[NissanLunatic]

I am going to be opinionated here for a bit, just like in the other post (the DZ coilover post). I am kinda tired of unqualified answers, so I speak from a personal and professional experience with brakes.
Here we go.


Crossdrilled rotors-by design, crossdrilled rotors were designed for track use. Why? Because, when you drill holes in your rotors, they are designed to dissipate heat (not to rid of brake dust as most people think).
Slotted rotors-by design, slotted rotors were designed for long wear use. Why? Because, when you slot rotors, they are desinged to dissipate brake dust. If you look at a slotted rotor, even by common sense, the slots aren't straight, rather go in a clockwise direction, causing any left over chunks (ya'll know which brake chunks I'm talking about) to be pushed out of the rotor, as the pad contacts the rotor.

Now, crossdrilled and slotted rotors provide best of both worlds. I know, as I've hated my brakes since day sixty five or so (my brakes started squealing on the Max when it was 65 days old-1900 miles on it). In two years, I've put everything on my car (you guys remember my fiasco with the great EBCs that wore in less than a thousand miles...). I've tried generic pads, brand name pads, everything. Finally, after almost giving up on the brakes, I decided to give Brembo blanks (slotted/drilled by SWC here in AZ-private company) a try. I love them. Anyone in AZ that has ever been in my car can tell you the following things
a)They rock
b)They look awesome
c)NO SQUEALING, NONE, NONE, WHATSOEVER NO SQUEALING
d)Did I tell you they look awesome
e)Increased stopping power

(I ask any local non-believers to take a ride in my car, I would be happy to allow them to drive it just so they can tell you about the brakes)

Finally, the difference in rotors is not much, but it is there. You all have heard of cracking rotors, warped rotors and so forth and so on. I PROMISE YOU ALL, if you buy good stuff, it will last. If you buy junk, it won't last. Be aware of companies with no name brand slotted rotors, you must be aware that there are only a handfull of companies that in fact slot/drill Brembos, so make sure you only buy the good stuff.

Any ????s, please let me know. If I have skipped anything please let me know.


Comments/questions/concerns/flames? Please post your replies...
Thanks for listening
Alex

 

[Altima2000]

Which one would you suggest on getting for our cars? also do you carry those fake rotors that hide the rear drum brakes? I was thinking bout getting rotors for my discs but then I'm not sure if I still understand the difference. From what I've read it's the crossdrilled ones won't last as long as the slotted ones. Right there that confused me.

 

[NissanLunatic]

Again, I heard all kinds of things from different people, but I wanted best of both world so the ones on my car are BOTH CROSSDRILLED AND SLOTTED. They are the same ones we sell on our site/and here too...

 

[mrdeucie]

corssdrilled and slotted rotors eat pads quicker too from what I hear.

 

[NissanLunatic]

So far so good, four thousand miles on them, and the pads are looking more stealth than ever.

 

[NissanLunatic]

In comparison, the 80 dollar EBCs ate away in less than 1100 miles in normal everyday driving....

 

[Sassan]

I PROMISE YOU ALL, if you buy good stuff, it will last. If you buy junk, it won't last.

 

[Siizzzoooo]

pics? so these are Genuine Brembos only with them drilled and slotted out..again PICS

 

[Dom]

I don't know if this has been asked or answered, but how long do the rotors last? Do you resurface them like an ordinary rotor?

 

[mrdeucie]

pics? so these are Genuine Brembos only with them drilled and slotted out..again PICS

they look like deranged's

 

[mrdeucie]

I don't know if this has been asked or answered, but how long do the rotors last? Do you resurface them like an ordinary rotor?

you can turn a crossdrilled rotor but not a slotted rotor.

 

[Peterson]

I don't think you can turn either one.

I've had the same cross drilled rotors on my car for almost 2 years, and they're still holding up fine.

 

[NissanLunatic]

No you cannot turn them...Average life expectancy (average, no guarantees) is 3-5 years...

 

[Siizzzoooo]

lol

 

[pr0lifik]

the ones that SWAW is selling are they blank brembos that you had slotted and drilled or are they a different brand of rotor? -pr0

 

[NissanLunatic]

the ones that SWAW is selling are they blank brembos that you had slotted and drilled or are they a different brand of rotor? -pr0

Please re-read the entire post again

 

[MaddMatt]

I am not a brake engineer. I do, however, race a car ~25 weekends a year. I do know quite a bit about brakes and what stops your car.

Crossdrilled rotors-by design, crossdrilled rotors were designed for track use.

True. Crossdrilled rotors were developed for racing in the 50s when brakes pads sucked. They would off-gas at relatively low temperatures. The holes gave the gas somewhere to go. If not, it would get trapped between the rotor/pad and the pad would not make contact with the rotor. That is called "fade". Modern brake pads do not do this. True, if you take a street pad to the race track and exceed it's operating temperature, you can get it to fade. But I challenge you to get a Hawk Blue, or Porterfield R4 brake pad or other dedicated racing pad to fade. Ever. Simply, crossdrilled rotors fix a problem that no longer exists.

Why? Because, when you drill holes in your rotors, they are designed to dissipate heat (not to rid of brake dust as most people think).

Surface area dissipates heat. The amount of surface you create from drilling holes is almost insignificant compared to the initial surface area of a standard OE vented. In additionx-drilled rotors will reach higher peak temperature because you are removing metal from the rotor. The metal is what absorbs the heat. Plus, you are reducing pad/surface interface. Tell me again why this is a good idea?

