Upgrading rotors, what to get?
01-05-2010, 09:05 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 738
Upgrading rotors, what to get?
I have a 2009 GT/CS and I need to upgrade my front rotors, looking for cross-drilled/slotted rotors that can stand up to some heavy braking, I take it to the track every month.
I was looking at these from AmericanMuscle.com.
But I am wondering if these from Summit Racing will work just as well.
I noticed the DBA rotors have a unique design with the cross-drilling and slotting spread out over the rotor, much like in road racing application (as opposed to street).
There are some others out there I was considering but these were the two main brands. I need something that works with my stock calipers also (I don't wanna upgrade those yet). I've got some nice new ceramic pads waiting for some new rotors.
Also, I have a price limit of around $400, if it's worth it I'll spend a bit more, only if it's worth it though.
I was looking at these from AmericanMuscle.com.
But I am wondering if these from Summit Racing will work just as well.
I noticed the DBA rotors have a unique design with the cross-drilling and slotting spread out over the rotor, much like in road racing application (as opposed to street).
There are some others out there I was considering but these were the two main brands. I need something that works with my stock calipers also (I don't wanna upgrade those yet). I've got some nice new ceramic pads waiting for some new rotors.
Also, I have a price limit of around $400, if it's worth it I'll spend a bit more, only if it's worth it though.
01-05-2010, 11:28 AM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Flanders, NJ
Posts: 408
I used to have some pics of cross-drilled/slotted rotors that literally shattered at track events that I attended, not to mention what happened to the car and driver once that happened. You can probably google some of these images. I will keep digging for them...
01-05-2010, 11:58 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 162
stay away from the cross drilled/slotted rotors if road course is you cup of tea. as stated by jayel579. they look great and are great conversation pieces but are real pieces of s_it, for the aggressive braking. stick to slotted over drilled they cause fewer hair line fractures which are devestating to your brakes. do not buy on looks alone, keep you stock rotors and invest in some brake lines, fluid and pads. i ran my oem rotors, until gone and they did an admiral job!
spend your $400 on the lines, pads, and fluid for about $350 and do the work yourself, plenty of threads on this type of job.
good luck.
spend your $400 on the lines, pads, and fluid for about $350 and do the work yourself, plenty of threads on this type of job.
good luck.
01-05-2010, 12:32 PM
#4
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Yeah, I just got done talking to a guy at LR1 racing. He said the same things... Hairline fractures occur with the drilled and slotted, he said they are more for street use. Since I take my GT to the track he said go with straight slotted. I do need the extra heat dissipation though and he said slots will help a little with that. I have already warped my stock rotors so I figured an upgrade is in order.
I've also already upgraded the brake pads with some performance ceramic pads. I am pretty sure my calipers are good enough for right now. Only reason I would upgrade them is if I went with a bigger rotor.
Right now I am looking at some DBA 4000 Series Slotted Rotors. Whatcha think guys?
By the way, the type of racing I do isn't prolonged road racing. More like 10 lap spurts and I really don't push it to the brink. I do drive pretty aggresively but nothing extreme (I don't compete with this car, just go out and ride on track days). My competition car is a 1978 Lola 492.
I've also already upgraded the brake pads with some performance ceramic pads. I am pretty sure my calipers are good enough for right now. Only reason I would upgrade them is if I went with a bigger rotor.
Right now I am looking at some DBA 4000 Series Slotted Rotors. Whatcha think guys?
By the way, the type of racing I do isn't prolonged road racing. More like 10 lap spurts and I really don't push it to the brink. I do drive pretty aggresively but nothing extreme (I don't compete with this car, just go out and ride on track days). My competition car is a 1978 Lola 492.
01-05-2010, 12:37 PM
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 100
Even the DBA rotors will quickly develop heat-induced surface cracks with road course use. In my experience they aren't worth the price. As has been stated, the OE rotors are the best option if value is important to you and you really want to stop when applying the brakes at a road course. (And, they're super-cheap as new take-offs.)
Slots don't do anything for heat dissipation, they are supposed to help keep the pads "clean". For what you described, you don't need any of that. If anything, you will need brake ducts to keep the rotors cool. It doesn't sound like you're going to push it that hard, but if you do, you'll find that the OE brakes will overheat without brake ducts (even with high temp pads and fluid, which are also highly recommended).
