Go cheap or expensive for rotors?

[sciphi]

Well, I posted this picture in another thread, but I'll post it here too:

EBC rotor on left (expensive), generic drilled/slotted on right (not as expensive):

Draw your own conclusions...

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Well, I posted this picture in another thread, but I'll post it here too:

EBC rotor on left (expensive), generic drilled/slotted on right (not as expensive):

Draw your own conclusions...


Conclusion: stay away from drilled / slotted rotor at all cost.

 

[sciphi]

The EBC is slotted. It's more a cosmetic thing than a performance thing. I'm sure it does help with wet performance by giving the water a place to collect rather than either flashing into steam or absorbing into the pad.

Am I happy to spend $170 on 2 rotors? Not exactly. Oh well, at least I know I have a meaty, well-vented rotor on there to slow my 3500 lb, under-braked Buick down.

 

[Vikas]

Are they from the same car? I hope not!

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Are they from the same car? I hope not!


The rotor on the right was on my Buick for the past 60k miles. The rotor on the left replaced it earlier today. So yes, they are both for the same car.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
...Lots of good reading over at Centric, which also says rotors are not usually warped but have developed uneven pad deposits on the rotor.
http://www.centricparts.com/files/Centric White Paper B1-Warped Brake Disc.pdf

I absolutely agree with this. Most warped rotors are not really warped.

 

[RH+G]

Not knocking the new ebc rotors cause they look well made. I need to see those cheap rotors when they were brand new and compare that to the ebc brand new. The EBC definetly look of better quality thou

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: RH+G
Not knocking the new ebc rotors cause they look well made. I need to see those cheap rotors when they were brand new and compare that to the ebc brand new. The EBC definetly look of better quality thou


I don't think you need to see the old ones when new. They have clearly substituted swept area material for a wider vent (air), thus using less metal to reach the same overall unit thickness resulting in less material to absorb heat. The old rotor is not worn giving the appearance of less metal - look at the vents.

 

[sciphi]

FWIW, I've seen cheap rotors for my car that look exactly like the generic drilled/slotted rotor minus the drilling and slots. Giant air gaps, thin swept area, and rough machining.

Even the "premium" NAPA rotors shared more with the generic rotor for spacing and material than the EBC.

 

[Vikas]

If you had old 60K EBC rotor vs new cheap Chinese rotor, how would the picture be any different?

I am not getting your point.

In general, it is well known that for street driving,slotted/drilled rotors are nothing but "ricing" for your car.

- Vikas

 

[sciphi]

Even with the condition of the old rotors, the differences in construction are apparent. Look at Craig's post for further clarification. The old rotors also had no ridges on them from the pads. I can get more pictures if you want.

Even if it is "rice", the EBC's are very well-constructed "rice" that are better made than anything available locally. I looked at NAPA and Advance, the two parts stores around me. Neither had rotors that were constructed like the EBC's.

 

[NJC]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight

http://www.centricparts.com/files/Centric White Paper B1-Warped Brake Disc.pdf

I really want to believe this fellow, and probably have quoted him in the past too. But this:

Quote:
When this local temperature reaches around 1200 or 1300 degrees F. the cast iron under the deposit begins to transform into cementite (an iron carbide in which three atoms of iron combine with one atom of carbon). Cementite is very hard, very abrasive and is a poor heat sink. If severe use continues the system will enter a self-defeating spiral - the amount and depth of the cementite increases with increasing temperature and so does the brake roughness.


Unless a huge batch of disks have been sent for analysis, this is mostly speculative. Do most passenger car brake temps reach 1200-1300F?

But if this is happening, then it would be why there's disk pulsation. But if not, then couldn't improperly deposited brake material be "properly" deposited again?? The cast iron surface and friction material is constantly wearing down.

 

[wiswind]

Slotted is not an issue like drilled.
Drilled weakens the rotor and leads to cracks.
Maybe it is not such an issue in a very high end rotor, but certainly an issue for normal rotors.
Any rotor can develop cracks, drilling makes it much easier to happen.
Better metal and construction also greatly help to reduce cracking.
Under engineered braking systems can lead to more heat, and cracking of the rotor material also.

The slots might help keep the pad material "clean", at least that is what they claim.

I lean more toward the high quality rotor side of things.
The cost difference between a Rabestos "service grade" and "Advanced Technology" is not enough to make me go cheaper.
I figure that I save money be doing the brake job myself, and using high quality components throughout is worth it for stopping.
Stopping is too important of a function.

Does that EBC rotor have painted non-friction surfaces?
It looks like that "hat" is painted.
If the paint holds up to the heat cycles, that is another "plus".

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: wiswind

Does that EBC rotor have painted non-friction surfaces?
It looks like that "hat" is painted.
If the paint holds up to the heat cycles, that is another "plus".


Zinc coated. Apparently it's supposed to be under the black paint. The zinc coating on the rotors I took off held up on the non-friction surfaces. The coating is on the friction surfaces too. The brake pads wear it off within the first few applications of the brakes.

 

[hightechlube]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
cheap rotors and premium pads, use a torque wrench on the lugs. Take the wrench with you when you get tires and check them in the parking lot before driving. not a warped rotor in 15 years!!!


cheap rotors seam to be better IMO