Oghma

Hey guys,

I have to exchange my four set, the front because they have never been changed in 5 years of my use, hahahaha. And i got a rear brake swap from a 97 civic VTi....... So i was planning to change them all for one job servicing only.

The thing is, i really dig the aesthesics of the drilled + slotted rotors.... But here everyone seems to hate these types. Are they really that crappy?

Im not turbo or any crazy ****, im just a civic LX 00 with a future b16a2 swap. So, ill be running 160hp N/A engine + some minor mods..... That will net me at tops 10 - 15 hps... finalizing somenthing around 170hp+ tops.

So, whats the best bang for the buck 4 wheel setup? BLANKS, JUST DRILLED, JUST SLOTTED, or the DRILL + SLOT disc brakes??
I WANT CHEAP, yes, but NON SHITCRAP ones

Im from Brazil, so 85% of the days are hell scorch almost africa style sun, with rare occasional deathrains-wet-da-crap-outta-everyone.... But rains exist....

So... Wich one should i choose? Blank, just drilled, just slotted, or drill+slot?

I was looking at StopTech's Drilled & Slotted Front and rear rotors...
Also in love with the DBA's 4000xs series....

Thoughts and suggestions, anyone?

Oghma

And please, no simple answers!!! If you hate somenthing, please at least elaborate a little bit why you do hate it, and any science behind that statement, let's be smart techie masses!

98civdx

Brembo blanks. Why? What is the gain with drilled/slotted rotor?

IMO there is no good reason to run them on a street driven car. They are all about looks.



A good blank rotor and a good pad will be more then enough. However, I would switch the front brakes to the larger EX/SI style.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Seen them on an AMG Mercedes and on a brand spanking new GT35. Good enough for those cars. Good enough for me. Been running some form of drilled, slotted, drilled/slotted for years. I don't notice any difference from blanks AND I do NOT go through brake pads like everyone keeps claiming you will.

98civdx

If there is no diference, then why spend the extra money on them?

Brembo even did testing on them, and concluded there is no performace gain in drilled/slotted rotors.

Oghma

Thanks for the headsup!
I actually TOO have seen them on almost every UBER factory warhosrse, such any mercedes AMG and lambo's and other uber top cars too... That's why im hooked by its aesthesics, really aggressive looks imo...

Exactly cause of the looks that they were chosen in the first place. But if they are = to blanks, why not use them?? Imo at least, they look fawsome. :b

How much is a 2 pair front + rear brembo blanks + good pads around, exactly??

Does brembo actually makes them? Drill + slot? I guess i just seem the drilled ones.... any thoughts on price of these too?

I found the stoptechs to be on $100 margin for a pair. Both front and rear... Is that expensive?

Libertariat

Drilled/slotted rotors are on those high-end cars because it's all about looks/consumer demand.

Formula 1 cars and Nascar use blanks. Been doing autocross for over a year now, I can count one one hand how many drilled/slotted rotors I've seen.

"drilled' rotors better not be drilled at all, they need to be cast that way or they will break/crack. There's been plenty of incidents over the years in autocross where brake rotors will crack under stressful conditions.

Slotted is fine, little more initial bite. Though "drilling" and slotting remove mass from the rotor, making it heat more quickly.

Blank = best
Slotted = Alright
Drilled + slotted = trying too hard. And good luck if your rotors break.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

There's your answer. Aesthetics. Just like the cars I mentioned. It's not like people haven't modded their cars for aesthetics before.

Brembo makes slotted
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brake...Slotted+Rotors
drilled
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brake...tor&cat=Rotors

Check here.
http://brakeperformance.com/brake-ro...ake-rotors.php

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Okay I'm gonna jump in here with some facts AND opinions. There is a little more to it than just holes and slots and looks...

A drilled and/or slotted rotor is typically directional. It's not just the surface that causes this directionality, but also the internal vane structure. USUALLY a company that makes a slotted or drilled rotor will create directional internal vanes that allow the rotor to pump more air through it thereby increasing it's cooling capacity. They also tend to use better/stronger alloys. At least this is the case for Stoptech (same company as Centric & Powerslot). This is the major contributing factor for the increase in price.

Now of course that is not to say that all manufactures do this. I'm sure less expensive no-name drilled/slotted rotors imply use non-directional blanks and simply machine them and then charge you a special price to line their pockets. :D

Now it is well WELL documented that drilled rotors are the least favorable for any extreme duty brake system. Thus the reason you only see them on overpriced street cars. Once those same brakes are put to the test on the track, they WILL develop stress cracks from hole to hole and eventually to the edge. Just ask any Porsche racer. This may help impact your decision on what rotor to get.



Now it's Opinion time: As far as brands go, I prefer Centric/Stoptech/Powerslot over anything else now. I've used Brembo blanks but I really don't like how the company handles the automotive aftermarket. They offer zero information and their website is almost 100% useless for finding part numbers. CentricParts.com on the other hand has a very useful website with all the Powerslot & Stoptech part numbers. Plus they explain the difference between their alloys as well as their many different pad compounds. They also do re-manufactured calipers, master cylinder and sell caliper rebuild kits and replacement pistons. And since there are so many Centric dealers nation wide, it's easy to find amazing deals on this stuff (once you Google part numbers).

