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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

cross drilled/slotted rotors or stock one?

  • Thread starter Thread starter fiveoho
  • Start date Start date Feb 19, 2008
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fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
16
69
TN
Feb 19, 2008
#1
  • Feb 19, 2008
  • #1
help me decide


not only are the rotors on my car in bad shape, they are rusting so bad its slinging all over my front wheels. anyone else ever had this problem? i thought it was mud or something but turns out, its rust!

time for new ones. i have a buddy at advance auto parts and can get me 4 stock replacement rotors with his discount for right at $111.00. OR i could go with cross drilled and slotted ones for $118.00 shipped off ebay ( link : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...62QQcategoryZ33564QQihZ024QQitemZ370022646055 ).

what should i do . i hear people say the holes will crack, other say they wont. truth or fiction? besides the fact of them looking cool, will it actually help me stop any quicker? those on ebay work with stock calipers and hardware. another concern, im assuming drilled/slotted ones can not be turned.

suggestions?
 

HGFireHazard

Member
Apr 10, 2005
460
0
17
Michigan
Feb 19, 2008
#2
  • Feb 19, 2008
  • #2
Everyone seems to have an opinion on drilled/slotted rotors and they all differ.

People will say that the drilled holes, while they are supposed to allow the rotor to cool better, only increase the chances of the rotor cracking. Others will say that if you get good enough pads you don't have to worry about brake fade anyway, which is what the slots are generally for.

I have dilled/slotted rotors only because I wanted the looks, period. I have no opinion on whether or not under abuse they can live just as long as a solid rotor, but I don't care anyway. I don't autox, but if I did I would probably use plain rotors just in case the ones I have now don't like the abuse.

If you want the d/s rotors, get 'em, just make sure you check feedback and things look good. Most eBay d/s rotors start out as plain rotors and the individual companies do the work. So long as the rotor is a good one to start (brembo is a good choice) and the company doing the machining does solid work, go for it.

I got mine from stangsuspension.com and they are great. No warping in a little over a year and the car brakes great. However, I do also have Cobra brakes.
 

Bosko5.0

Active Member
May 18, 2006
1,067
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37
longwood, FL
Feb 19, 2008
#3
  • Feb 19, 2008
  • #3
I'm running 13" drilled and slotted BAER decelarator front rotors. Ive been running then for a while but they cost $$$,


just stay with plain rotors.

I wouldn't trust ebay rotors.
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
16
69
TN
Feb 19, 2008
#4
  • Feb 19, 2008
  • #4
Bosko5.0 said:
I wouldn't trust ebay rotors.
Click to expand...


thats my concern also. they sure look cool tho
 

stprorolla49

Active Member
Oct 9, 2004
1,455
15
39
Fairfield, CT/North Jersey
Feb 19, 2008
#5
  • Feb 19, 2008
  • #5
Check out www.rotorpros.com. A few of my buddies have them on their cars and love them and they aren't that expensive either. I got quoted $125 shipped for a PAIR of slotted and dimpled zinc-plated 13" rotors for when I was looking into piecing together a Cobra brake swap. It was I think $115 shipped for the standard 11.8" GT rotors with the same specs.
 

Zero Signal

Active Member
Feb 24, 2003
2,633
2
46
Tucson, AZ
Feb 19, 2008
#6
  • Feb 19, 2008
  • #6
I saw an actual road test where they put cross drilled rotors on a Camaro. It made a pretty big difference in the 60-0 distance. The idea is not really cooling, but the hole allow the gasses trapped under the pad to escape . . . so they said. Sounds plausible to me, and the test showed consistently better breaking with them. Zinc plated rotors would be nice if you are having rust issues.
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
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69
TN
Feb 20, 2008
#7
  • Feb 20, 2008
  • #7
thanks for the info guys. im very leary about buying ebay rotors but they at least make it sound good:

" Our rotors are cross-drilled by CNC Cadkey machines programmed to drill specifically for each application. Major distributor of world's leading brake manufacturers including Brembo, DBA, Centric, Hawk, Axxis and F1 Racing since 1999."

i may try them. i like the zinc coating. i know that will wear off on the actual rotor contact disc but should help prevent rust on the hub area. next thing is pads. these things can get expensive. i priced some OEM pads from ford. a front set runs $51.38. rears are $38.48. also called carquest. they have a set of organic pads for the front (Set) for $20.39 , rears are $25.98.

can i get away with organic pads? good or bad? i believe semi metallics are on my honda and they screech and they are also new.
 

Zero Signal

Active Member
Feb 24, 2003
2,633
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Tucson, AZ
Feb 20, 2008
#8
  • Feb 20, 2008
  • #8
The idea is that the Zinc will act as a sacrificial anode the steel and prevet rust on even the exposed steel. It sounds strange, but they do it on ship hulls. They bolt on a huge piece of zinc to the boat hull and it oxides in the place of the steel or iron. When it's all corroded away, they remove it and put another one on. Very cool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrificial_anode On the rotors, eventually that coating will corrode away and then the whole thing will start rusting like crazy.
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
16
69
TN
Feb 20, 2008
#9
  • Feb 20, 2008
  • #9
pretty cool stuff. wonder how long that zinc lasts
 
T

turbogt

Member
May 1, 2003
723
16
19
Montana
Feb 20, 2008
#10
  • Feb 20, 2008
  • #10
I would run some ebc pads.. You won't regret..
 
