I agree with using top quality pads. As far as the rotors go, they are made for the most part for racing. And next weeks race does not include the used rotors from last week. IMHO, using good quality pads and shoes, along with regularly making sure the rear is adjusted properly (as in every oil change for instance) will provide more than adequate stopping power.

 

Actually it's to remove chunks of dust off of race cars that eat through pads. On street cars, and most race cars, the slot in the pads is enough to clear all the dust out.

Any metal you remove from your rotor will reduce braking power. The more mass you have the more heat it can absorb before it heats up to the point of boiling fluid and melting pads. The uneven surface area of a slotted pad makes even heat distribution impossible - that's why on real brakes you'll see staggered, smaller slits as opposed to end-to-end cuts you'll find at your auto parts store.

Think of it as Talledaga brakes and Bristol brakes. Holes and crap are supposed to be for weight redux and infrequent use, Bristol brakes are massive glowing hunks of steel and generate lots of dust. If the engineers could get away without running the little slits, you bet your *** they would.

 

slotted/ vented rotors provide more surface to dissipate heat pretty much plain and simple.. It's the same reason you see group 4 and 5 barrels on match rifles- to protect the lands and grooves from getting too hot.. the idea and working function is: "more surface absorbs heat and provides more surface area to dissipate" ..

drilled surfaces where you actually have the holes supposedly eliminates weight.. turning mass is equal to the actual weight in your hand times four.. so removing, say, 4oz of steel equals a pound when they are spinning.. It doesn't make much difference to us, but to a race car, yes... I reckon anyway..

those rotors pictured look like somebody took 'em off and put 'em on a dang drill press... That just doesn't work, cause they spin, just like your tire.. If they aren't done PRECISELY, they will wobble just like a tire out of balance, which would likely be aggravating, but much more serious when you apply them- especially with some weight behind you.. They will warm disproportionately and warp and/or crack..

there must be some way to do this mathematically, but I ain't no dang mathmagician- but you add surface area which increases break pad footprint (bigger rotors) you solve two critters- you have larger footprint which gives you stronger brakes, and you have larger surface which dissipates heat better. OR, you can vent/slot them, which preserves the pad from getting too hot and prolongs it's life AND provides stickier grip because of...

It's one of those six of one half dozen of other things....

Personally, I'd never run slotted/vented rotors- because for our purposes, it is just bling more or less... Bigger rotors, four piston calipers with fat-nasty footprint ceramic pads? I'd do it in a heartbeat if it was easy to do..

 

+1, could not have said it better. And I didn't!LOL For a daily driver they are a waste.

 

ya know, I just did some thinking on this here subject a little- and I thunked of something..

bigger rotors w/ matched caliper and pads would provide a LOT more breaking power than slotted/vented rotors, even if they had four piston calipers and ceramic pads..

the bigger (diameter) rotors would not only provide more surface and pad footprint, they would also be further from the center of the wheel.. Think leverage.. I'm willing to wager two piston calipers w/ decent pads would out perform vented/slotted stock size rotors even with four piston calipers and ceramic pads.. I officially bet one dollar that the larger rotors will stop a truck 'tens of feet' shorter 100-0..

wonder where I can land some?

 

stupid question how do i adjust the rear breaks , ive owned the truck for 3 years and did nothing with the break, it just seems that i could be stopping better, for i how i drive being a lead foot

 

Dude! Do you have atleast a crappy Haynes manual? The procedures for normal maintenance is in it. This site is not the end all for the info you can learn from even a not that great manual.


And BTW again! There is more to any vehicle besides making it look nice and go fast! It needs to be able to slow down in a reasonable amount of time. You have your truck for 3 years and don't even have a manual? LOL

 

And It's BRAKES not BREAKS, LOL

 

LOL

 

One of my mechanics had a story about a local kid who drilled the rotors in his prelude himself and was out street racing with the thing when one disintegrated. The dude crashed and died because of it. Moral is leave brake mods up to the engineers and buy parts from reputable companies when your life is depending on it.

Bigger rotors is a great way to get noticeably more stopping power. If you use bigger rotors the pads also need to be relocated. This is usually accomplished by using different calipers with the proper dimensions or some kind of bracket which moves the existing calipers into the proper location. I have no idea if there is a kit or path to doing this easily with a Dodge truck.