight into this before I buy... I've read that slotted rotors are really hard on brake pads because the slot shaves the pad to make sure its flat, which is good for racing but not effecient for daily driving. I'd rather not have to change my pads any more often than necessary. so should i just get cross drilled? The only cross drilled "only" rotors i could find are at the bottom of the list..

Slotted and Cross Drilled

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Ac...03957QQihZ019QQitemZ290030303957QQrdZ1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Ac...63962QQihZ012QQitemZ220025063962QQrdZ1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Ac...81458QQihZ019QQitemZ290026981458QQrdZ1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-AC...18593QQihZ013QQitemZ230026418593QQrdZ1

Cross Drilled Only
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magnum-D...30094QQihZ009QQitemZ190031830094QQrdZ1

 

[Heisenberg]

Unless you're rally racing on weekends, just get normal rotors. You'll see no benefit from slotted/cross drilled rotors on an Accord in daily driving. Also, cross drilled rotors are known for becoming brittle and developing stress cracks.

 

[TechBoyJK]

well, i do horse around with the car, and im building it up for show... (nothing serious, just want it to look nice and custom)...

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Unless you're rally racing on weekends, just get normal rotors. You'll see no benefit from slotted/cross drilled rotors on an Accord in daily driving. Also, cross drilled rotors are known for becoming brittle and developing stress cracks.

dunno, i run my accord's brakes to the point of obvious fading every couple of days. my commute involves some hard mountain driving, and occasionally traffic slowdowns result in multiple brutal downhill stops from 60 MPH. when that happens, my normally smooth rotors start POUNDING the steering wheel, and you can smell the brakes with the windows closed. i have considered an upgraded braking package many times. i figure it's just a matter of time before i crack one of those piss-midget stock rotors. brakes are something honda has just NEVER done well.

while i drive quickly, i'm no boy-racer and am generally easy on the brakes whenever possible.

 

[CRXican]

slotted only

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: CRXican
slotted only

care to explain?

 

[Colt45]

dont bother.

 

[Kilgor]

Don't bother just get regular rotors. Even most of the people I know who race on the weekends get regular rotors. Like Heisenberg said the cross drilled are know to develop cracks around the drill holes. The only way you're really going to improve brakeing is to increase the surface area, to do that you would have to go with bigger rotors, pads and calipers the whole deal.

 

[mrchan]

Just get brembo blanks.

a lot of those ebay slotted/drilled rotors have people take blank rotors and slot and drill them themselves. ruins the integrity of the rotor.

i wouldn't risk it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

 

[Pepsi90919]

rotors don't warp, they accumulate deposits.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

QF-to-tha-motherfvckin'-T!!

 

[AdamK47]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
rotors don't warp, they accumulate deposits.

I've seen warped rotors.

 

[Hyperlite]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
rotors don't warp, they accumulate deposits.

lol what? hell yes rotors warp.

 

[Hyperlite]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

QF-to-tha-motherfvckin'-T!!

your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

and i'm not sure why everyone can do nothing but complain about them, every performance vehicle on the planet uses them...Benz, bmw, etc...

BUT if the OP is just going to do rotors and not rotors/calipers/pumps then just get stocks, i'd say.

 

[skyking]

Get good quality stock style rotors, and keep your money for a second set. With antilock brakes, they seem to warp enough between pad changes that I prefer fresh (stock) rotors with each brake job up front.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Kilgor
Don't bother just get regular rotors. Even most of the people I know who race on the weekends get regular rotors. Like Heisenberg said the cross drilled are know to develop cracks around the drill holes. The only way you're really going to improve brakeing is to increase the surface area, to do that you would have to go with bigger rotors, pads and calipers the whole deal.

yea i remembering seeing somewhere tests where they showed fiddling with brakes is bad for normal driving. the brake system is setup for the rotors it came with. the braking force is set between front and back carefully so one won't lock up first, too much brake force doesn't do anything good if it just locks your wheels. mighta been consumer reports or car and driver that did the emergency stop tests with after market upgraded brakes, i forget just didn't turn out well

 

[avash]

Get normal rotors. If you really really really really really really really want something that's eye candy, get slotted and stop there.

Anything other than normal rotors will be louder during braking & wear your pads a little quicker. Brake fade will occur during heavy repetitive braking but you probably will not encounter much of that during racing (autocross?), slotted may give you a slight advantage.

Slotted/drilled is asking for trouble, more prone to cracking and it would not be my choice. People still get them though and some swear by them, others complain about them.

I'm planning on getting slotted when I replace my rotors. I don't race, it's purely for eye candy. It's a 95 Nissan Maxima with 17" lower profile tires. Again, for eye candy, I want something different.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: Hyperlite

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

QF-to-tha-motherfvckin'-T!!

your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

and i'm not sure why everyone can do nothing but complain about them, every performance vehicle on the planet uses them...Benz, bmw, etc...

