In this video I discuss the performance differences between different types of disc rotor designs, the pros and cons and which are best for certain applications. Music: Itro & Tobu - Cloud 9
people also seem to forget that smaller rotors with less pistons and flat rotors can most often stop a wheel just as fast as a 10000 dollar setup, they both can lock the wheel. Big expensive brakes are just beneficial to do full blown stops over and over and not fade.
You get the lowest temp on a solid rotor because it works like a heat sink, but on the track at high speeds and heavy braking slotted is best because it allows the escape of gases and dust. This will give you more brake pad surface to make contacts which will make the car stop faster. Now on a everyday driver you go with either solid or for those that like to push it on the highway like I do drilled & slotted.
So basically for an everyday driver like myself, I’m sticking to my basic pads and rotors. No need for the fancy drilled and slotted stuff on my 2018 Nissan Murano. Just slap some good quality tires on there, with dependable, plain, quality, brakes and rotors. Thank you good sir.
For an everyday driver plus someone who occasionally tows a boat like myself, I'm upgrading to better & wider pads on my '16 F150. Just keep tires rotated & slap new ones on when needed. Sounds like drilled a/o slotted discs don't improve functionality enough to justify the extra cost.
@@caelenow2829 yeah, even with your knackered seals and metal to metal contact, total 15% increase in performance allows you full use of your pads instead of wasting that last 1mm. 🤣 I've seen bright yellow ones, I've heard these are good for a whole 100% increase, so good you can stop without discs or pads.
Good video. Best I’ve seen on the subject. Important point not discussed is that the cleaning effect provided by slots allows a more aggressive pad not used with street rotors due to grooving/off gassing-fade. Slotted rotors off gas fine and keep a smooth surface with aggressive metallics. Cryogenic treatment will also extend rotor life with aggressive pads.
The benefit of slotted it that it keeps your pad surface perfectly smooth/level which in turn keeps the rotors from getting any inconsistencies so you won't end up with that vibration or wobble that can typically happen when solid rotors heat up or wear over time. It keeps everything in fuller contact. You won't regret your choice.
I used slotted rotors once and never again. They wore down the pads heaps quicker and you could feel the pad going over the slots thru the slightly pulsing brake pedal.
I have seen some good rotors at geobrakes.com not sure what kind of you want but they have got some good selection of heavy duty drilled and slotted ones
Best information I've found on this topic. I'm in the market for new brakes for my high performance street car. Thinking I might go with blank rotors with sport pads and some stainless brake lines now. Can't justify the excessive wear with the slotted rotors. The car won't be seeing any track use. Thanks for the video!
I've just bought myself a full set of EBC drilled and slotted rotors and a set of EBC "Yellow stuff" pads for my Mazda CX-5. I reckon they have improved the stopping distance massively. I tow a 2 tonn caravan and can definitely tell the difference from the original OEM to EBC. Great video by the way! 👍🏻 😎🇬🇧
@@lexusgs4604 CX5 owner here. Outside the US where tongue standards are different these are rated for two tons. And with the turbo there’s 250hp and 320lb/ft torque from 1500-4000rpm…..so power wise, it’s better than many compact trucks
EBC sucks… we had slotted rotors and redstuff pads on a civic type r fk2. we were only driving „sporty“ on public roads (serpentines), didnt event brake too much. they went bad (overheated?) extremely quick, we were lucky to not have crashed. suddenly there was no more stopping power. the rotors had a blue colour to them when we checked them out. i also had the same ones on my 2016 WRX STI, even the stock rotors & pads had more grip… also the rotors deformed, didnt even do any sporty driving. if i brake at above 100km/h, the steering wheel is shaking. we have dba rotors & pads now, so far no issues & good performance
@@DerRusherI had good experience with EBC stuff . Just the Normal black stuff with their solid rotors. Direct OEM replacement. For street use (a bit sportier sometimes) There was an easily noticable difference compared to the OEM on my civic (8th gen. non-typeR) and I also replaced the OEM pads on my Mazda MX5 ND2 (with only 10k km) with Black stuff. And there IS a difference in the case of the MX5 too. Brake feels better and biting point much better now (there is actually one now) in my opinion. Maybe their other more expensive stuff doesn't worth the price, but I felt an immediate difference with their BlackStuff OEM replacement. I'm really glad I chenged them. BTW I'm not saying their black stuff or yellow stuff or whaterver are great products, maybe just on my 2 cars the OEM brake pads were really bad. On my 10th gen civc sport+ EU the OEM brakes are great for every day sportier use so there I will just continue to use the OEM ones.
