Slotted/drilled rotors - pros and cons

[99-LS1-SS]

I'm considering a set of slotted or drilled rotors at some point so I want to know what the benefits and drawbacks are to them? Also, do you need any specific type of pads? What is a good brand of rotor and pad?

[BigRob]

+1 on that

['02 ws6]

PowerSlots (if they make them for our cars). I can't remeber hearing any negatives on slotted rotors, only drilled, due to the possibility of cracks forming in between the holes.

As for pads, Hawk's should work well with any slotted rotor. It's a totally different platform, but I run PowerSlot's and Hawks on my TA and all is well.:)

[99-LS1-SS]

Pro Slot. I can't remeber hearing any negatives on slotted rotors, only drilled, due to the possibility of cracks forming in between the holes.

As for pads, Hawk's should work well with any slotted rotor. It's a totally different platform, but I run Pro Slot's and Hawks on my TA and all is well.:)

I changed my post a little to include drilled rotors too. I see higher end cars and higher performance cars with drilled rotors. Is there a reason they go with drilled over slotted?

[DQGTO]

I was just watching an episode of Stacey Davids Gearz on Speed and he did a slotted install on a Charger Police Car actually :puke: (for the Charger not the cops lol) and he used the EBC Pads, the yellows if I recall correctly. He also used the EBC Rotors, I have also heard pretty good stuff about them also. Here is that site http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/slottedrotor/slottedrotor.shtml ...pretty sure this is legal to post. If not, I am sorry.

[DQGTO]

oh to chime in on drilled, word is that they are useless on a street car and just shorten the life of the rotor itself. Thats just what I have HEARD tho, I am sure Charlie and a bunch of the other guys on here who are experts will give their professional opinion. I know the drilled help alleviate some of the heat and when used with slotted they maximize the dissipation, but on a street car, slotted should do just fine.

[PerfectD3]

Go with the slotted, drilled are overkill for a street (some track) car. If you are doing autoX, then ya you would desire drilled. As stated before, drilled crap out quickly from stress. It's your cash, but slotted is all a street/track car need.

[Steve]

yeah the holes could cause tiny fractures if they're DRILLED after the fact.. now if they were cast that way, then that's another story :)

[99-LS1-SS]

yeah the holes could cause tiny fractures if they're DRILLED after the fact.. now if they were cast that way, then that's another story :)

I would imagine high end rotors would be cast with the holes. Am I giving people too much credit?

[DQGTO]

depends lol. No need for em either way, slotted will kick ass on the GXP

[-Ray-]

I would imagine high end rotors would be cast with the holes. Am I giving people too much credit?

It's all in the material that's cast and the processing of the metal. The slots in the rotors are there to let gasses that are produced by braking to dissipate.
I know this overly simplified, but there are members here that will go into great detail etc...
Drilled rotors just look cool. Spend cheap money for import rotors weather slotted or drilled and you end up with cheap rotors with.....you get the picture.
I am not ready to spend over a grand on braking products for me G8. Since I already know I can get it slowed from 115 mph pretty easy once.
Those that are racing their G8's need this stuff, I don't...yet.

Powerslot doesn't even make rotors for our cars yet.

[Rob@WretchedMS]

most of what has been said here is very accurate.

Slotted rotors are more durable under hard braking conditions than Drilled or Slotted/Drilled rotors are. The drilled are more prone to cracking at the point where they are drilled.

If you are looking for an upgraded street rotor, that will not see track time, and want something that looks good, then the slotted and drilled rotors are a good choice.

If you are going to track the car, or are overly aggressive on the road, then you will want just the slotted version.

[Ktlplxm]

I've never had much increase in performance , from any combination of the two (CD, SL, or CD+SL) in a street car, other than aesthetics. And considering the only good ones I've found for a GXP so far is from DBA (around 400 each) it may be cost prohibitive to upgrade.

[99-LS1-SS]

Thanks for the responses! When the time comes I'll go slotted.

[majesticix]

I've never had much increase in performance , from any combination of the two (CD, SL, or CD+SL) in a street car, other than aesthetics. And considering the only good ones I've found for a GXP so far is from DBA (around 400 each) it may be cost prohibitive to upgrade.

+1

Waste of money unless you're going for looks or track racing it. Will actually wear your pads down quicker than a normal rotor if I'm not mistaken. Would love to see it on our G8 though...would like mighty pretty!

