Dimpled or Cross Drilled
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,363
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Dimpled or Cross Drilled
I am looking to get a new set of rotors on my 01 vert, but after doing some research, I am not sure which direction to turn. Is it better to go with cross drilled & slotted, or dimpled and slotted?
I won't deny the fact that I will more then likely be doing some spirited driving, but will not be doing any track driving.
Which way do you all reccomend to go with...drilled or dimpled?
I won't deny the fact that I will more then likely be doing some spirited driving, but will not be doing any track driving.
Which way do you all reccomend to go with...drilled or dimpled?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 0
From: Central TX
from what i've read, especially from racers, unless the cross-drilled was cast w/ holes (like the porches), do not get them. over time, when the get hot, or from racing/spririted driving, they will develop stress cracks. i did see a video posted on here of somebody doing a trackday with cross-drilled rotors- a piece broke off, locked up the wheel, and slammed him into the wall.
i autoX, and I am a very, very hard late braker. i use el-cheapos and they work fine.
at most, i would get the slotted or dimpled
i autoX, and I am a very, very hard late braker. i use el-cheapos and they work fine.
at most, i would get the slotted or dimpled
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
from what i've read, especially from racers, unless the cross-drilled was cast w/ holes (like the porches), do not get them. over time, when the get hot, or from racing/spririted driving, they will develop stress cracks. i did see a video posted on here of somebody doing a trackday with cross-drilled rotors- a piece broke off, locked up the wheel, and slammed him into the wall.
i autoX, and I am a very, very hard late braker. i use el-cheapos and they work fine.
at most, i would get the slotted or dimpled
i autoX, and I am a very, very hard late braker. i use el-cheapos and they work fine.
at most, i would get the slotted or dimpled
Cross drilled rotors are for looks only and will eventually develop heat/stress cracks.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville AR
If your NOT going to race then the cross drilled/slotted should be fine. I had my Baer Eradaspeed for 2 years now and they are perfect. I do some spirted driving but my ride is weekend only. The baer are of high quality (I dont think you can buy better - and they are $$$) and will last for years if your dont race. Otherwise I would go with the c6 rotor conversion that some are doing now (larger rotors front and back) or the gm drilled rotor for c5. It all depends on how much you want to spend. I dont think the rotors will really help in performance (might keep them a little cooler up to a point and they do bite good) but they sure do look good IMO.
Cruising
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Ukiah CA
As stated before cross drilled rotors are for looks. I have used Power Slot cryogen frozen rotors and they weren't any better than stock. I have been running road courses for the last three years and have found that Tire Rack has a good set up, with Brembo replacement rotors plain finish and Hawk HPS pads. Fairly inexpensive and they work very good. No fade at high heat levels.
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/resul...2&autoModClar=
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/resul...2&autoModClar=
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,363
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
My father's supercharged (Paxton) K1500 Silverado ran the same drilled rotors for several years of daily driving, off roading, and trailering with no cracks or warps, but he has recently switched to dimpled on his new K2500 Silverado Duramax.
I am more leaning towards cross drilled only because I am starting to show the car...but like I said, there will also be some spirited driving as well.
I am more leaning towards cross drilled only because I am starting to show the car...but like I said, there will also be some spirited driving as well.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,501
Likes: 1
From: TAMPA BAY FL.
I read somewhere that slotting helps remove gases that form between the rotor and the pad. Drilling is for looks and is usually where cracks occur during hard use, no?.
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Tracy CA
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
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From: San Diego CA
* Unidirectional slotting increases pad bite, reduces fade, and delivers exceptional braking performance.
* Slots continually de-glaze the brake pads, improving efficiency and reducing rotor scoring. This is especially important if you allow your C5 to sit for days or weeks on-end.
* Slots even out wear across the pad faces, increasing the effectivecontact area and extending rotor life.
* Slots help dissipate water when driving in poor weather, as well as pump away dust or dirt.
* Slotting also combats "out-gassing", where gas from the pad can form a cushion between pad and rotor, greatly reducing braking power.
As you can see, slots are not "bling" at all; they enhance performance and prevent the dreaded "pulsating pedal" that occurs when pad deposits adhere to a plain rotor face, unevenly. For street driving, slotted rotors make for an excellent choice. I have over 10,000 miles of aggressive street driving on my PowerSlot rotors and there is plenty of pad material left for many more years of driving.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,799
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From: Northern Virginia
St. Jude Donor '08
If you are doing it for the bling factor and you only plan to drive on the street it really does not matter what you do. They will all work fine.
Is it necessary? No. The stock brakes are fine.
All the reasons given for cross-drilling and slotting are BS. Cross-drilling weakens the rotors and takes away surface friction area which reduces brake performance. The reason for slots is two-fold. To wipe glaze from brake pads and give off gas from pads a place to go. While this may have been the case years ago, with the advances in brake pad materials it is no longer the case.