BUT if the OP is just going to do rotors and not rotors/calipers/pumps then just get stocks, i'd say.

On a performance car that is designed with them, sure. But on a plain jane commuter car (didn't the OP buy an Accord? Jesus), they will not help and only hurt. Reduce heat dissipation area, increase chances of developing stress fractures, and eat up pads even faster. Of course with eating pads comes more brake dust.

Get stockers OP, for the last time

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Hyperlite
your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

No, heat cycling, especially rapid heat cycling from rapid cooling, makes rotors warp more. The reason they are used in racing is because brakes are used at near 100% force and by dissipating the heat quickly, the rotors help to avoid brake FADE, not rotor warpage. Additionally, the edges of the holes have a machining effect on the pads, which prevents glazing at high brake temperatures.

Most stock rotors are internally vented and should have more than sufficient cooling capabilities for anything short of racing.

ZV

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: Hyperlite

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

QF-to-tha-motherfvckin'-T!!

your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

and i'm not sure why everyone can do nothing but complain about them, every performance vehicle on the planet uses them...Benz, bmw, etc...

BUT if the OP is just going to do rotors and not rotors/calipers/pumps then just get stocks, i'd say.

The whole point of having drilled/slotted rotors is so he can be a ricerboy.

 

[Tbirdkid]

dont do slotted and cross drilled. people brag about how good they are until they snap. they are more brittle, and can break off. just get regular ones. Or just get cross drilled. No need for those other ones. Also, get ceramic pads...

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Hyperlite

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

QF-to-tha-motherfvckin'-T!!

your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

and i'm not sure why everyone can do nothing but complain about them, every performance vehicle on the planet uses them...Benz, bmw, etc...

BUT if the OP is just going to do rotors and not rotors/calipers/pumps then just get stocks, i'd say.

The whole point of having drilled/slotted rotors is so he can be a ricerboy.

yup the cooling only matters if you are doing high speed driving and hard braking in a track where it matters every turn...

 

[Hyperlite]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Hyperlite

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Drilled rotors will eat pads just the same as slotted. The edges of the holes will do the same thing that the slots do. Also, since both slotted and cross-drilled rotors have less mass, they are easier to warp than solid rotors (less mass means less ability to absorb heat, race cars don't care about warping because they replace the rotors after a race).

Just get regular rotors.

ZV

QF-to-tha-motherfvckin'-T!!

your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

and i'm not sure why everyone can do nothing but complain about them, every performance vehicle on the planet uses them...Benz, bmw, etc...

BUT if the OP is just going to do rotors and not rotors/calipers/pumps then just get stocks, i'd say.

The whole point of having drilled/slotted rotors is so he can be a ricerboy.

yup the cooling only matters if you are doing high speed driving and hard braking in a track where it matters every turn...

ah, i see. thanks for correcting me. thinking about it, the anti-glazing thing makes sense.

 

[CFster]

There's a lot of misinformation here.

I've read that slotted rotors are really hard on brake pads because the slot shaves the pad to make sure its flat

That's not the point of the slots. As brakes heat up a layer of gas is created between the brake pads and rotor. Unless there is a way to evacuate this gas from that area braking efficiency suffers (and hence brake fade ensues).

rotors don't warp, they accumulate deposits.

No.

BTW, I'll give you a tip about lessening the likelihood of warpage. After hauling down on the brakes, if you come to a complete stop (say at a red light), stop a little short and just let the car inch forward slowly. What happens is if you stop completely all the heat is radiating quickly away from the rotors, except for the area which is covered by the pads. This can cause warpage. Let the rotors turn and dissapate the heat evenly.

your missing the point of having cross drilled/slotted rotors. the whole idea is that they cool more quickly than solid rotors, therefore lessening a possibility of warping...

The rotors themselves don't cool any faster. They just facilitate moving those gases away from the pad surface to eliminate brake fade.

There are other ways to lessen brake fade - from different pad compounds, to actually having the correct size brakes on your car for the type of driving you're doing. I've seen cars at SCCA club events go by with the brakes on FIRE, because they didn't even bother to change pad compounds. That's probably the #1 thing you should do when upgrading brakes.

This said, there's a lot of big horsepower cars out there without slots or holes in them OEM. Usually slots or holes are more trouble than they're worth. We've run into problems with them on the track, as well as street cars. From what people have said here about cracking, to outright disintigration. We've found that usually rotor thickness and diameter are a bigger factor than holes or slots (though if I had to pick, I would pick slots - they work better).

Funny you don't see them on very many cars OEM. Usually the ones you do see them on are going for the bling factor, or are the result of some aftermarket "kit".