TransAm52804

My stock rotors are horribly warped, so much so that the steering wheel shakes rather badly even when slowing down from only 50 or so. Instead of getting new pads and turning the rotors, I figure I might as well get upgraded rotors since it'd be a good time to. Power Slot slotted rotors are going for about $110 a piece for the front. Would any of you recommend them? I'm not going with cross-drilled because I hear more times than not about them cracking. Along with the rotors, what pads would be best? Just regular semi-metallic from any ol' AutoZone or such?

VIP1

If you do a search on here, you'll find plenty of information.

Basically, the experts on here (I'm not one) say that Cross-Drilled and Slotted rotors are more for eye-candy that braking performace (they used to help with older tech pads, but not necessary with todays pads). That being said, some have recommended using Brembo Blank OEM replacement rotors (not CrossDrilled or Slotted) and HPS pads for a modest inscrease in brake performance without hurting a budget. Another alternative (and cheaper) rotor is the AIMCO rotor available at Autozone.

This was just a quick recap of what I have seen, a search will turn up much more information.

To answer your question specifically, PowerSlot is a good brand although I have no experience with those rotors.

Here is my setup (I aimed for cheap)
Stock rotors (still original with 32,000 miles)
Satisfied Metalazer Pro Ceramic front pads
Satisfied Metalazer Pro Carbon Metallic rear pads

Satisfied is the brand that Lappens (a New England auto parts chain) carries. The box has a picture of a silver early 4th gen Firebird on it. They are made in Canada (just like our cars).

PSU_Engineer

Just a minor correction. That would be Brembo Blank rotors, not Baer.
But you hit everything else right on the head.
Good work. You saved Trackbird and Mitch from getting finger blisters retyping another reply about rotors.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Check the tech page on my website. The hows and whys are now posted on there (saves typing).

VIP1

Thanks. I fixed it.

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

I ran Powerslots on my 93 GT, 01 Z28, and I just put them on my SS. I think that since they aren't much more than stock rotors, they are a nice item. I also run Hawk pads, so that might contribute to the higher level of braking performance with the Power Slots.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Actually, the Hawks are the reason for the better braking level. Rotors do not make "grip", there is no special alloy (carbon/carbon brakes are a different discussion). The pads were the upgrade.

Have fun!

redramair00

I've heard the Baer Eradispeeds are ALOT better than the powerslot's. Is this true?

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

With the exception of slightly better quality castings and a much higher price.....No.

http://home.columbus.rr.com/trackbir...led_rotors.htm

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

I would *like* to believe they help with getting rid of some of the nasty heat and gasses that cause some of the poor braking performance of the standard rotor. It might just be in my head though

LittleDonny

The slots in a powerslot don't do anything, but the blanks that they use are high quality, which is what counts.

WS6FirebirdTA00

iTrader: (33)

i have powerslots dont waste your money. get some irotors for a lot less and look a lot cooler. im about to get rid of mine, warped them. not saying the quality is bad or anything jsut 220 for 2 rotors or 290 for all 4 and match? get what im gettin at?

Iv_z28

That was some funny reading. In reality though there is a point in having a slotted rotor. The idea is to increase the surface area and to improve heat dissipation. The water analogy is pretty poor, since if you place 5 lb of water in a plate with the bottom surface of 50sq. in., and 3 lb of water in a plate with the bottom surface of 20 sq. in.; with both plates being held at constant temperature by your torch, then naturally 5lb of water in a bigger plate will heat up faster. Go to you kitchen, take a big and a small pans and check for yourself (use large heater in both case)

A better analogy is a radiator. See those fins? Their purpose is to increase the area of contact with the air and thus improve heat dissipation. Similar argument holds for a rotor. How good it works - that's a different question. By making slots you naturally sacrifice the amount of surface in contact with a pad. So in theory slotting should increase fading resistance. I'm pretty sure big companies have some actual test results. Somebody look it up

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Ok, you're right about the water analogy. I copied that from a post I typed in a hurry. I'll have to go make changes to that one.

Consider it "looked up".

Slots were designed to "wipe" pad material away from the pad surface to help eject the spent matter from the pad/rotor interface. The cooling is done by the fins or vanes inside the rotor. They are designed to pump air out from the center of the rotor to the outside edge, that is what cools the rotor.