C

Colinhamid

New Member
Feb 24, 2008
1
0
0
Feb 24, 2008
#11
  • Feb 24, 2008
  • #11
Zinc coating will corrode if exposed to the weather. I have seen several articles about stress cracks but haven't experienced this with mine. I have seen the Eradispeed 2 with Al Hats which will reduce weight and limit corrosion.
 

earleys94gt

Active Member
Aug 31, 2003
1,223
16
49
Ashley, Ohio
Feb 24, 2008
#12
  • Feb 24, 2008
  • #12
The zinc coating is also supposed to keep the rotors "shiney" longer.

The only things I have heard is that 1.) cold drilled/slotted rotors don't get as much bite when they are cold. 2.) the holes can crack on cross drilled.

When I need new rotors, I am going to get slotted only. Just my 0.02.
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
16
69
TN
Feb 24, 2008
#13
  • Feb 24, 2008
  • #13
i would like to find a set of slotted rotors non-cross drilled but for a budget setup, cant seem to find any.

as far as corrosion goes, im sure zinc coated or not if they are exposed to normal wet driving conditions, either will corrode over time
 

RFMustangGT

Member
Apr 4, 2005
294
0
16
Knoxville,TN
Feb 25, 2008
#14
  • Feb 25, 2008
  • #14
unless you need to stop really quick from 150-0, I'd get the plain rotors or at the most a slotted. I have a set of 13" brembo slotted/cross drilled on my stang. yeah they stop but the warped on me in no time. when ever I go to buy new front rotors, they will be blanks or slotted. cross drilled imo are needed for serious stopping (ie: race conditions) or just the cool factor. It does impress the ricers I must admit. lol
 
H

haoleboy72

Member
Dec 11, 2006
60
0
6
Hillsboro, OR
Feb 25, 2008
#15
  • Feb 25, 2008
  • #15
I bought my slotted/cross drilled rotors off ebay (zinc coated) because at the time I actually got them for cheaper than I could get stock replacements. I have had them on for over a year and have had absolutely no problems with them and there is no corrosion and the zinc coating is still pretty shiny. I use the car as my daily driver and I live in Oregon so it gets exposed to many rainy days. Good luck with your search!
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
16
69
TN
Feb 25, 2008
#16
  • Feb 25, 2008
  • #16
haoleboy72 said:
I bought my slotted/cross drilled rotors off ebay (zinc coated) because at the time I actually got them for cheaper than I could get stock replacements. I have had them on for over a year and have had absolutely no problems with them and there is no corrosion and the zinc coating is still pretty shiny. I use the car as my daily driver and I live in Oregon so it gets exposed to many rainy days. Good luck with your search!
Click to expand...


are these by chance where you got yours? : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...62QQcategoryZ33564QQihZ024QQitemZ370022646055


over a year of daily use and no warping or rusting yet?
 

badstang123

New Member
Jan 17, 2006
397
0
0
Santa Clarita, CA
Feb 25, 2008
#17
  • Feb 25, 2008
  • #17
I'm not interested in getting into this debate but I will give you my experience with cross-drilled and slotted rotors. When it was time to do brakes I went with some ebay cross-drilled and slotted rotors as well as some hawk pads. I have to say that the difference in stopping was negligible. There might have been an improvement but not worth any extra money. The main positive result was the looks of them. I did not, however, have any problems with cracking or anything else from the rotors. I used these for well over a year maybe two, before switching to a Brembo kit. If you live in socal and picked them up I'd being willing to give them to you for next to nothing. I don't really have a use for them since I went 13" all the way around.
- Justin
 

Zero Signal

Active Member
Feb 24, 2003
2,633
2
46
Tucson, AZ
Feb 25, 2008
#18
  • Feb 25, 2008
  • #18
On the subject of the Zinc coating . . . yes it WILL corrode. That means it's doing it's job
 

fiveoho

15 Year Member
Apr 28, 2005
1,958
16
69
TN
Feb 25, 2008
#19
  • Feb 25, 2008
  • #19
badstang123 said:
I'm not interested in getting into this debate but I will give you my experience with cross-drilled and slotted rotors. When it was time to do brakes I went with some ebay cross-drilled and slotted rotors as well as some hawk pads. I have to say that the difference in stopping was negligible. There might have been an improvement but not worth any extra money. The main positive result was the looks of them. I did not, however, have any problems with cracking or anything else from the rotors. I used these for well over a year maybe two, before switching to a Brembo kit. If you live in socal and picked them up I'd being willing to give them to you for next to nothing. I don't really have a use for them since I went 13" all the way around.
- Justin
Click to expand...

i sure appreicate that but im no where even close. i can get replacement rotors from advance with my buddies 20% discount for $110. i can get cross/drilled off ebay for $118 shipped. the extra $8 is worth the cool looks to me. i dont care if it stops any quicker really.

think replacement rotors from say advance , autozone will corrode like zinc coated ones? or would the ones from a parts store even have a coating on them?
 
H

haoleboy72

Member
Dec 11, 2006
60
0
6
Hillsboro, OR
Feb 26, 2008
#20
  • Feb 26, 2008
  • #20
that's not the place, i believe the seller was R1 concepts or something like that. And yes, i have had them on for over 1 year and there is no warping or cracking. It is my daily driver and I put about 6K miles a year on it.
 
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