The small loss of surface area is negligible as compared to the gain with heat reduction.

Cracking is from super high and really intense/continous braking that not a single street car should ever endure. I have been using drilled/slotted rotors for 10yrs now on both my vehicles and my wifes. NOT a single crack! Only improved stopping power. Extremely noticeable difference! <--Coming from Real life use!
Stop hating and go try them out! Your complaints are merely from reading and never actually using them.

 

Actually you have that exactly backwards: The removal of cooling mass far outweighs any cooling function of the holes. Your rotor mass has a certain soak point of heat. A point where any more heat cannot dissipate and starts the glazing of the pad. Removing mass lowers that point and the holes will not keep up. Holes were never added for cooling, they were added to remove gasses of old asbestos pads. Not exactly a concern anymore. Super cars have huge disks for a reason, more mass. They drill them because, well, no one would buy a Ferrari if they didn't. "Nice car but hell, they didn't even drill the rotors! Can't be any good!"

As for your improvement? Good, I'm glad you like them, I'm sure people like the intake Tornado as well.

Am I hating on drilled rotors? Yep, sure am. I hate that manufacturers will take advantage of us just like the CAI makers.

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/brakes.html

 

OK. What about the slotted rotors? Or drilled and slotted? I had drilled rotors on an old nissan and could tell the stopping increase immediately. I also drilled them myself.

 

Knock yourself out and buy the slotted. I'm just saying I would never pay extra for them and would never buy drilled regardless. I've never read a single test or legit engineering study that said either one is better then a plain rotor. Especially for street cars. Most feel an improvement because they have just changed the pads/rotors. It should improve. The only test is brand new rotors and pads, check stopping distance. Swap them out with the other version and check stopping distance again. Sports car forums don't even recommend them for daily drivers and many don't even recommend them for track use either.

 

I just ordered oem rotors and ceramic pads. Thought about the 'upgrade' but doesn't sound like there is enough benefit to the cost. Really more potential downside.

 

Good choice...nothing wrong with that. Funnier still is look up "warped rotors". Apparently, rotors are never really warped.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-su...nd-other-myths

 

Finally got around to changing my rear rotors. Only took about 15 minutes per side. Just remove the two bolts holding the caliper bracket and remove the caliper, pads, and bracket as a single unit. You may have to compress the caliper just a bit t clear any lip on the edge of the rotor. Hang the unit from the coil spring and pull the rotor. I used "white box" Chinese rotors that you can get any where. Cost me about $45 each and now my brakes are nice and smooth again.

 

I was really surprised when I rotated my tires a few months ago. I think at that time I had about 59000 miles on it. The brakes looked like new! The brakes do pulsate a little bit, but it is not bad at all. There are a few times I have had to get on the brakes pretty hard too.