Categories
|
When to Use Slotted Rotors
by Terry B.
Many people spend thousands of dollars enhancing their car to raise it to the pinnacle of performance. Usually this is heavily slanted towards power, acceleration and raw speed. But with all that forward momentum, the ability to decelerate rapidly shouldn't be forgotten either, so break rotors, pads and accessories should also be on your high performance shopping list. Performance rotor and pad kits are easy enough to get your hands on when you are looking in the right place, but if you don't know your slotted rotors from your brake calipers you will quickly become out of your depth. So this article is going to cover the basics of what a braking rotor does, the difference between cross drilled rotors and slot front rotors, and what situation you will want to use each in.
Before we even touch on rotor replacement, lets quickly discuss what automotive rotors are used for. A braking rotor is a device used for slowing and stopping the rotation of a wheel. In the United kingdom the braking rotor is also known as a brake disc. The rotor is most commonly made of cast iron, but can be made from other composites such as carbon of kevlar. Braking rotors are mounted on the wheel itself, or the axle, and can slow it's revolution through friction being applied to them. The friction is usually applied by a braking pad set in a brake caliper. The harder the braking pad is forced against the braking rotor, the more rapidly the vehicle will decelerate.
In the case of high performance brakes, the rotors may have holes drilled in them. Originating in 1960's race cars, this design is known as cross-drilling. It is possible for brake pads to outgas and under heavy use may create a layer of gas between the disc and the pad. This film of gas decreases breaking performance, and the practice of cross drilling allowed the gas some place to escape to. The problem of outgassing is not as common in newer brake pads, but cross drilling is still used in some cases to protect against war residue on the brakes from driving on wet surfaces or through puddles. Cross drilled rotors are also effective in assisting heat dissipation which decreases breaking performance, however they are not as popular as slotted rotors in high stress environments such as performance racing. Cross drilled rotors are also subject to stress fractures in high performance environments and the fractures may break rotors altogether with disastrous results.
Slotted brakes refers to a brake system where the shallow channels are worked into the disc to aid in the removal of gas, dust and other irritants. slotted rotors are the preferred braking rotor in most racing environments where water and gas needs to be removed and the automotive rotors need to de-glaze the brake pads. It is possible to use a braking rotor that is both slotted and cross drilled.
In general, slotted brakes are not used on a regular vehicle because they quickly wear down brake pads much more quickly. So if you are looking at replacing rotors on your town car you are most likely going to avoid the improved high end performance that slotted brakes would give you due to the increased wear on braking pads that it would result in. However, if you are looking at rotor replacement in a high performance racing car, then some slotted brakes should be right at the top of your list.
Other Car Parts articles
Search And Thy Shall Find, Even The Hardest-to-Find Auto Part
Do You Need a Car Accessory?
Buying car accessories Online
What to look for when buying cheap auto parts
|