My personal recommendation for a street sports car:
- Centric Premium Rotors (blank, non-directional, black e-coating, balanced, fully machined)
- Stoptech brake pads (extreme high temp "street" pad)
- Stoptech stainless hoses (vinyl coated to keep dust out)
- ATE Super Blue, ATE Type 200 (gold) brake fluid

Rotor options from Centric:
- C-Tek (cheapo rotor) 121 prefix
- Premium (Above + machine face, black e-coat, mill balance) 120 prefix
- High Carbon Rotor (Above + Stoptech Carbon Chromoly Alloy, directional internal vanes) 125 prefix
- Power Slot (Above + slotted face) 126 prefix
- Power Slot Cryo (Above + Cryo treatment for extra durability) 126 prefix & Cxx suffix
- Sport Stop (like High Carbon, x-drilled & slotted) 127 prefix
- Sport Stop (like High Carbon, x-drilled) 128 prefix

Oghma

Nice to know, hahahahhahaha. I'll do slotted probably, then.


Thanks!


Thank you very much for the info 94eg, i have heard about those powerslot CRYO. Guess as everyone of you guys advised, ill see if i get this power slot cryo slotted for my car.

ill take a look on these sport stop's too.


THANKS FOR EVERYONE OF YOU THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE POST.
I think we really managed here to develop the brake rotors subject.

Runnerdown

Good to see a thread get well sorted out and not filled with bad advice. I completely agree with libertarian and 94eg! Long ago I went down the road of crappy brake "upgrades" only to learn its much more simple than that.

jlpenn85

+1

I take my car to a road course a couple of times a year and most, if not all, of the serious guys out there are just running blanks. All you need is a good set of pads, good fluid, and maybe SS brake lines if you want.

Now, that's for track conditions, if all you are ever going to do is cruise around and hard park your car, then drilled/slotted will be completely fine. You will most likely not run into any problems of stress cracks developing.

98civdx

Look at brembo blanks from importRP on here. They are $122 for all 4 for a 99 si. (front/rear disk) That is very cheap if you ask me.

xkjnboix

i know this is an old *** thread but ive been running drill slots for years and not just on hondas. why?! there are several reasons, one of which is because they usually can be found cheaper than replacement blanks. Cheaper price doesnt necessarily mean cheaper quality, with normal DD i see no excessive wear in my wagner thermo quite ceramic pads. However i also do not notice any increase or decrease in stopping capability. Having drill/slots increases the appearance, and in my opinion is more of a "Hey look, this guy replaced his rotors" (which is impossible to tell with blanks mind you), so it gives your car a better overall updated/well maintained bias.

I am totally impartial on the subject matter. If all you want is low price, then if blanks are cheaper then go for it, but if all you want is for the looks then by all means get drill slots. Metal is metal, but if stopping power is what you are looking for, better pads would be a better investment IMHO, but for DD my low dust ceramics are perfect for me. =D

datbumper

I love some of the OP's phrases lol.
"africa style sun, with rare occasional deathrains-wet-da-crap-outta-everyone"
"NON SHITCRAP"
"UBER factory warhosrse" (not even sure about that one, but it sounds cool.)

Anyway, on to the rotors. Blanks aren't always more... hell, if you want some non shitcrap drilled or drilled & slotted rotors, it will probably be comparable in price. Don't forget that our cars have small rotors, so those fancy drilled and slotted rotors you think will look cool might hardly be noticeable. Very much unlike uber factory warhorses like AMGs and Lamborghinis.

Here's my suggestions just based off of reviews and threads:

Blanks:
1. Brembo's - Reputable and cheap

Slotted:
1. Brembo's

Drilled and Slotted:
1. PowerSlot

kulo

I have slotted rotas 282mm with accord twin pot calipers
will be going back to blanks next

datbumper

Why's that?

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Never noticed a difference. And I'm not swayed by the research that's out there against anything but blanks.

If it's good enough to go on this

that's good enough for me.

datbumper

Look how big that rotor is though lol ^

Compared to:


Or, in a numerical comparison, a 2012 SLS AMG has 15.8in front rotors while a 96-00 civic has 9.4in front rotors.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Don't get your point. What does the size of the rotor have to do with it? You recommended blanks topmost in your list. You didn't qualify you recs with any size stipulations.

datbumper

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Wrong. And not everyone rolls on stock BS.

datbumper

Wrong? LOL. Even with aftermarket wheels, it's a fact that our cars have smaller rotors. Hence, it WILL be less noticeable. I like drilled and slotted rotors, don't get me wrong, but from the one's I've seen on other cars, they really aren't that noticeable.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

People spot my drilled and slotted easily enough, thank you. And in the grand scheme of things, who cares?

In all the years I've run blanks and these I can't tell any difference.

datbumper

Exactly. Who cares? I was just throwing that out there that due to the smaller size of the rotor, it won't be as noticeable as the cars' rotors that you used in your comparison.