Slots don't do anything for heat dissipation, they are supposed to help keep the pads "clean". For what you described, you don't need any of that. If anything, you will need brake ducts to keep the rotors cool. It doesn't sound like you're going to push it that hard, but if you do, you'll find that the OE brakes will overheat without brake ducts (even with high temp pads and fluid, which are also highly recommended).
Last edited by zero2sixd; 01-05-2010 at 12:42 PM.
01-05-2010, 01:01 PM
#6
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The factory rotors overheat quite fast (in fact I think I overheated them a few days after I got the car). I have temporary ducting I have built and used on the track and it really didn't help. I have the GT/CS with the lowered lip in the front and I used the open area as a air scoop and routed it to the rotors.
Lemme more accurately describe the type of driving I do.
Top speed on the track ~130 MPH. I brake pretty hard to 90 and then go into turn 1 after that. It's that high speed braking that I need the extra heat dissipation for. The second straight-away I get up to 100-110 and then brake to 70 before I make the turn.
OEM brakes just don't cut it for me. It'd be nice if they did though, would be a much cheaper way to run.
Lemme more accurately describe the type of driving I do.
Top speed on the track ~130 MPH. I brake pretty hard to 90 and then go into turn 1 after that. It's that high speed braking that I need the extra heat dissipation for. The second straight-away I get up to 100-110 and then brake to 70 before I make the turn.
OEM brakes just don't cut it for me. It'd be nice if they did though, would be a much cheaper way to run.
01-05-2010, 01:11 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 1,700
The factory rotors overheat quite fast (in fact I think I overheated them a few days after I got the car). I have temporary ducting I have built and used on the track and it really didn't help. I have the GT/CS with the lowered lip in the front and I used the open area as a air scoop and routed it to the rotors.
Lemme more accurately describe the type of driving I do.
Top speed on the track ~130 MPH. I brake pretty hard to 90 and then go into turn 1 after that. It's that high speed braking that I need the extra heat dissipation for. The second straight-away I get up to 100-110 and then brake to 70 before I make the turn.
OEM brakes just don't cut it for me. It'd be nice if they did though, would be a much cheaper way to run.
Lemme more accurately describe the type of driving I do.
Top speed on the track ~130 MPH. I brake pretty hard to 90 and then go into turn 1 after that. It's that high speed braking that I need the extra heat dissipation for. The second straight-away I get up to 100-110 and then brake to 70 before I make the turn.
OEM brakes just don't cut it for me. It'd be nice if they did though, would be a much cheaper way to run.
Some of us go from 145 or so down to 40 to make turn 3 at Fontana, and then brake hard several other times in the other 19 or so turns in that one lap.
Funny how so many of us do juuuust fine with stock rotors. You must be DA MAN!
Your melting your pads and boiling your fluid. Ducting isn't going to fix that. Do a search and then some reading.
01-05-2010, 01:16 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: TX
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I run the DBA 4000's in my daily driving activities FWIW (The slotted ones on the left) and have been really happy with them. Huge improvement over the OEM pads/rotors. But I've read reviews on tirerack of these cracking under hard usage and believe what the guys are trying to say is that rotors are disposable items when you beat on them at the track. It's a shame to kill $170 a pop rotors that quickly...
01-05-2010, 01:20 PM
#9
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yawn....
Some of us go from 145 or so down to 40 to make turn 3 at Fontana, and then brake hard several other times in the other 19 or so turns in that one lap.
Funny how so many of us do juuuust fine with stock rotors. You must be DA MAN!
Your melting your pads and boiling your fluid. Ducting isn't going to fix that. Do a search and then some reading.
Some of us go from 145 or so down to 40 to make turn 3 at Fontana, and then brake hard several other times in the other 19 or so turns in that one lap.
Funny how so many of us do juuuust fine with stock rotors. You must be DA MAN!
Your melting your pads and boiling your fluid. Ducting isn't going to fix that. Do a search and then some reading.
Funny how every time I brake I get horrible vibrations from warped rotors because they have been heated past what they were meant to. Ceramic pads, Wilwood hi-temp fluid.. Did I miss something?
So, ducting, hi-temp fluid, and pads aside what can I do other than upgrading rotors?
01-05-2010, 01:50 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: TX
Posts: 4,897
I'm with you on the warped rotors. My stockers were warped to hell. I think it was a combination of heat and the guys mounting my tires using AIRTOOLS ON MY LUGNUTS. I tell them time and time again to please tighten them by hand. Goes in one ear and out the other...