Here is a site with some better info, although I don't agree with everything it says it is a good place to start.
http://www.carbibles.com/brake_bible.html
Is it necessary? No. The stock brakes are fine.
All the reasons given for cross-drilling and slotting are BS. Cross-drilling weakens the rotors and takes away surface friction area which reduces brake performance. The reason for slots is two-fold. To wipe glaze from brake pads and give off gas from pads a place to go. While this may have been the case years ago, with the advances in brake pad materials it is no longer the case.
Here is a site with some better info, although I don't agree with everything it says it is a good place to start.
http://www.carbibles.com/brake_bible.html
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Unfortunately, this is still true today to some extent with brake pads. My OEM rotors needed to be machined at only 6000 miles and again at 12000 miles. Why? uneven pad deposits that caused the dreaded pulsating pedal. Yes, this still happens today and as long as you use plain rotors and sticky pads, it will happen to you (unless you race every week, which tends to prevent this malady).
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,363
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Thanks for all the info guys, much appreciated. After reading what you guys had to say, checking out some of the sights you recommended, and talking to my certified gm mechanic...I went to bug the guys at the Chevy shop today.
I have decided to go with the drilled and slotted rotors, I was almost ordering just slotted ones, but since I will be doing a lot of shows with the car, I decided with the drilled & slotted.
Thanks again...not only did you all help with my decision, but I also learned something too.
I have decided to go with the drilled and slotted rotors, I was almost ordering just slotted ones, but since I will be doing a lot of shows with the car, I decided with the drilled & slotted.
Thanks again...not only did you all help with my decision, but I also learned something too.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Now in God's Country, the Big Sky, Montana!
Cruise-In 7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Also be aware that pretty much all of the cross drilled rotors in the States are made from Chinese steel blanks, yes, even the big names. I would go with a dimpled and slotted or just a slotted rotor unless you do a lot of shows and want the look of the cross drilled.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,627
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From: Sarasota FL
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Cruise-In 8, 9 & 11 Veteran
I just put on slotted/dimpled from Rotor Pros when I installed my new wheels. The also do drilled. The blanks they use are CTek from Centric Parts and appear to be of very good quality. Centric also owns StopTech.
The price was right for $240 shipped with painted hats. The only reason for going with these rotors was for appearance.
The price was right for $240 shipped with painted hats. The only reason for going with these rotors was for appearance.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Washington IL
paint them
If you buy the gm rotors, which come from ac delco, make sure you get them painted in the center and outside edges before installing.
I just put them on and they have completely rusted in the center.
Called ac delco about it and they said tough. Literally, they are a bunch of asses.
Long story short, the chevy store went to bat for me and thanks to a persistent parts guy I will be getting a new set of rotors which I can paint(see painting rotors post in this section) and the chevy dealer agreed to replace the rusty ones at no charge.
Pretty good service if you ask me.
AC delco just plain sucks.
I just put them on and they have completely rusted in the center.
Called ac delco about it and they said tough. Literally, they are a bunch of asses.
Long story short, the chevy store went to bat for me and thanks to a persistent parts guy I will be getting a new set of rotors which I can paint(see painting rotors post in this section) and the chevy dealer agreed to replace the rusty ones at no charge.
Pretty good service if you ask me.
AC delco just plain sucks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,298
Likes: 4
From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
I just put on slotted/dimpled from Rotor Pros when I installed my new wheels. The also do drilled. The blanks they use are CTek from Centric Parts and appear to be of very good quality. Centric also owns StopTech.
The price was right for $240 shipped with painted hats. The only reason for going with these rotors was for appearance.
The price was right for $240 shipped with painted hats. The only reason for going with these rotors was for appearance.
I have the same set and they look and perform great...
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
If you buy the gm rotors, which come from ac delco, make sure you get them painted in the center and outside edges before installing.
I just put them on and they have completely rusted in the center.
Called ac delco about it and they said tough. Literally, they are a bunch of asses.
Long story short, the chevy store went to bat for me and thanks to a persistent parts guy I will be getting a new set of rotors which I can paint(see painting rotors post in this section) and the chevy dealer agreed to replace the rusty ones at no charge.
Pretty good service if you ask me.
AC delco just plain sucks.
I just put them on and they have completely rusted in the center.
Called ac delco about it and they said tough. Literally, they are a bunch of asses.
Long story short, the chevy store went to bat for me and thanks to a persistent parts guy I will be getting a new set of rotors which I can paint(see painting rotors post in this section) and the chevy dealer agreed to replace the rusty ones at no charge.
Pretty good service if you ask me.
AC delco just plain sucks.
For those who like to replace rotors every year, that's the way to go, but I'd rather "get em and forget em", so I bought Cryo-treated PowerSlot rotors. They are cadmium-plated to last a lifetime and yes, they are expensive. Fortunately, when used with stock pads, the PowerSlots are superior to the OEM blank discs.
So if you want cheap and don't mind frequent replacements, shop by price.....not me!
Last edited by Dave68; Apr 27, 2007 at 04:06 PM.