[zepcom]

+1

Waste of money unless you're going for looks or track racing it. Will actually wear your pads down quicker than a normal rotor if I'm not mistaken. Would love to see it on our G8 though...would like mighty pretty!

The GXP is still such a new (brakes at least) car that many of the aftermarket rotor companies do not have product out yet.

Furthermore, I wouldn't think that you can get much better than the stock Brembos either!

But ... I did purchase a set of 4 drilled and slotted rotors a few years back, and here's my impressions and thoughts:

When I used to own my 2001 Grand Prix GT, I bought a set off of ebay by the vendor "r1concepts". http://stores.ebay.com/R1Concepts

http://www.r1concepts.com/r1concepts_rotors/eline_pkg.jpg

They don't have rotors available yet for the G8, but the ones on my GP lasted at least 4+ years. The picture above is the exact ones (including pads, complete package) that I purchased for the GP. I bought them when I lived in Charlotte NC and kept them through moving back to Buffalo NY. Someone in the south without the ill-effects of the yearly salt would most likely have them last much longer. They lasted about 4 years, and that includes harsh salt-ridden roads in the Western New York winters.

They were budget rotors, I'll admit, as at the time I could not afford a 1k brake job upgrade, (plus the GP GT only had the 3800 V6 so I wasn't really doing too many high speed or racing maneuvers!) but I did drive the car hard on average, and these brakes held their own quite well.

No cracking on the cross-drilled sections (sometimes a little brake dust would sometimes accumulate in the countersunk holes, but easily cleaned out if needed) and the "diamond shaped" slots seemed to be of better design than competitors when I was researching all available options. I was surprised that the pads had worn so efficiently (in other words, they had NOT ground down to nothing quickly, due to the added drills and slots in the rotors, as I had suspected) I did pull the tires off every 6 months or so just to check them, and they wore very well. I also followed the manuf instructions to "bed them in" to get the two surfaces to have the right consistancy for long life, there's many articles on that if you search on google... and I think that helped quite a bit in my case.

For what it's worth, the pads had ~50% left and rotors had ~30% left when I traded in the GP for my G8 this past March. The rotors were starting to have rust/corrosion/slight-warpage that I attributed to an extra salty winter last winter and they were in need of replacement. In the northeast though, 3-4 years per set of rotors is considered very good.

Would I do it again, if this company came out with a direct-fit replacement for G8? Maybe. The salt in the winters tend to get into the slots and drilled sections more in the northern states than southern ones. I must admit though, they looked really good when I had them on the GP, as I detailed/painted the calipers as well for the full package. They were zinc plated too, which prevented the hub of the rotor from rusting ever, which improved the look as well.

:windy:

Here's the speel from their post:


Our premium, semi metallic with Kevlar formulation brake pads combine durability with solid performance for worry free stopping. This semi-metallic material is formulated to provide economy, medium to high level friction. While it remains disc rotor friendly, it has low wear rate, minimal noise and low dust characteristics.

Our E-Line Performance Rotors offer superior quality and performance. Designed for all types of driving and vehicles, you’ll stop faster and smoother with these rotor upgrades. Exclusive drill and slot pattern maximizes efficiency – all at a great price.
Features:
No Modification Needed – Bolt On Replacements
Exclusive R1 Concepts State-of-the-Art Drill/Slotting Technology
Precision CNC Machining with Chamfered Holes
Zinc Plated for Protection
Benefits:
Increases Braking Power and Performance
Reduces Rotor Warping and Brake Fade
Prevents Heat Stress and Cracking
Reduced Rusting and Corrosion
Superior Quality and Value
Great Looks and Performance

R1 Concepts E-Line Rotors provide maximum performance at a fraction of what an OEM rotor costs – a super value!




Sorry about the long post, but I wanted to contribute.

Just my $0.02 ... HTH

--zepcom

[-Ray-]

+1

Waste of money unless you're going for looks or track racing it. Will actually wear your pads down quicker than a normal rotor if I'm not mistaken. Would love to see it on our G8 though...would like mighty pretty!

Not true normally, however some people brake harder knowing they have a better set up, so it's a double edged sword.
Slots don't affect the pads except for out gassing as it's not an interupted slot to pad contact.

[bullydog]

Back in the day, when I was crewing, I spoke witha few folks about slotted or drilled. The common response was that both those techniques were in vogue some years ago when friction material used to "gas" quite a bit more than it does today. The recommendation was to only use the slotted or drilled in a racing environment (i.e. go through a set of pads in 1 day).

