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Brake Rotors: Drilled vs. Slotted vs. Drilled & Slotted

One of the most important components on your vehicle is the brake system. When it comes to stopping on a dime under performance or harsh driving conditions, a solid set of high-grade brakes is a must. Performance brakes feature rotors that are drilled, slotted or both. But which is better?

To understand that, the first thing you should consider is what the addition of a set of performance brake parts means in terms of stopping power. Slotted rotors are one of the biggest contributors when it comes to the increased stopping power, which is why they're found on almost every racecar from Laguna Seca to Nurburgring. This feature allows a more rapid cooling of the braking surface for increased performance and added bite. And, in wet weather, they channel water away from the braking surface by allowing it to pass more freely through the holes. This not only adds to the overall performance, but it also prevents the dangerous loss of braking power that comes with waterlogged brakes. You get maximum stopping ability no matter how wet the terrain. In addition to performance, slotted rotors are cross-drilled and fill more of the space behind the wheel to provide a tougher, filled-in look.

When deciding which is best for you, consider fade characteristics, pedal feel and lining wear. It goes without saying that performance-grade rotors, like Integra rotors, Acura TL rotors or RSX rotors, are far superior to their stock counterparts. But exactly how much better are they? Well, fade tests have shown a 37 percent better brake output for drilled rotors over slotted parts, with the drilled rotor brake operating about 150 degrees cooler.

Pedal force was also reported to be far more consistent with drilled rotors across the entire brake temperature range. In other words, the driver doesn't need to apply additional force to achieve a stop when the brakes operate at higher temperatures. This provides additional safety through added brake response and also helps reduce driver fatigue.

Finally, one of the most important things to consider is lining wear. Slotted rotors weren't able to keep up in this category either, with tests showing 20 percent more wear on pads with slotted rotors than their drilled counterparts. One possible solution is to pair a set of slotted rotors with a set of performance brake pads. Designed to withstand the rigors of high-output racing, performance-grade brake pads provide a direct replacement for stock pads and surpass their lesser counterparts in durability by 20 - 40 percent. They're actually proven to last longer, stop faster and are virtually noise-free.

So, what it boils down to is this: are you racing or navigating city streets? Slotted rotors, like those produced by Brembo or Baer, are shown to aid in the efficient removal of gas, water and debris from under the pad.  But, depending on where you're driving, these conditions may not be present in your everyday commute. This would make drilled rotors, currently found on the Corvette, Ford GT, Porsche, Mercedes and BMW, the better choice for city streets and freeways.

About the Author

Performance-grade rotors like <a href="http://www.autoanything.com/brakes/Acura/Integra/111A50530A50533A0A5A136A1.aspx">Integra rotors</a>, Acura TL rotors and <a href="http://www.autoanything.com/brakes/acura/rsx/111A50530A50533A0A5A235A1.aspx">RSX rotors</a>, are proven to add a performance edge to your driving. To avoid continuously going through brake pads, make sure you also upgrade to a higher quality pad at the same time.

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