Thanks for clear explanation about the discs and thank you for clear explanation that we don't need expensive disc all We Need Is Good brakes and tyres
Awesome video my friend, very informative, I am 59 years old years ago I always worked on my owned vehicles, I started my own business in 1980 painting decorating and maintenance services, I was blessed with making a decent wage so until I retired 3 years ago I started working on my vehicles again to save money on a budget now going to do a full brake job on my wife's minivan and was indecisive on which rotor and pads to use wanted the best I asked a couple of different mechanics and also called a few parts stores and still didn't know what the best way to go, thanks to you I was able to make the best decision on what braking system thank you again looking forward to other videos that you post you get an A-Plus my friend thank you again Marky Mark
What does your age and life decisions have to do with this? I’m sure everyone on RU-vid is glad your retired and built your own business. Your a smart man..
I have always thought that drilled rotors provide better braking and hence a shorter braking distance. Nice to know now that they offer no braking benefit other than look. I also liked when he stated that slots on a rotor keep brake pads clean by offering scraping edges to remove dust and fades off the pads. I will consider slotted rotors for my vehicle from now on, thanks to this video.
Great information -- having experienced brake fade when I was going way too hot under stress driving the cost is a good trade... brake pads are cheap where smashing your car because you failed to stop soon enough ... my ABS hardly trips on grippy surfaces with normal rotors as this is because my brake rotors are getting too hot... the only thing I not liking about the upgrade is the up front cost but if I keep up on my brake inspections and swap pads before they get burned up I'll easily get a fair amount of time on what I bought ... these are my cars 200k birthday present =)
I admire what he has done with his video but it sadly does not leave a lot of room for originality now that he has covered the majority of engineering topics related to cars. 🤷♂️
Nice presentation. I upgrade my brakes not for better braking as much as for improved feel (brake modulation). Even in a daily driver, how your brakes feel is significant to a discriminating driver. I learned about braking modulation on pure race cars I've driven (i.e. front/rear bias and tires that have sudden but high break away vs tires with lower but predictable breakaway). Iv'e added braided stainless steel brake lines to a variety of vehicles and if I had to choose between only upgrading rotors, pads or adding braided stainless brake lines, I'll take the braided brake lines every time. Because you can better feel what your brakes and tires are doing you end up with better controllability. And, IMHO, being able to better control what my car does is more important than a theoretical ability of a particular component.
I've learned this when I started tracks days 15 years ago and save a lot because of this. Drilled is for looks and less reliable. If you are daily driving only in that car - get plain. If you are autocrossing or road coursing get slotted, good high temp capable pads and motul to prevent boiling.
First thing I did on my '18 Equinox awd was install Nitto NT421Q's but the stock pads still don't have enough friction so I'm installing Hawk HPS 5.0 up front and EBC Yellowstuff in the rear. I'd rather out brake an accident than participate in it and I came up short two weeks ago in stock form hence the changes. I hope to have all of my parts in this week.
Not a mention about water dispersal! I had a Honda 750 4 with Stainless Discs ( Rotors) absolutely F useless in the wet (changed them to drilled cast iron with the then in their infancy EBC sintered pads) like driving on a different planet...maybe we are blessed with a lot of rain in England but when you had to tweak the brakes every few seconds to keep the brakes hot and clear of water otherwise you put the front brake on and three or four white knuckle seconds later they would start gripping! Moto Guzzi had a brilliant anti lock brembo system with cast Iron drilled and slotted brake discs Twin ones at the front and single at the rear all drilled and slotted...absolutely first class.
