All this talk about cracked rotors has me a bit confused. I have had a set of Baer Eradispeed drilled and slotted rotors w/Hawk pads on my car for a little over two years. Most of my driving is normal So. Cal street and freeway (if you want to call that "normal" driving) However, I make frequent trips up the mountain to Big Bear (going up you really never touch the brake but coming down is another story) and up Highway 1 to Monterey/Bay area. Now, driving down the mountain from Big Bear or traveling Highway 1 at any kind of aggressive speed is not normal driving, to say the least. I'm not out there making 160 to 50 panic stops but I am braking down from 90/80 to 50/60 a bunch. Any of you out there that have ever driven either of these roads know what I'm taking about. My car is equipped with the stock front brake cooling ducts and I have added a set of Z06 ducts to the rear. Like I said, I use the Baer rotors, Hawk pads, S/S lines, dot 5 and I have my calipers chromed plated. My rotors show no wear, cracks, bluing or anything. So, why am I not seeing any of this cracking on my rotors???? All of this talk has me a little concerned...

Vinny

 

Very simple! As hard as you think you are using them you still are not up to where some guys run them. Most of the craking on the Eradi's were from mis use and rear rotors. That tells me they were doing street show. Drop the clutch and hammer it and with the other foot a little light pressure on the brake to hold the front while the rear spins, unfortunately there is pad contact on the rear and they get really hot! And yes they do it as I am witness to one. and have a friend that cracked his just that way. On the the track they get hot and never really get a chance to "cool off". When we brake on the tracks going into the turns we are right up against the ABS hard on all the high speed areas and in some cases on the brake and gas at the same time.

I have come off the track and had my rotors gun metal blue and you could feel the heat from four feet out, I mean hot. I burn up a set of rotors a year when. And I was talking to a pro racer and he burns up a set a race!

Now if they are very old and have significan wear, and been cycled hard, and some track time over a couple of years, you may see some cracking and surface checking, and that will be a warning, but if it is driving like you described, and you are doing it right. GOPHER IT, you won't hurt a thing.

Jer

 

Thanks, Jer. That is what I figured but just wanted to make sure. Hated the thoughts of shooting up Highway 1, nailing the brakes going through one of the curves and have the rotor grenade itself and launch me over a cliff.

Vinny

 

I autocross a lot and do open road as well as open track events. I have tried them all. Vette Brakes, Stock Performance, Eradi's, Wilwood, On some I have even worn the slots completely off the rotors. Now that is agressive. I have melted the caliper boots, and seals, and even been through a set of calipers. I see a lot of track cars and I check out the brakes on them before I check the HP side. On some the surface check looks like a dry mud bed, and no cracks (they will, but there is plenty of notice) Rotors don" just up and one day crack. Well unless you got a bad one or something is very wrong.

Jer