The ACDelco Gold brake rotors (formerly ACDelco Professional) are premium quality and one of the best aftermarket rotors around. They can be used on either the left or right side of your vehicle. These rotors have undergone numerous tests and have been proven to provide superior balance and smoothness in its braking performance. Performance rotors and pads are designed to deliver a stronger bite when you hit that brake pedal, while also offering a much higher level of fade resistance over time. So if you're driving the kind of vehicle that's built to perform at a high level, you shouldn't settle for anything less than the best performance brake pads and rotor kits for.

• Brake Pads And Rotors Kit
• Do You Need Special Brake Pads For Drilled And Slotted Rotors
• Best Brake Pads For Drilled Slotted Rotors Reviews

Drilled, slotted, or vented; which brake rotors are best?

Without question, brakes are the most powerful system on your vehicle. No matter how much horsepower you have, none of it’s of any use if you can’t scrub off enough speed to keep from rear-ending the car in front of you. Your factory brakes provide ample stopping power for your casual commute or the occasional unforeseen panic stop, but for the performance-minded enthusiast, an upgraded set of drilled or slotted rotors is the better choice. So what exactly are the differences between drilled vs. slotted brake rotors? Here, we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each, so you can make your own informed decision.

Smooth Brake Rotors

A premium set of smooth rotors provides more than enough stopping power under normal driving conditions. That’s why 99.9% of new cars still come with them from the factory. They provide the most surface area vs. drilled or slotted rotors and therefore are very effective at acting as a heat-sink, which is exactly what a brake rotor was designed to do. They’re also not as prone to cracking under extreme use like drilled rotors can be. The absence of slots or drill holes allows smooth rotors to maintain maximum structural integrity, making them suitable for moderate track use when paired with performance brake pads and high-boiling point brake fluid. There are several varieties available, from direct replacement to high-quality zinc-coated rotors, to fight off surface rust and maintain their like-new appearance for miles and miles.

Slotted Brake Rotors

Slotted rotors, as the name implies, have grooves cut along the face of the rotor where the pad makes contact. This is because under repeated heavy braking, as the temperature of your brake system increases, a layer of gas and dust forms between the pad and rotor from the material transfer caused by friction. The slots in the rotor allow an escape route for the built-up gases. This allows more of the brake pad’s surface area to contact the rotor, resulting in better pad bite and more consistent stops. Also, this increased surface contact results in a higher coefficient of friction, so you’re actually using less energy to slow your vehicle the same amount. The venting provided by slotted rotors is one of the main ways to combat brake fade and maintain consistent stopping power, lap after lap. Be aware, however, that some dedicated slotted “racing” rotors actually employ a sharp edge on the slots to cut into the brake pad a small amount for better bite, but this can greatly accelerate brake wear.

Cross Drilled Brake Rotors

Cross-drilled brake rotors look undeniably cool peeking out from behind a set of flashy wheels, and they keep your brakes the same way – cool. In the early days of racing, drilled rotors were an effective way of venting the layer of gas and dust that inevitably builds up between asbestos brake pads and the rotor under repeated, hard braking. However, as technology and brake pad materials have progressed, outgassing has become less and less of an issue. These days, while they still look great and perform well, the drill holes are more for aesthetic reasons than anything else. For performance driving, slotted rotors have become the preferred choice because cross drilled rotors are more prone to stress cracking under extreme use. Just take a look through the spokes on the wheel of any modern race car – there won’t be a drilled rotor in sight. On the street, however, the temperatures your brakes encounter never even come close to the levels they do on the track. So, the venting properties of drilled rotors offer the added benefits of keeping temperatures down under normal driving for prolonged pad life, as well as improved wet-weather performance by allowing water to escape the rotor’s surface, increasing initial pad bite.

Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors

Brake Pads And Rotors Kit

Drilled and slotted rotors provide the looks and functionality of both cross-drilled rotors and slotted rotors combined. While still not ideal for the abuse they would suffer on a racetrack (i.e. the drill holes being prone to stress-cracking), one of the places drilled & slotted rotors shine is on heavy vehicles towing heavy loads. The heavier the vehicle, the more energy is needed to slow it to a safe and reliable stop. Brakes convert kinetic energy (motion) into heat energy, and heavier vehicles invariably generate more heat in their braking systems. So a rotor that runs cooler (cross-drilled) combined with one that maintains a clean contact surface between itself and the brake pad (slotted), when not pushed beyond its thermal threshold, can provide an extra bit of security and durability. Remember, the name of the game is maintaining consistent stopping power every time you hit the brakes. If you’ve ever towed a fully loaded trailer down a mountain pass, you know the terrifying feeling of brake fade. A set of cross-drilled and slotted rotors can give you additional peace of mind by keeping temperatures down and the rotor face clean. Always remember to pair your drilled & slotted rotors with a high-quality set of brake pads designed for your vehicle as well as fresh DOT-3 or DOT-4 brake fluid for best results.

Choosing the Right Brake Rotor

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing cross drilled or slotted brake rotors. For street-driven vehicles, both perform equally well and don’t suffer any detrimental side effects. It just comes down to personal preference of which style you prefer. Slotted or cross drilled rotors will not, however, decrease your vehicle’s original stopping distance. Their purpose is to dissipate heat and gases to combat brake fade and provide consistent stops after prolonged abuse. In order to take a sizeable chunk out of your stopping distances, a set of sticky tires and dedicated high performance brake pads are the recommended upgrades. For track driving, slotted rotors are the preferred choice due to their ability to vent gases without weakening their structure. For eye-catching, high-end style, drilled or drilled & slotted rotors are sure to turn heads. For daily driving, any of the above provide more than enough stopping power.