I ask any local non-believers to take a ride in my car, I would be happy to allow them to drive it just so they can tell you about the brakes

I do not doubt your car stop well. Obviously, if you replace busted/worn out OE parts with new x-drilled parts, of course it's going to stop better. What I do doubt is that it stops better than regular new OE-style non-drilled/slotted rotors. I *garuntee* it does not.

Don't believe me? Will you believe an engineer that designs automotive braking systems?

http://www.teamscr.com/grmbrakes.htm http://www.teamscr.com/rotors.htm
http://www.stoptech.com/technical/

Your tires are stopping your car. Not the pads. Not the rotors. Not the SS brakelines. The tires. TIRES!!! Want to stop quicker, get better TIRES and stop wasting money on expensive-as-hell rotors.

Just trying to educate you guys.

In comparison, the 80 dollar EBCs ate away in less than 1100 miles in normal everyday driving..

Got you beat. EBC Redstuff. Worn to backing plate in 50 (fifty, five-zero) track miles. On standard rotors. Those pads suck.

 

[NissanLunatic]

Sorry, have to point out you are wrong, and here is why...
A)Surface area absorbs heat (you know how rotors get WARPED?) Ask anyone with an extensive knowledge in physics/kinetic energy area. I promise.
B)As tested by Super Street/Turbo magazine (look up August 2k, and January 2k1 respectively), when heat was measured between stock rotors and x-drilled AND slotted rotors (key words here, both), average temperature was LOWER on the x-drilled/slotted than factory. Standard test.
C)From personal experience (no testing on this one, as I stated), my vehicle does stop better, especially since I've already had a set of new OE, non-crossdrilled/slotted rotors on my car and it wouldn't stop for shit.
D)Tires stop your car? If that was true, how come "better" tires don't improve the braking distances (read any shootout of aftermarket tire/wheel combos after being added on a car vs. stock-you don't see any tested proof of this-none that I've seen anyway anywhere). I suppose we should do away with brakes then? (not trying to be sarcastic but come on.....) Read about what tires really do at:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/tire.htm

another good reference (directly regarding CRF)

http://www.howstuffworks.com/fpte.htm

Just my $0.55......

PS: This quote makes me think twice from one of your link
"small changes in speed can have a huge impact on brake temperatures!"......
The Brake Engineer

 

[MaddMatt]

Surface area absorbs heat

Actually:

Mass of the rotor absorbs heat (higher speeds, more heat. THAT'S why touring cars etc. have 13" rotors. Do you see any of them with x-drilled? Show me one picture please) Surface area dissipates the heat. Yes, I am a degreed engineer and studied thermodynamics.

PS: This quote makes me think twice from one of your link
"small changes in speed can have a huge impact on brake temperatures!"......
The Brake Engineer

So what about that makes it worthy of a "rolleyes"

Answer me one question: If you can lock the tires with the OE brakes and OE rotors and OE pads, what are you going to gain by more stopping power? Lock the brakes quicker? You already have more braking power than the tires can handle since you locked them up!

Other than a good general write up about tires, I fail to see how that link supports your arguments or refute mine.

I think I'm up to $1.25 by now....

edit: I cn't spel

 

[NissanLunatic]

Actually:

Mass of the rotor absorbs heat (higher speeds, more heat. THAT'S why touring cars etc. ahve 13" rotors. Do you see any of them with x-drilled? Show me one picture please) Surface area dissipates the heat. Yes, I am a degreed engineer and studied thermodynamics.



So what about that makes it worthy of a "rolleyes"

Answer me one question: If you can lock the tires with the OE brakes and OE rotors and OE pads, what are you going to gain by more stopping power? Lock the brakes quicker? You already have more braking power than the tires can handle since you locked them up!

Other than a good general write up about tires, I fail to see how that link supports your arguments or refute mine.

I think I'm up to $1.25 by now....

1)Again, you just proved my point. You are just supporting my claim that in fact you DON'T want to absorb heat into the rotor (here is your quote, and I wholeheartedly agree- "Mass of the rotor absorbs heat (higher speeds, more heat..."-now, why wouldn't you want a rotor which dissipates heat-which is what crossdrilled/slotted rotors are designed to do????)-if you don't think surface area (hint-I didn't say MASS DOESN'T ABSORB HEAT) absorbs heat-(WHICH AGAIN IS WHAT YOU DON'T WANT, AS HEAT BREAKS DOWN THE BASIC PROPERTIES OF THE PAD), then back to thermodynamics you go....

2)Roll eyes was for the brake engineer write up (good use of the howstuff works site, incorporated into his engineered write up, that's why the roll eyes, not to you)

3)Touring cars have 13" rotors for a reason, consistant braking is what they need-I've attended quite a few Touring Races in England and Italy, and I can tell you they go through brakes like nuts, is it because they want them to last, NO! Its because they can go through them as they wish. Ever seen NON-CROSSDRILLED rotors after a touring race (besides, I don't know of any Altimas/Maximas on this site which is into touring-most are for everyday driving.....

4)What does YOUR car do when you slam on the brakes? Stop on a dime, or slide??? (factory brakes cause a vehicle to slide, show me a Nissan which doesn't)-if you can tell me your vehicle doesn't lock up and slide then you are lying (again, in comparison of a factory to an aftermarket rotor/pad setup)


5)Crossdrilled/slotted rotors are just so sexy (personal opinion, of course....)