Jump to content

What brand of rotors?


Recommended Posts

What is the best brand of rotors to get or what have you had the best luck with? I know most of them are made in china these days but I want to get something that is not going to warp very easy. Thanks.

 

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great topic! I bought two at a local parts store, one box said made in China the other did not. One rotor had a bad race for the outer bearing and "dusted" the wheel like crazy while the other didn't. Ended up putting the ORIGINAL 1971 rotor on and the problems went away. Bought two new rotors several years ago on line but still haven't installed them because they are also CHINA made.

Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies everyone. Does anyone use non slotted rotors? I've heard various opinions on these and not all of it was positive, especially for the price.

 

I think my car still has one of it's original rotors because it has the groove that goes all the way around the face of the rotor in the middle of the face. To be honest, I'm not sure if my car even needs new rotors because I don't think they are warped but I have not checked the thickness and I cannot remember if they have ever been turned. I've had the car for 26 years and I've never replaced them. I'm replacing the wheel bearing and thought I might as well replace the rotors too.

 

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have heard that the slotted/drilled rotors really don't add any performance for a street car. Now if you do road racing and do a lot of slowing from 100mph, they might be the only way to go. IMO, they LOOK fast.

 

With the right brake pads, the original rotors work fine. I don't like the hard "lifetime" pads, and semi-metalics are only a little better. These types require a bit of heat to get them going. I like the feel of a lot of bite initially, so I went with a stock organic pad (maybe hard to find) and I like the feel. The organics tend to generate a fair bit of brake dust on your wheels, but I like knowing that the pads are wearing out and not my rotors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had my originals turned and they were fine. Work perfect too, I went with a stock organic on mine like Mark said, they do generate a good bit of dust, but it cleans off easily. I guess it all depends on what your doing with the car

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should be fine with some stock replacement rotors in that case. Delco rotors w/ hubs are $43.79+shipping on RockAuto.com, and you can find discount codes online to save even more.

 

O'Reilly Auto Parts has "BrakeBest" brand rotors available at $57.99 each w/ hub, so ordering online is going to save you money AND get you a better part.

 

These parts were looked up for a '70 454 Monte Carlo, although I imagine they are the same parts, regardless of drivetrain.

 

Do you have rear disc brakes too? Or are you running stock equipment?

 

 

One thing to consider, on a street-only car, you won't gain much by going with a drilled and/or slotted rotor. They can actually cause issues if used in a car that only sees the streets. The slotted rotors will increase the wear rate of your brake pads, and while increasing initial "bite" a small amount, you likely won't notice a significant improvement over a stock-style blank rotor. The best way to improve braking performance, IMO, is to research the pros/cons of the different brake pad and rotor options available, and decide what you are willing to compromise with. Is excessive brake dust a concern? Brake noise? If you aren't going to drive the car hard (i.e. racing events), you don't really need anything more than a blank rotor and some decent pads. I run semi-metallic pads and stock rotors in my '94 Formula, and the brake performance has never left me wishing for more. Granted, that's a completely different animal, but regardless, gaining an understanding of how it all works, what pads/rotors offer as benefits (and drawbacks) over one another, and choosing the best fit for your driving style is the best option.

 

Hope that helps. I remember reading a VERY detailed article explaining the braking systems, differences between different types of pads and rotors, and explaining which work best for different types of driving. If I can find the link, I'll post it here for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...