Updated Dec 31, 2020 Same topic: Tuning & Mods

I. Brake Rotor: Introduction

When learning how to drive, you are introduced to two basic pedals, namely the brakes and gas. Sometimes, you could even encounter a third pedal called the clutch which is available on cars with a manual transmission.

Most new drivers would know that the brake pedal is used to slow down a car. However, few know the working principles behind braking. Well, you don’t need to know how it works for it to function.

Most cars come with a plain brake rotor for practical reasons

Learning more about brakes is amusing as there are variations that you can choose from. For starters, most production vehicles come with a plain rotor brake. This is the round metal shape you see behind your car’s wheels.

The reason why most production vehicles come with a plain rotor brake is that it is cheaper than other rotor brake options. Car manufacturers would want their cars to be as affordable as possible but not compromise on their intended specifications. Plus, a plain rotor brake is quiet in braking applications and lasts for a very long time.

The only downside of having a plain rotor brake is it doesn’t cool off as efficiently as the other variations such as the drilled and slotted brake rotors. You can mostly see a drilled or a slotted, sometimes even both, rotor brake on performance or modified vehicles.

Here's a slotted brake rotor

It is safe to say that installing brake rotors other than a plain rotor brake isn’t necessary. But just like what was said earlier, it is fun to make modifications to your car, and maybe installing a new rotor should be your next project.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the drilled and slotted rotors pros and cons and see what works for you.

II. Drilled and Slotted rotors pros and cons

1. Pros of Drilled and Slotted Brake Rotors

Drilled brake rotors, as the name suggests, come with drilled holes on the rotor in a spiral manner. Even those who are not exactly a car enthusiast would notice that a drilled brake rotor looks more appealing to the eyes and sportier.

However, the drilled holes aren’t just designed to provide a better appearance. Although that is one, the main purpose of the drilled holes is to allow the gasses built from heavy braking to escape. This results in better gas ventilation and better cooling.

And here's a drilled brake rotor

>>> Related: Things you might not know about brake pads and car rotors

On the other hand, a slotted brake rotor comes with carved lines that come with a turbine design. The biggest advantage of installing a slotted brake rotor is it scrapes the debris on your brake pads. This way, your brake pads would work at optimum performance for most times.

How it works is that when the leading edge of the slots on the rotor hits the brake pads, the debris slide through the slots and is thrown off the rotor. As such, slotted brake rotors have more braking power as compared to drilled brake rotors.

The hybrid of drilled and slotted brake rotors offers benefits from both worlds

There is also a combination of the slotted and drilled brake rotors. This hybrid comes with the advantages provided by the two types of brake rotors. But of course, since the hybrid version comes with various modifications, it is the most costly among the bunch.

If you are using your car as a daily drive only from home to work, then your brake rotors won’t exactly heat up thoroughly when driving through traffic. But if you drive long distances and require you to speed up at times, then you might want to upgrade your car with drilled brake rotors or slotted brake rotors, or a hybrid of both.

>>> Related: Everything about brake pads: Tips, Advice, Prices in the Philippines

2. Cons of Drilled and Slotted Brake Rotors

Due to the construction of a drilled brake rotor, it is more likely to cause cracks. The holes on a drilled brake rotor cause the rotor to lose its rigidity, unlike a plain rotor brake which comes with complete construction.

For those who want the design of a drilled brake rotor but not its disadvantage, there is a variation called the dimpled brake rotor. Unlike a drilled brake rotor, a dimpled brake rotor comes with the hole designs like a drilled version but are not drilled all the way through. In terms of functionality, a dimpled brake rotor does come with thermal efficiency but not the same as a drilled brake rotor.

Replace your brake rotors when they are worn for optimum braking performance

As for a slotted brake rotor, one of the disadvantages of installing it is that the brake pads would wear faster. Since the slots scrape the brake pads every single braking application, this causes the brake pads to lose some of their rigidity as well.

So basically, a slotted brake rotor will provide a stronger brake power but will wear your brake pads faster and they should be. With that in mind, using this type of brake rotor will cause you to replace your brake pads more often.

Lastly, the biggest disadvantage of installing a drilled, slotted, or hybrid brake rotor is the cost. These types of brake rotors are more expensive as compared to the practical and long-lasting plain brake rotors. However, if you want to make your car look and perform more track-ready, then try considering them. Choose the one that best suits your daily driving needs following your budget.

III. Drilled and slotted rotors pros and cons: FAQs

Q: What is a slotted brake rotor?

A slotted brake rotor comes with slots that clean the brake pads. This causes the brake pads to bite stronger resulting in a more secure driving experience.

Q: What is the brake rotor used in most cars?

Most cars come with a plain brake rotor due to its long life, affordability, and quietness on the road.

Q: What is a drilled brake rotor?

A drilled brake rotor comes with holes that help cool the rotor.

Q: How much are brake pads in the Philippines?

On average, you can get brake pads for around Php 1,500 to Php 2,000, depending on the build-quality.

Q: Are drilled brake rotors expensive?

Do You Need Special Brake Pads For Drilled And Slotted Rotors

Yes, a drilled brake rotor is more expensive than the standard plain brake rotor.

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Rex Sanchez

Author

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