There are different types of brake rotors for different requirements. If your car has disc brakes, it’s something that will need to be serviced, sometimes machined, occasionally replaced. When you do replace them it’s worth thinking about what you might want.
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If you are a fairly cautious and standard driver, I’d be surprised if you would change from manufacturer’s specifications. Most likely, you have standard solid rotors. If you don’t have any problems with your braking system then you shouldn’t need to change anything.
If you drive, let’s say, aggressively and have encountered brake fade you might need to look into an upgrade the next time you change out the brake pads.
What are the different types of brake rotors?
Your brake pads are forced against your spinning brake rotors to slow the car down. A consequence of this friction stopping power, is well, friction. Friction creates heat, brakes create a lot of heat.
If your brakes get too hot you might find yourself with brake fade. Brake fade is where you press the pedal, it feels spongy, and the car doesn’t slow down like it should. This is because the brakes have become so hot that they can’t generate the necessary friction to slow you down.
To combat brake fade, brake manufacturers have come up with different rotors to dissipate heat more efficiently.
- Solid Rotor. Sounds like what it is. A solid disc of metal. Cheap to make and used in standard cars. Very prone to brake fade due to poor ventilation.
- Vented Rotor. This is similar to a solid rotor in that it has a smooth face however the middle is semi hollow. With channels that push hot air out as it rotates, it breathes far better. This means that the rotor can evacuate heat much easier and cool down faster than a solid rotor.
Usually accepted as the next step up. Typically used on mild performance cars. If a slotted and vented design, these are used in high performance and race cars. - Slotted Rotor. These also dissipate heat really well as they are usually ventilated as well. Their real advantage lies in the fact that the grooves shave the brake pad surface as it rotates under braking. Also helping to guide water away from the face of the rotor to improve wet performance. This exposes fresh material on the brake pad and makes stopping more consistent.
Does create a lot of dust and noise in the process though. That dust is from your brake pads, it wears through those a lot quicker too. - Cross Drilled. These rotors have small holes drilled through them. When the pad presses against the surface, any moisture between it and the rotor is forced out through the holes. The holes also help with ventilation and performance in the dry as well.
They are more expensive, can crack easier, and don’t particularly take to lots of high heat cycles. - Drilled, Slotted, and Vented Rotors. These are the big dogs in higher performance production cars. They dissipate heat extremely well, perform seriously well in all conditions and look pretty cool. They combine the best aspects of all the different types. They are prone to cracking due to the drilling and are prohibitively expensive.
Which brake rotor is best?
Personal preference really. I always go for ventilated & slotted rotors. They offer phenomenal braking power and consistency. It means going through more brake pads than a stock standard car but in my opinion it’s well worth it.
A properly set up vented and slotted rotor rewards late and hard braking, and when you’re a hooligan like me, that’s ideal.