Drilled/Slotted rotors, steel braided lines...are any an upgrade?

[Drizzt]

I had to slam on my brakes recently and didn't really stop as good as I wanted or thought I would.

Since I'm not an authority on rotors or brake lines, I was hoping for any insight on improving braking from OEM if thats possible (without doing a big brake kit, or A TRD Aurion conversion, which is the only conversion I could find). I did a search and didn't get much, in fact I could only locate 1 place that has steel braided lines.

As for the title, from what I have searched, there was a lot of conflicting information. Some said the drilled holes can crack, slotted shaves down the pads faster, no difference to OEM, etc...but others said it was like night and day.

Any help would be appreciated

[ebumdude]

PM sent.

[PhatRoyale]

If you want better performance without sacrificing pad life, get blank rotors.

1). Brembo blanks
2). Performance compound pads
3). Stainless steel brake lines all around
4). High temperature brake fluid (ATE or Motul)

[PRINCESS PEACH]

fatass pretty much has it on point.

[Drizzt]

Originally Posted by PhatRoyale

If you want better performance without sacrificing pad life, get blank rotors.

1). Brembo blanks
2). Performance compound pads
3). Stainless steel brake lines all around
4). High temperature brake fluid (ATE or Motul)

Thanks alot, ill be looking into the brake lines 1st and work my way backwards as money allows, and I'm on the fence about the rotors. I know the blanks will allow for longer pad life but the drilled/slotted look so cool hehe. I'll keep my progress updated.

Btw, anyone know a good brand that has our brake lines in steel? All I found were these http://www.topbrakes.com/carSeriesDe...%20Line%20Kits

[LoudCamry]

Look into StopTech

[Donald E. George]

AutoAnything carries several brands of discs,pads and ss brake lines. I have never pruchased anything from them, but I am sure other members have. Let us know your experience. The brakes on my 2004 are nothing to brag about,but I'm an old fart who has never it over 70 anyway.

[Drizzt]

Originally Posted by Donald E. George

AutoAnything carries several brands of discs,pads and ss brake lines. I have never pruchased anything from them, but I am sure other members have. Let us know your experience. The brakes on my 2004 are nothing to brag about,but I'm an old fart who has never it over 70 anyway.

They have everything except the ss brake lines. I have bought from them before (borla axle back and my floor mats) and they were great, no complaints.

[Tobeit]

Originally Posted by Donald E. George

AutoAnything carries several brands of discs,pads and ss brake lines. I have never pruchased anything from them, but I am sure other members have. Let us know your experience. The brakes on my 2004 are nothing to brag about,but I'm an old fart who has never it over 70 anyway.

too expensive...look for other sites who have better prices. Like partstrain...

[ItsMeJon]

In a recent trip i took with my car loaded to the max i figured the stock brakes suck even when i have a few passengers the braking decreases dramatically and i don't feel to safe.So looking into simple upgrades such as rotors pads and brake fluids.

I am trying to find some brembo blanks but i dont know where to look i went on the website but i dont know measurements needed or max size etc. Also what other brand makes rotors comparable to brembo.

What are some good pads that stop you with minimum noise and dust. Stopping part is more important noise is second dust i can deal with.

Lastly what type of fluid should i use, brands ,types?

[ImJustMe55]

I don't know where to find Brembo blanks for the Camry cause I've never really looked into it. Personally I use Power Slots and they've always been good to me, but I understand people are worried about the life of the pads with slotted rotors. I recently found out that Centric owns Power Slot so if I were to use blanks I would go with them. Just my $0.02.

As for brake lines, Technafit makes brake lines for the Camry. They don't show on the page, but if you email them they'll send you the part#. Here's their web page. http://www.techna-fit.com/

[ItsMeJon]

Everyone speaks of brembo blanks but where the heck do i get them . Oh btw slotted/drilled or both is actually really just for looks from what ive heard. How hard is it to flush your brake fluid?

[ImJustMe55]

Originally Posted by ItsMeJon

Everyone speaks of brembo blanks but where the heck do i get them . Oh btw slotted/drilled or both is actually really just for looks from what ive heard. How hard is it to flush your brake fluid?

