Drilled rotors cool factor?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 269
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From: Westfield MA
Drilled rotors cool factor?
What is the purpose of drilled rotors? I know that they shave off some rotation mass from the wheels, but is there any other reason? It seems like the edges of the drillings would shave off the brake pads. I'm also thinking that with less mass, that the rotors would disapate less heat during hard braking.
I must say though that I like the look!
Thanx
I must say though that I like the look!
Thanx
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
whether it's still valid or not, drilled rotors used to have the purpose of getting rid of built up gases from the friction of the pads against the rotors. that may not be necessary today. but as you said, there is the cool-look factor.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
What is the purpose of drilled rotors? I know that they shave off some rotation mass from the wheels, but is there any other reason? It seems like the edges of the drillings would shave off the brake pads. I'm also thinking that with less mass, that the rotors would disapate less heat during hard braking.
I must say though that I like the look!
Thanx
I must say though that I like the look!
Thanx
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
You're correct about the cool factor...according to the 'Godfather' of the C6 (Dave Hill), the drilled rotors were used "just for looks" to give the car a "racier" appearance. Despite the cool factor, quite-a-few guys have had problems with the drilled rotors cracking with track use...they most often switch to slotted rotors.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,228
Likes: 5
From: Gainesville Georgia
What is the purpose of drilled rotors? I know that they shave off some rotation mass from the wheels, but is there any other reason? It seems like the edges of the drillings would shave off the brake pads. I'm also thinking that with less mass, that the rotors would disapate less heat during hard braking.
I must say though that I like the look!
Thanx
I must say though that I like the look!
Thanx
The drilled holes do help with the temps though, they look great & they do stop slightly better due to there larger size vs stock. Overall it's still a great braking system I.M.O I just wish they were slotted too.
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 2
From: Norcross GA
The REAL "drilled" rotors are cast that way - NOT drilled. I believe this is a Porsche "invention", may be wrong.
The rotors lose their strength when drilled and this can lead to cracking and other issues. Slotted is the way to go unless the holes are built into the cast.
The rotors lose their strength when drilled and this can lead to cracking and other issues. Slotted is the way to go unless the holes are built into the cast.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,835
Likes: 6
The REAL "drilled" rotors are cast that way - NOT drilled. I believe this is a Porsche "invention", may be wrong.
The rotors lose their strength when drilled and this can lead to cracking and other issues. Slotted is the way to go unless the holes are built into the cast.
The rotors lose their strength when drilled and this can lead to cracking and other issues. Slotted is the way to go unless the holes are built into the cast.
That Z51 option rotors stop the C6 any better than the base car solid rotors, or perform any better with regard to heat on the track is not something that I recall ever having seen tested. Everyone says the holes improve performance, and the Z51 option rotors are a bit larger ....but the proof of the assertions is not easy to find....just the claims.
The interested will notice that the Z51 option and the Z06 model both share basically the same kind of rotors and rotor technology....that is, in a word, OLD. They are both full of holes, both cast iron, both one piece, and both HEAVY. The Z06 rotors are larger. Now cast an eye at the ZR1 and you'll see a very significant departure from the old approach in the form of the carbon fiber rotors.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
GM did a test, and I read the SAE paper on it, that holes still have some relevance today, and in the test they did, but at the expense of 2 times shorter rotor and pad life. The test was very nebulous and did not use stopping distances or any other data that a non-engineer could quantify. It said their biggest advantage was in wet conditions.
For the street it’s a non-issue really, but for HPDE events where high heat is sustained solid or slotted is the way to go with today’s pads. The short rotor life on the track is not worth any "potential" benefit that "holy" rotors still have.
For the street it’s a non-issue really, but for HPDE events where high heat is sustained solid or slotted is the way to go with today’s pads. The short rotor life on the track is not worth any "potential" benefit that "holy" rotors still have.
Last edited by User 81424; Feb 19, 2008 at 08:52 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
The REAL "drilled" rotors are cast that way - NOT drilled. I believe this is a Porsche "invention", may be wrong.
The rotors lose their strength when drilled and this can lead to cracking and other issues. Slotted is the way to go unless the holes are built into the cast.
The rotors lose their strength when drilled and this can lead to cracking and other issues. Slotted is the way to go unless the holes are built into the cast.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,324
Likes: 0
From: MN
You're correct about the cool factor...according to the 'Godfather' of the C6 (Dave Hill), the drilled rotors were used "just for looks" to give the car a "racier" appearance. Despite the cool factor, quite-a-few guys have had problems with the drilled rotors cracking with track use...they most often switch to slotted rotors.
Drilled rotors are only for looks. If you tried to race them, they'd crack very quickly. If you want real racing rotors, go slotted or, even better, carbon (lots of $$, though).