Don't take it as gospel or absolute fact, but it is what I heard from more than 1 brake engineer. YMMV

[HaddadMotorsports]

For the most part drilled rotors are pointless for street and race. As someone has already said, in the yesteryear they were needed in order vent gasses from the pads. This phenomenon is all but non existent nowadays. There is one pro for drilling the rotors, reduction of rotating mass.

For the most part drilled rotors look cool and thats why we still have them.

Slots have the effect of giving the pad a chance to clean itself off but if not properly designed can shorten the life of the pad.

There's some hard core thermodynamics involved but simply put, the Mass of the rotor is a direct relationship to the strength and the heat dissipation of the rotor. Taking away mass is only beneficial when it comes to shaving rotating acceleration (Drag cars).

Thanks
Mike Haddad

[TomPierce]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned how much better slotted rotors are in the wet over stock rotors.

My experience has been that slotted rotors are slightly noisier during braking ( you can hear a slight hum or vibration from the rotors as you brake ) and *much* better initial braking in the wet.

I agree that drilled is unnecessary on a street car unless it is just for looks.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

If you want the drilled look you can get dimpled & slotted rotors. The dimples are only as deep as the slots, and since they aren't all the way through they won't stress crack.

[desertg8]

does anyone know the weight of the stock rotors? i was going to order the power slots. i have the hawk ceramic pads on order. my front ones are warped. 13.30 @ 106.4 at a da of 4800 feet will do that!

[Andy@SquashPerformance]

I wish I knew. Everything I read is someone's opinion and no testing. Everyone says everything.

Andy

[TomPierce]

Front Brake Rotors (Base)
Rotor Diameter.......................................298 mm (11.732 in.)
Rotor Discard Thickness..............................28 mm (1.102 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Assembled Lateral Runout.....0.05 mm (0.002 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Scoring......................1.5 mm (0.059 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Thickness Variation..........0.02 mm (0.001 in.)
Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinishing............28.75 mm (1.132 in.)
Rotor Thickness New..................................30 mm (1.181 in.)

Front Brake Rotors (GT)
Rotor Diameter.......................................321 mm (12.638 in.)
Rotor Discard Thickness..............................28 mm (1.102 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Assembled Lateral Runout.....0.05 mm (0.002 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Scoring......................1.5 mm (0.059 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Thickness Variation..........0.02 mm (0.001 in.)
Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinishing............28.75 mm (1.131 in.)
Rotor Thickness New..................................30 mm (1.181 in.)

Rear Brake Rotors (Base)
Rotor Diameter.......................................302 mm (11.890 in.)
Rotor Discard Thickness..............................20 mm (0.787 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Assembled Lateral Runout.....0.05 mm (0.002 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Scoring......................1.5 mm (0.059 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Thickness Variation..........0.02 mm (0.001 in.)
Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinishing............20.75 mm (0.817 in.)
Rotor Thickness New..................................22 mm (0.866 in.)

Rear Brake Rotors (GT)
Rotor Diameter.......................................324 mm (12.751 in.)
Rotor Discard Thickness..............................20 mm (0.787 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Assembled Lateral Runout.....0.05 mm (0.002 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Scoring......................1.5 mm (0.059 in.)
Rotor Maximum Allowable Thickness Variation..........0.02 mm (0.001 in.)
Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinishing............20.75 mm (0.817 in.)
Rotor Thickness New..................................22 mm (0.866 in.)
Brake Pad Wear Limit.................................3.0 mm (0.12 in.) or less

[BlackGT5]

Base Front - ~18 lbs.
GT Front - ~20 lbs.
GXP Front- ~25 lbs. (355x32mm) Discard @ 30mm

Base Rear - ~16 lbs.
GT/GXP Rear - ~18 lbs.

[desertg8]

thanks. wow the powerslots are only 11.5 pounds apiece. that would be alot less rotational weight.

[BlackGT5]

thanks. wow the powerslots are only 11.5 pounds apiece. that would be alot less rotational weight.

I doubt it. Double check that #.

[2StepsAhead]

I've never had much increase in performance , from any combination of the two (CD, SL, or CD+SL) in a street car, other than aesthetics. And considering the only good ones I've found for a GXP so far is from DBA (around 400 each) it may be cost prohibitive to upgrade.

+1, slotted / drilled only takes away from surface area...its meant to give a fresh bite on the pads (kinda shaves away at it and gives the pad deposits somewhere to go). The big track guys use blanks. I've had slotted rotors on all my cars and never got any increase in performance, I think its a waste of money.