Slotted/Drilled rotors actually serve a purpose. They give the rotors added cooling features and help the gas thats created between the rotors and the pads someplace to go. They are more so designed for spirited/racing applications, not everyday commuter vehicles. For the every day commuter car blanks are better because the average commuter won't be constantly going from 100mph to 40mph and back to 100mph. The only reason I use power slots is because I auto cross my car.

Bleeding brakes is pretty easy. You just need a brake bleeding kit or someone to help you.

[ItsMeJon]

Originally Posted by ImJustMe55

Slotted/Drilled rotors actually serve a purpose. They give the rotors added cooling features and help the gas thats created between the rotors and the pads someplace to go. They are more so designed for spirited/racing applications, not everyday commuter vehicles. For the every day commuter car blanks are better because the average commuter won't be constantly going from 100mph to 40mph and back to 100mph. The only reason I use power slots is because I auto cross my car.

Bleeding brakes is pretty easy. You just need a brake bleeding kit or someone to help you.

Thats true and false. As stated in the article below F1 cars do not use slotted or drilled rotors.

Originally from: http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=1437507

Ok I'm hearing a lot of conjecture, and people are STILL blowing money on shitty rotors, so I will tell you all why blank rotors are better.

The reason for the creation of cross drilled rotors initially was to remove the "gasses" from the brake pads. HOWEVER, most of your modern brake pads (Axxis metal, AEM semi-ceramic) do NOT produce gasses when heating. This was on bad brake pads used in the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, asbestos was also used, and we dont use that either.

The other reason is so called heat dissapation. I don't have my physics and thermo books with me, but the logic is that the holes in the rotor are suppose to allow the brake pad to cool. So...air gets into the rotor from the inside of the vents. If you have a back rotor which is solid, air gets into these holes how? If your stopped, you are leaving air inside these holes sandwiched between the pads, thus creating air with a rising temperature. Its increasing in pressure from the heat, which I guess you "could" call a gas that would affect braking. So the cross drilled rotors do not remove any gasses formed by brake pads (because there are none created anymore) but could possibly inhibit the creation of "hot spots".

Cross drilled rotors have LESS contact area because of the holes.
But if the rotor is cooler, its better, right? Well no, because these rotors are not cooler. THe heat is generated from the pad/rotor contact. What removes heat the most effectively? When stopped or moving, the pad transfers heat into the rotor because its made of cast iron. the rotor has a lot of surface area and even vanes in it. But the little holes allow air in this surface contact, and you can transfer more heat into a solid big ass chunk of cast iron more than you can into the air. Don't believe me? Touch some steam at 150 degrees, then touch a piece of hot metal which is at 150 degrees. Which burns your hand? the metal. So let the heat transfer into the metal, because since it has so much more surface area, dissapates better.

Safety!!
Cross drilled rotors can crack! I have seen them!!


Even racing teams will reccomend AGAINST cross drilled rotors:
http://www.livermoreperformanc....html


Companies that sell cross drilled rotors that are redrilled may not be structurally sound. I have actually seen pictures of rear Integra rotors that have had hairline cracks turn into the rotor actually breaking apart!

Do your homework. Even Porsche and Ferrari will admit that the cross drilled rotors they use are for looks. So if you are one of those kids who thinks the little holes look cool, get a name brand drilled rotor like Ferrari does. The REASON Ferrari's 'holed' rotors are alright to use is because they are CAST with the holes in them, so they are not actually drilled into cast iron rotors. Cheap drilled rotors are not safe, and even the good ones are not necessary. Why do Ferrari do it? People THINK they want it, and it sells. If you don't believe me, go into the business world. You will learn that pretty soon, you can sell utter shit if people THINK its better.

Information I gathered from http://www.pdm-racing.com/prod....html
says:


"KVR Crossdrilled Rotors

Why should you upgrade to cross drilled rotors?

Simply stated, the function of any vehicles brake system is to stop the vehicle. This is accomplished by absorbing the kinetic energy stored in the moving vehicle, and converting it into heat. The friction caused by the brake pad rubbing on the rotor is the source of this heat. The more quickly and efficiently that heat can be absorbed and dissipated, the more quickly and efficiently the car will stop.

