To drive your car safely,you must have a reliable braking system.
Most cars are equipped with disc braking systems,the system supplies a metal disc or rotor with brake pads operated by a caliper.
When you press the brake pedal, The calipers will squeeze brake pads made of semi-metallic material onto brake discs usually made of iron or steel. The friction will reduce the speed, then slow down the car.
The type of brake system has brake rotors and two brake pads in each wheel.
If your car only uses the disc brakes, it should have four brake rotors and eight brake pads.
But some older vehicles use disc brakes with more traditional drum brakes together,the front wheel brake rotors and brake pads are usually paired with a set of drum brakes on the rear wheels.
One of the most important components of the brake system is the brake rotors.
Let’s take a deep understanding of brake rotors, how they work,and the different types of ones that can find when replaced.
1. What Are Rotors Used For?
The brake rotors are used along with the other brake components to slow down and stop your vehicle.
Without the brake rotors, your vehicle will be unable to stop safely or slow down after accelerating, Except for a gradual deceleration due to friction with the air and the road itself.
Also, there have brake pads, which can trap your wheels to stop them from slipping.
They are usually made of iron, They can therefore maintain long-term durability.
Even though they are quite durable by nature, brake rotors occasionally need to be maintained and replaced.
2. How Do Brake Rotors Work?
The braking rotors function when the brake pedal is depressed. The brake pad presses on the brake disc when you depress the brake pedal. There was a braking rotor installed on each wheel. All four wheels will simultaneously slow down when you apply the brakes.
When the brake pads press on the brake rotors, friction is created, which can reduce the speed at which the car wheel rotates. Naturally, the friction causes the wheel to slow down, which generates a lot of heat.
To withstand this heat, brake rotors are constructed of iron. To effectively disperse heat during braking, the brake rotors also typically feature tendons or gaps. The different types of tendons utilized in the design of braking rotors are another way to distinguish between them.
When you lift your foot from the brake pedal, the brake pads stop pressing on the rotor, allowing the wheels of the car to move unimpeded again.
3. What Are The Different Types of Brake Rotors?
When you need to replace the brake rotors, please remember that not all brake rotors are the same.
Six different types are available. So, before changing the vehicle, make sure you choose the right type for your needs.
Fortunately, choosing the right rotor for your vehicle is as simple as viewing the existing rotors on the vehicle
Now, Let’s look at the different brake discs, their look, and their respective applications.
Blank & Smooth
Blank and Smooth brake rotors are the most common type of brake rotors in passenger cars, Just like most standard passenger cars.
The blank brake rotors are both simple and affordable.
Basic OE-specific brake rotors were traditionally made of recycled steel. Due to the thicker inner fins, many times the performance is inferior to the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) rotors, this reacts in making them more effective in cooling the brake pads during extrusion.
They tend to be the longest overall, produce little dust, and operate quietly.
Drilled rotors
The drilled brake rotors bore a series of holes in a spiral pattern.
These openings assist in heat dissipation and permit water and debris to drain from the rotor surface without obstructing or harming the entire braking system.
For drivers in humid climates, drilling brake rotors are a great alternative because it increases stopping effectiveness in slick and rainy weather.
However, bored brake rotors are rarely utilized in racing cars since they do not hold up well in high-temperature situations.
Slotted rotors
The slotted brake rotors have slots rather than holes around the outer surface of the brake disc SUV。
They are an excellent choice for heavy-duty trucks and SUVs, especially those trucks and SUVs that require improved braking force during traction or traction.
These grooves inhale additional air between the surface of the brake rotors and the brake pads used with them.
Finally, the rotor had better cooled and heat, and less debris collected over time.
Drilled and slotted rotors
Drilled and slotted rotors incorporate the aforementioned heat dissipation and debris removal design.
These brake discs are commonly used in high-performance vehicles, such as sports cars.
The brake rotors is very helpful in improving high-speed braking during racing or truck
To minimize the adverse effects of high-performance drives, drilling, and slotted rotors are etched on the surface with small holes and little grooves serving as drains for water and heat.
Although the heat dissipation effect is very good, these high-performance rotors also have some disadvantages, the biggest disadvantage of which is durability.
Racing disc/Upgrade brake disc/Modified brake disc/Retrofitting brake disc
Revised plate / original position split plate is mostly used for modified racing cars or competitive cars.
Mainly to improve the braking performance of the racing car.
The original replacement brake disc is modified from the original brake disc as a caliper, then it can reduce the weight of the brake disc, refuse to shake abnormal sounds, improve braking distance, raising the rate.
At the same time, improving the surface of the brake rotors and caliper, it will more beautiful.
It is different if the cap and disc body is separated from the whole disc, like in the picture.
The material of the cap is Titanium and magnesium-aluminum alloy, used in Aviation Aluminum.
There is one more process than the ordinary dish, and it is heat treatment, which can improve the tensile strength of the disc.
Assembly process: semi-floating bolts and full floating bolts.
A split plate full of floating screws is mainly used in racing cars. At high- temperatures, when the brake disc changes, correct through the floating screw, BREMBO Is the earliest use of thermal deformation automatic correction in the big brand.
Carbon ceramic disc
Carbon pottery plates are used on high-end cars: Ferrari Porsche Lamborghini.
It provides the highest thermal capacity (85% higher than cast iron) and excellent heat dissipation and maintains a more consistent force and pressure as the brake disc temperature increases.
Ceramics is the highest-performance brake rotor available today, and the only drawback is the high price.
The following table compares the brake performance and price of each type of brake rotor.
Type of rotor | Benefits | Downsides | Ideal for | Price |
Blank & Smooth | Long lasting, cost-effective, quiet | Not enough ventilation for heavy-duty trucks | Most vehicles | ★ |
Drilled rotors | Greater friction, better drainage | Can’t stand up to excessive heat or high speeds | Street vehicles, wet climates | ★★ |
Slotted rotors | Improved stopping power | Noisy, short life span | Trucks and SUVs, off-road vehicles | ★★ |
Drilled and slotted rotors | Improved braking at high speeds | Short life span | High-performance vehicles | ★★★ |
Upgrade brake disc | Brake distance and lift speed | High price | Racing and modified cars | ★★★★ |
Carbon ceramic disc | The highest-performance brake disc | Higher price | High-end models | ★★★★★ |
4. When Do You Need To Replace Your Rotors?
It is a good idea to check the brake disc at irregular times.
Replacing the brake disc is necessary because, over time, any brake will wear off the surface of the rotor and brake pads.
As these components wear, your braking responsiveness and reliability will decrease, causing hazards while driving.
You may also feel it when your brake discs start to degrade, as your braking seems to be less sensitive.
The average brake disc replacement typically costs between $20 and $500, depending on the type of brake rotors.
When to replace the brake disc, read this article.
5.Conclusion
The brake disc is an important part of the whole braking system.
Pay attention to their performance and the response speed of the braking action to replace them if necessary.
When selecting a new brake disc, do not hesitate to ask the mechanic which type of brake disc is best for your vehicle and driving habits.