[desertg8]

you are correct. i believe they are 21 apiece.

[Ktlplxm]

I'm still surprised at how many people have had warping and pad issues. I've had a ton of miles and numerous +120mph stops with no issues.

[desertg8]

I was doing some research which just did not pertain to the g8. the new slotted rotors from powerslot are actually centrix rotors. the flat premium rotors from centrix which you can get cryogenically frozen will actually brake just as well or better for less money. and if you have the right color on your car the black rotor will look nice. mine is the maverick silver.

[mbuono]

I can only assume race teams spend plenty of money on R&D. Here are some photos I have of what I seem at the track.
http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=1879
http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=1877
http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=1876
http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=1875
http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=1874

[desertg8]

don't forget. 1) they, the road race cars, are alot lighter. 2) they are constantly on the brakes so they are heating up quickly. 3) therefore you need them to cool very quickly also. So when road racing they, the cross drilled ones are indeed much better.

[gearhead455]

I would imagine high end rotors would be cast with the holes. Am I giving people too much credit?

They are machined, not cast into the rotor

[gearhead455]

You might want to think about dimpled rotors if your worried about cracking.....

http://www.brakewarehouse.com/ebc5.asp

One look at the EBC Sport-Grooved Brake Rotors through a vehicle’s wheels reveals a "full sweep" groove pattern that helps keep the surfaces of the brake pads clean (by scraping away burnt carbon deposits from the pad’s surface) and ensures parallel brake pad wear. Then, "blind hole" dimples provide a “cross-drilled brake rotor" look while reducing the chance of the rotor cracking around the drilled holes.

EBC Sport-Grooved Brake Rotors reduce brake fade by helping evacuate the surface film of gases that are often released during heavy braking. All brake pads contain some organic (living) materials, like the petro-chemical resins that bind the friction materials together. As the organic materials “overheat," they revert to gases that may cause the brake pads to lose some of their contact with the rotor, essentially “aquaplaning" away from the rotor on a film of gases. While some brake pads only fade once or twice before they settle down, the Sport-Grooved Brake Rotor's grooves and dimples help evacuate surface gases to reduce brake fade.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

They are machined, not cast into the rotor
High end rotors do have the holes cast into them, the lower grade ones are drilled on a machine.

[gearhead455]

While I'll agree to a certain point, here's some quotes from many known brake engineers and brake manufacturers in regards to slotting vs. drilled vs. normal.
-----------
Darrick Dong; Director of Motorsports at Performance Friction: "Anyone that
tells you that drilling makes the disc run cooler is smoking crack."

Power Slot: "At one time the conventional wisdom in racing circles was to cross-drill brake rotors to aid cooling and eliminate the gas emitted by brake pads. However, today's elite teams in open wheel, Indy and Trans Am racing are moving away from crack prone, cross-drilled brake rotors in favor of rotors modified with a fatigue resistant slotting process."

Stop Tech: "StopTech provides rotors slotted, drilled or plain. For most performance applications slotted is the preferred choice. Slotting helps wipe away debris from between the pad and rotor as well as increasing the "bite" characteristics of the pad. A drilled rotor provides the same type of benefit, but is more susceptible to cracking under severe usage. Many customers prefer the look of a drilled rotor and for street and occasional light duty track use they will work fine. For more severe applications, we recommend slotted rotors." (Note that even though Stop Tech sells both drilled and slotted rotors they do not recommend drilled rotors for severe applications.)

Wilwood: "Q: Why are some rotors drilled or slotted?
A: Rotors are drilled to reduce rotating weight, an issue near and dear to racers searching for ways to minimize unsprung weight. Drilling diminishes a rotor's durability and cooling capacity."

From Waren Gilliand: (Warren Gilliland is a well-known brake engineer in the racing industry and has more than 32 years experience in custom designing brake systems ...he became the main source for improving the brake systems on a variety of different race vehicles from midgets to Nascar Winston Cup cars.) "If you cross drill one of these vented rotors, you are creating a stress riser that will encourage the rotor to crack right through the hole. Many of the rotors available in the aftermarket are nothing more than inexpensive offshore manufactured stock replacement rotors, cross drilled to appeal to the performance market. They are not performance rotors and will have a corresponding high failure rate"


From Baer: "What are the benefits to Crossdrilling, Slotting, and Zinc-Washing my rotors? In years past, crossdrilling and/or Slotting the rotor for racing purposes was beneficial by providing a way to expel the gasses created when the bonding agents employed to manufacture the pads...However, with today's race pad technology, 'outgassing' is no longer much of a concern...Slotted surfaces are what Baer recommends for track only use. Slotted only rotors are offered as an option for any of Baer's offerings."