There are several contributing factors to this heat reduction. One of the most common sources of heat is from the gases produced by the bonding agents of the brake pad burning off. Under severe braking, this can actually produce a boundary layer of gas that pushes the pad away from the rotor, which can lead to excessive brake fade. The cross-drilled holes or slots in a rotor provide an escape path for these gasses (de-gassing or out-gassing are common terms), and allow the pad to stay in contact with the rotor. As well as de-gassing, cross drilling or slotting will provide better wet weather braking as water is swept through the holes, or down the slots.

A vented rotor can be viewed as an air fan. When in motion, the vents draw air from the center of the rotor outward. This air flow, over an increased internal surface area, effectively dissipates rotor heat. Cross drilling adds to this air flow, as well as providing additional rotor surface cooling. "

This company is just telling you that the rotors may be cooler, however they fail to mention that the holes really do create a more than substantial decrease in surface area, thus less braking, thus less heat created, thus the less heat CREATED will leave the rotors cooler, the holes barely do anything! Its the less braking lowering the temperature!

Slotted rotors-
Find me a company that uses stock slotted rotors. They remove brake dust, but if you study braking systems, you find that with modern cars, flat blank rotors and semi-ceramic pads, the brake dust causing the rotor to slip on it is almost non-existent. But the brake dust doesnt need all those lines. Notice how most front brake pads (and most back) have that line down the middle to give essentially two bite points. If OEM or racing companies found it to be a benefit, they would do it.

PROOF OF IT ALL:

Find me an F1 car as of now that uses cross drilled or slotted rotors.
They all use full ceramic rotors and ceramic pads. Are they drilled or slotted? No.

If they helped the fastest cars in the world, wouldn't they use them? Its basic calculations that show the lack in surface area does not make up for the possible loss in temperarure. They use brake cooling air ducts insted.

BIG BRAKE KITS:
Some have asked if the big brake kits are worth it. This is sort of a relative question, but the simple answer is no. Regarding the big ones with drilled rotors, if you know that they are cast that way, at least they wont crack. I will still advice against them.
In terms of a big brake kit, I have seen some for Civic DX models. Civics have the small pad, small caliper, and a 9.5" rotor. The big rotors are 12" in diameter, ok so the overall diameter is close to that of an Acura RL (1999). But the sweeping area (the area that the pad can grab) is still the same if they use the same caliper and same pad. If you have the same pad and caliper, you are using the same rotor surface, just farther out, so it will increase braking from stock. However, if you were to change knuckles, etc, and get Acura RL caliper (larger piston than your civic DX piston), RL pads (much bigger and taller), and RL rotors 11.8" but much more surface area is touched, then you have a better brake setup because you have OEM parts, and a better grip on more area of the rotor. The downfall is added weight (since big brake kits are usually 2 piece and lighter) but the benefit is that you have so much more stopping. Ok, so the big brake kit will have less unsprung and rotational mass (so a little better accelleration but less braking), but they tend to run over a grand, and you can use OEM parts to build a better setup for half that.

IN CONCLUSION:
Don't buy slotted or cross drilled rotors, blank are better, and stop better. Physics people, get me my formulas and help me out here.

If you must get rotors with designs on them, get the slotted ones by a good company, and DON'T get blank rotors redrilled with little holes all over them. IF you absolutly must have the rotors with holes cause you like em, get them from a company that casts the rotors like that. I have seen rotors break and this is for your safety!

Read more at http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php...ktrack=kcplink

[darksparkz]

No need to get some track compound pads or anything, they won't work unless they are heated up a lot, and since you are in New York it seems, I assume you get snow. You don't want some pads that don't work on a cold December morning.

Your best bet is to either rock a big brake kit, I know K-Sport and Rotara makes some I beleive. Otherwise get better tires, bleed your system well. Slotted/Drilled rotors won't help you stop better, and in terms of street compound pads, your choices are Hawk or EBC mainly, otherwise use stock.

Fluid, any DOT3/4 all work the same, gravity bleed them once a year or so if you'd like. Brake lines don't really do much, but if you insist, then look into Goodridge, I believe tirerack may carry them.