Re: Drilled and slotted disk Q

["Scott F. Williams" <sfwilliams@worldnet.att.net>]

16v Jason wrote:

> You're correct in your observation that slotting, drilled, or grooved
> rotors sacrifice precious swept area.  However, their benefits outweigh
> their drawback.
>
> The benefit is, of course, greater heat dissipation.  Having grooves or
> holes in the rotors allows more cooling air to touch the rotor, thereby
> lowering the temperatures of the brake pads, rotors, and brake fluid, and
> thus maintaining stopping power as heat builds.

Yeah, but that is only if your brakes are fading in the first place. On the
street where intense brake fade is rare -particularly with the next size up stock
brakes fitted -a very easy and practical modification -that reduction in swept
area has got to hurt you. Therefore for the majority of us, drilled rotors cause
a reduction in braking performance. They look really groovey but I'd rather go
with the slotted-variety if not stock copies. They don't crack nearly as often
and are cheaper, too.

On the other hand, one other thing that the drilled or slotted disks actually do
well is reduce the amount of pad "float" over the rotors. Gasses are generated as
the brake pad material wears away. This gas pressure actually pushes back on the
pads -effectively reducing braking force and feel. The drilled or slotted rotors
give the gasses more opportunity to escape. The really cheap way to achieve this,
however, is to simply slot the brake pad! Many stock pads come this way for this
very reason...
--
Scott F. Williams
NJ Scirocco nut
SCCA ProRally driver
Hotrod Rabbit GTi



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