Grassroots Motorsports: "Crossdrilling your rotors might look neat, but what is it really doing for you? Well, unless your car is using brake pads from the '40s and 50s, not a whole lot. Rotors were first drilled because early brake pad materials gave off gasses when heated to racing temperatures, a process known as "gassing out." ...It was an effective solution, but today's friction materials do not exhibit the some gassing out phenomenon as the early pads. Contrary to popular belief, they don't lower temperatures. (In fact, by removing weight from the rotor, they can actually cause
temperatures to increase a little.) These holes create stress risers that allow the rotor to crack sooner, and make a mess of brake pads--sort of like a cheese grater rubbing against them at every stop. Want more evidence? Look at NASCAR or F1. You would think that if drilling holes in the rotor was the hot ticket, these teams would be doing it...Slotting rotors, on the other hand, might be a consideration if your sanctioning body allows for it. Cutting thin slots across the face of the rotor can actually help to clean
the face of the brake pads over time, helping to reduce the glazing often found during high-speed use which can lower the coefficient of friction. While there may still be a small concern over creating stress risers in the face of the rotor, if the slots are shallow and cut properly, the trade-off appears to be worth the risk. (Have you looked at a NASCAR rotor lately?)

AP Racing: "Grooves improve 'cleaning' of the pad surfaces and result in a more consistent brake performance. Grooved discs have a longer life than cross-drilled discs."


http://flashoffroad.com/Maintenance/Brakes/BrakeRotors.html


I found nothing about "cast holes" in rotors.

[markpetersonii]

I have drilled/slotted rotors on my G6 and I have had ZERO problems with them. I love them and they frequently have specials. Here is the G8 link: CLICKY (http://www.cquence.net/pontiac-2008-g8exc-front-rear-drilled-brake-rotors-p-31846.html)

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss74/markpetersonii/2007%20Pontiac%20G6%20V6/DSC_0029.jpg

[MGM GT]

I'm still surprised at how many people have had warping and pad issues. I've had a ton of miles and numerous +120mph stops with no issues.

Repeated 150+MPH stops and 40K+ miles of shenanigans.


does anyone know the weight of the stock rotors?

24-25lbs, my drilled/slotted replacements were 23-24lbs and the stockers were lighter but only because they were severely worn.

[Ktlplxm]

Repeated 150+MPH stops and 40K+ miles of shenanigans.



24-25lbs, my drilled/slotted replacements were 23-24lbs and the stockers were lighter but only because they were severely worn.

LOL 150mph+ is 120+ I was being conservative haha, they worked great on "The Mile"

[MGM GT]

LOL 150mph+ is 120+ I was being conservative haha, they worked great on "The Mile"

haha mine worked great for a while but they faded fairly quick past 30k miles or so, finally gave in at 40k and replaced them.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

I found nothing about "cast holes" in rotors.

Drilled Vs. Slotted

Some drilled holes in rotors are not really drilled at all. They are cast holes. This is done to help minimize the effects a hole has in creating a stress riser in the surface of the brake rotor. A drilled hole goes directly through and interrupts the grain structure of the metal. Where a cast hole has the grain structure formed around it in an uninterrupted flow. Admittedly, a “drilled” rotor will cool better than a smooth rotor, and has slightly better “bite”. However, the person who blindly goes ahead and drills his stock rotors is asking for trouble, especially in high heat or severe brake conditions. It’s not unusual for these rotors to eventually crack completely across the surface, causing a dangerous situation. Therefore, it is not recommended to drill unless it is for an under-stressed condition or for a street car just for looks.

[Rawyzf]

[QUOTE=markpetersonii;253879]I have drilled/slotted rotors on my G6 and I have had ZERO problems with them. I love them and they frequently have specials. Here is the G8 link: CLICKY (http://www.cquence.net/pontiac-2008-g8exc-front-rear-drilled-brake-rotors-p-31846.html)
QUOTE]


These say Exc the GT, so they only have them for the base G8?

EDIT: Nevermind, I browsed the site and found them for the GT also.

