BY BENJAMIN HUNTING / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 12, 2018 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / When considering brake rotor replacement, you may be tempted by several of…{"id":11006,"date":"2019-02-10T13:34:16","date_gmt":"2019-02-10T21:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=11006"},"modified":"2019-02-20T13:53:22","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T21:53:22","slug":"brake-rotor-replacement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/10\/brake-rotor-replacement\/","title":{"rendered":"Brake Rotor Replacement: Slotted, Smooth or Cross-Drilled?"},"content":{"rendered":"
BY BENJAMIN HUNTING \/ ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 12, 2018 \/<\/span>\u00a0NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION<\/a>\u00a0\/<\/span><\/h5>\n

When considering brake rotor replacement, you may be tempted by several of the options that are presented to you to enhance your vehicle\u2019s stopping power. In fact, there\u2019s a small universe of bolt-on brake parts out there that are intended to upgrade your stock components without asking you to make any modifications to your vehicle, and rotors are no exception.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which<\/span>\u00a0brake rotors<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0should you consider for your vehicle? Check out our breakdown of the three most common types of rotors you\u2019ll find when it comes time to replace your worn-out set.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Slotted Rotors<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Slotted brake rotors get their name from the channels, or slots, that are\u00a0machined\u00a0into the surface of the disc. Typically, these<\/span>\u00a0brake rotor replacement<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0parts feature angled slots that arc out from the center, or sometimes radiate in a\u00a0in\u00a0an S-groove\u00a0pattern.<\/span><\/p>\n

The concept behind a slotted design is to provide an escape channel for the gas and dust that\u2019s produced by your brake pads when pressed against the rotor. Instead of building up on the surface, these elements\u00a0escape through\u00a0the slots, reducing temperature\u00a0thereby\u00a0improving stopping performance by allowing the pad to make more direct contact with the disc.<\/span><\/p>\n

One down side of slotted rotors is that the edges of the slots scrape against your brake pads, which may require more frequent replacement intervals.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Cross-Drilled Rotors<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Cross-drilled rotors take a different approach to venting gas and heat by way of the holes that pass directly through the entire disc. These are geared more for high-performance and track driven vehicles where braking effectiveness is more important\u00a0than longevity.\u00a0A shortfall of this design is the\u00a0holes can actually weaken the disc and can cause cracks\u00a0to occur\u00a0under extreme braking, similar to what you would encounter in a high-performance driving situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can go all the way and purchase brake rotor replacement parts that are both slotted and cross-drilled, but you may not be happy living with the after effects on a daily driver street car.<\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Turned or Non-Directional Rotors<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Turned or non-directional\u00a0rotors \u2014 also known as stock replacements \u2014 offer none of the trade-offs of cross-drilled or slotted designs. Strong, durable and able to offer their complete surface to a brake pad,\u00a0turned or non-directional<\/span>\u00a0rotors<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0are often the best all-around choice\u00a0even\u00a0for\u00a0everyday drivers and those looking for improved performance and pedal feel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Slotted and cross-drilled rotors are certainly stylish, but smooth is often the best way to go when sourcing brake rotor replacement parts. A reality check about the type of driving you are most likely to do with your vehicle will help you make the best decision for your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out all the<\/span>\u00a0brake system\u00a0products<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0available on<\/span>\u00a0NAPA Online<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0or trust one of their 16,000<\/span>\u00a0NAPA AutoCare locations<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on brake rotor replacement, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your\u00a0<\/span>local NAPA AUTO PARTS store<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Photo Credit:<\/span>\u00a0Front disc brake, 2003 Dodge Caravan<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>by<\/span>\u00a0Dave Fischer<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(<\/span>CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/strong>).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This article has been reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder, National Automotive Parts Association. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Click here for more<\/span>\u00a0<\/i>automotive tips and stories<\/a><\/i><\/strong>\u00a0from NAPA, or here for more information on<\/span>\u00a0the next Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":11007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[805],"tags":[6849,3056,3342,5673,3494,6003,6854,4590,6841,3493,4373,4372,6843,6851,6842,6006,3491,3026,6852,6850,6853,3495,4966,6844,6846,6845,6848,6847],"class_list":["post-11006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classic-tips","tag-2003-dodge-caravan","tag-automotive-diy","tag-benjamin-hunting","tag-brake-job","tag-brake-pads","tag-brake-rotor","tag-brake-rotor-parts","tag-brake-rotors","tag-brake-rotors-and-pads","tag-brake-system","tag-brakes","tag-braking-system","tag-cross-drilled-brake-rotors","tag-cross-drilled-rotors","tag-dave-fischer","tag-disc-brakes","tag-napa","tag-napa-know-how","tag-non-directional-brake-rotors","tag-oe-brake-rotors","tag-performance-brake-rotors","tag-rotors","tag-slotted-brake-rotors","tag-slotted-rotors","tag-stock-brake-rotors","tag-turn-brake-rotors","tag-vented-brake-rotors","tag-what-are-slotted-brake-rotors"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t