Heres one...for drilled and "gas slotted" rotors. The slots and holes do the same thing.

http://www.classicperform.com/produc...ted-rotors.htm

http://www.dba.com.au/rotors_slotted.asp (Baer uses DBA rotors and I don't agree with thier page either)

Or, this one.

http://www.teamscr.com/rotors.html

Or here, from Stoptech, the "Big Brake" guys ($2500 kits).

http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/...ons_122701.htm

They say:

"DRILLED VS SLOTTED ROTORS

For many years most racing rotors were drilled. There were two reasons - the holes gave the "fireband" boundary layer of gasses and particulate matter someplace to go and the edges of the holes gave the pad a better "bite".


Unfortunately the drilled holes also reduced the thermal capacity of the discs and served as very effective "stress raisers" significantly decreasing disc life. Improvements in friction materials have pretty much made the drilled rotor a thing of the past in racing. Most racing rotors currently feature a series of tangential slots or channels that serve the same purpose without the attendant disadvantages."

Meaning, slots are less likley to crack than drilled holes, but they serve the same function. Also, if a rotor is slotted, the slot should not exit the disk surface. Look at the picture of the power slot below. If both ends looked like the inside edge (with a radiused corner) it may still be alive today. But where it exits the disk is where it will crack, as shown in multiple locations on our example picture. You may notice that nobody has mentioned cooling under the "possible uses of slots" category, even Stoptech who seem to like them. Though, Nascar/wilwood packages are slotted and they hold up pretty well, their slots don't usually exit the rotor and are often small and used in sets to sweep the full pad.



And a powerslot:



I could continue, but I think you will begin to understand. And the info on my website is not made up, it is my based on knowledge gained from reading everything I could find about brake system design and performance, my own testing and destruction of parts and the NASA American Iron team where I often do crew chief duties. Anyway, didn't come to argue, just to present information. The info is there and everyone is free to believe what they want to, I try to educate those who want to know, and have given up on fighting with the rest.

TransAm52804

WS6, where can I purchase these IRotors? $290 for a set of 4 sounds way too cheap to be a good investment. Anyone have any reviews on these IRotors?

Iv_z28

trackbird:

I appreciate your attempt to clarify some issues and you do have some valid points.

Yes, the slots naturally create a stress point, which I didn't mention. You may notice however that f. e. Brembo slotted rotors don't have slots going all the way to the edge so in a properly done slot stressing is minimized.

Regardless of that, I was trying to explain that from a physical point of view slots MAY in fact provide help in heat dissipation and fade resistance department.

Iv_z28

Go to sponsor sales section

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Brembo must be doing it correctly then. I've not looked in so long that I forget who does what (just never paid attention to the slotted rotor pictures). And, yes, in a properly done slot, stressing is minimized (it just seems that so few are done properly, look at the powerslot picture above).

As for helping reduce temps and fade resistance. If anyone wants to break out rotors and test gear, I'll be glad to help test it. I bet we find that is makes virtually no difference. I bet it is even difficult or impossible to measure, using race pads or standard pads. The alternative is, the slot is area not contacting the pad and therefore not making friction. This leaves the rest of the rotor surface to "pick up the slack" and could result in higher localized temperatures on the rotor surface. And, the reduction of mass can contribute to greater temperature rise during a stop. So, it could impact braking from a lack of pad contact area. It is probably about as much impact on braking from reduced area as the effect it has on cooling. Again, I bet we can't measure it. However, they really are pretty.

Anyway. I hope that explained the reasons they exist (the post and my site). They do look cool, and everyone is free to make a decision. I just like to help make it an informed decision.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

And, as a side note. I don't completely dislike slotted rotors (though I can live without drilled ones). I prefer not to run them on my own stuff due to cracking and wear concerns. I am trying to educate people to know the difference between the marketing hype and real science. Drilled/slotted rotors are not a "miracle cure". They are mostly just pretty. $800 in Eradispeeds will not help your car outbrake my car with $60 Brembo OEM rotors and Carbotech Panther Plus pads (but Baer will have you believe otherwise). It is the manufacturers way of seperating you from $800 that would be much better spent on other parts (if race cars use it, or used it, it has to be good for my street car, right?). With that said, we have run Wilwood slotted rotors on the AIX car (because that's what Wilwood makes in that size) and those (that use a series of very small, overlapping, slots) seem to hold up pretty well. But, for a few hundred dollars each (not including the hat), they should.

WS6FirebirdTA00

iTrader: (33)

actually they are normally 350 or so for all four but irotors run a discounted price on ebay, the last time i checked. i hear a lot of people say they like these things and they look good too. im not gettin them to stop better, gotta redo the brakes so i figured i would make it look good. ill post pics when i get it done in the next few weeks. buddy of mine has drilled rotors and gives them hell and has no problems. i think the cracking issue has to deal more with either getting a bad set or extreme abuse like road racing. for normal everyday use i dont see a problem