[desertg8]

howcome they list a pair at a weight of 25 pounds. that does not make any sense. they are cast iron and oem. ????

[gearhead455]

Thanks Dr.C

[Ktlplxm]

Just a question, but has anyone else considered maybe too much thought is being put into it? If its a pure track car, sure there are some benefits, but for daily drivers, the Rotors just arent going to make that much difference except the frequency we would have to change our pads. The only considerable difference in braking is going to come from upgrading the entire system to a Baer or Brembo (not the CTSV or GXP since they dont stop any better than we do realistically). Of course, if its just being done for aesthetic appeal, thats different

[Dagoon]

I have used BAER Decala Rotors on my grand am for 3 years and they work very good, and i have only gone threw 1 set of pads. Rotors are still in new condition. I plan on buying the Decalas again for my G8. They are a direct replacement for the OEM Rotors, but sloted and drilled. No cracks no warpage, no cuts. All nice.

[MGM GT]

Just a question, but has anyone else considered maybe too much thought is being put into it?

haha SO TRUE!!!

[Andy@SquashPerformance]

I just got Brembo Sport drilled front rotors since I warped one of the stock Camaro ones (and then road raced on it for two days) and they were on sale. I hope that wasn't a mistake, but I think it will be fine. You can't order any aftermarket rotor without any slots or holes it would seem.

I can't see how a complete aftermarket high zoot brake system is going to be much better than the Camaro stuff with good pads. I can feel the ABS working during a hard stop at 60mph now, I can't see how any more braking power would help me stop faster unless I was running stickier tires.

Andy

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

Centric aftermarket performance rotors have no slots or holes, and those that bought them really like them. You can also get slotted only from many different companies.

[johnbell2]

The House of Boost "track setup" was DOT-4 fluid and Hawk pads as I recall... evidently that's enough to routinely haul down 550+ rwhp on a 4k pound car. Food for thought.

[Ktlplxm]

I just got Brembo Sport drilled front rotors since I warped one of the stock Camaro ones (and then road raced on it for two days) and they were on sale. I hope that wasn't a mistake, but I think it will be fine. You can't order any aftermarket rotor without any slots or holes it would seem.

I can't see how a complete aftermarket high zoot brake system is going to be much better than the Camaro stuff with good pads. I can feel the ABS working during a hard stop at 60mph now, I can't see how any more braking power would help me stop faster unless I was running stickier tires.

Andy

Its one of those things that until you own and test both of them, most people will not believe. Factory brakes always have certain shortcomings due to the fact that they have to stop smoothly, not be really grabby, or any other number of criteria that are expected to be complaint areas for the average buyer. A point to consider; if the factory "Brembo" brakes were so great, how come Brembo opted to use a different caliper and rotor altogether for their G8 and Camaro kits? The Baer and Brembo also work better due to diameter, swept area, clamping force, and piston configuration.

[Andy@SquashPerformance]

Its one of those things that until you own and test both of them, most people will not believe. Factory brakes always have certain shortcomings due to the fact that they have to stop smoothly, not be really grabby, or any other number of criteria that are expected to be complaint areas for the average buyer. A point to consider; if the factory "Brembo" brakes were so great, how come Brembo opted to use a different caliper and rotor altogether for their G8 and Camaro kits? The Baer and Brembo also work better due to diameter, swept area, clamping force, and piston configuration.

Nobody can sell a BBK that is the same size as stock, that's why. They have to balance cost for the OEM vs. performance on the factory Brembos as well. Most people who get BBKs do it for bragging rights. If they wanted to stop better they would spend a couple hundred $ on nice squeaky pads but most of them don't, even though they spend $3-4k on the BBK. I beat a whole mess of them a few weeks ago at a competition sponsored by Baer. Almost all of them had 15" rotors and Baer systems but I beat them all in my 4000lbs+ car with 400 lbs of humans in it.

Andy

[Ktlplxm]

I don't know about the guys you beat but something was wrong. Every real bbk I've purchased or installed has worked beautifully. Yes, someone can put a loud noisy pad on a rotor and make it stop, but It is still annoying And aggravating to drive. That same pad normally has a tendency to fade quickly when used in circuits, good bbks don't. Congrats on winning though.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[UGotSmkd]

I had slotted and drilled on my last car. Worked just fine, no problems. It was a lighter car, and obviously easier to brake. Not sure if weight of our cars would cause any isssues.

[UGotSmkd]

Oh wow. Didn't realize I brought this post back from the dead.