Lets talk brakes: Grooved & drilled vs Grooved

[Poverty]

Hello, am hoping some people here can educate me on brakes.

Basically I need a new set of pads and discs, and have been looking at uprated discs. There are several companies who offer uprated discs, but Im confused as to which one would suite me best.

Surely grooved and drilled should be better than just grooved? But some people say that drilled discs will crack?

I just need a set of discs that will work as well as OEM when cold, and better when hot. Has anyone got any knowledge on this.

The discs im looking at are tarox ones. They sell 3 different types of discs but there is no info as to which disc is designed to do what, or which disc is best suited for what application. Also as these are heat treated discs do I need to stick with tarox pads or would some ferodo ds2500 be fine with them?

Disc size is 345x30mm incase anyones interested.

[NarutoRamen]

Basically grooves and drilled help with heat dissipation. As far as I know crossdrilled and grooved are better than just grooved for heat dissipation. As for what pads, I honestly don't know. Those brands you listed, I haven't heard of them. The only time I've had to get pads for performance reason was when I had my M3 and even then I ordered a pair of Endless pads.

[Gullwing]

Cross drilled rotors and grooved rotors are not so much to disapate heat, they are to disapate gas. When the brakes get very hot they produce a gas that can build up between the pads and rotor which can reduce brake efficiency... brake fade.
Unless you are going to do racing or just vast amounts of braking on most days you do not need cross drilled or grooves.
I got cross drilled and grooved rotors for my A4 when I had it (cheaper or the same price as the other rotors or the only ones in stock). The pads I got at the same time did not work well at all (possibly the rotors also) Took for ever for them to wear in and perform at all, and when they finally did it wasn't very good.
If you can get "performance" rotors for about the same price as regular rotors fine, but I would look at pads much more than rotors.

[Poverty]

Originally Posted by Gullwing

Cross drilled rotors and grooved rotors are not so much to disapate heat, they are to disapate gas. When the brakes get very hot they produce a gas that can build up between the pads and rotor which can reduce brake efficiency... brake fade.
Unless you are going to do racing or just vast amounts of braking on most days you do not need cross drilled or grooves.
I got cross drilled and grooved rotors for my A4 when I had it (cheaper or the same price as the other rotors or the only ones in stock). The pads I got at the same time did not work well at all (possibly the rotors also) Took for ever for them to wear in and perform at all, and when they finally did it wasn't very good.
If you can get "performance" rotors for about the same price as regular rotors fine, but I would look at pads much more than rotors.

That does seem like the general consensus at the moment, unless I go for the really expensive performance discs.

Have emailed ATE about some ligtweight 2 piece discs.

[Mr. M]

I was just shopping for some pads a few weeks ago. It narrowed down to the Ferodo DS2500 (the ones which came stock with my AP Racing 4 pots), the Hawk HP+ pads and EBC. In the end I wanted to try something different so I went for Hawk HP+. They are so far working well but definitely I prefer my DS2500s. Seems to bite harder, but the power of the HP+ is about 90% there. It however doesn't have so much as brake dust as brake sludge - the whole inside of my rim is filled with a thick layer of the remnants from the pads... Now that is just a nightmare to clean.

Just take note that AFAIK slotted rotors will eat the most amount of brake pads. Drilled ones aren't that bad; but if you get a combination of both I think you can prepare for a very short brake pad life. Also if you get competition pads, they will also eat your rotors rather quickly.

PS. Don't think your DS2500 should have any problem with the Tarox rotors.

[Poverty]

Originally Posted by Mr. M

I was just shopping for some pads a few weeks ago. It narrowed down to the Ferodo DS2500 (the ones which came stock with my AP Racing 4 pots), the Hawk HP+ pads and EBC. In the end I wanted to try something different so I went for Hawk HP+. They are so far working well but definitely I prefer my DS2500s. Seems to bite harder, but the power of the HP+ is about 90% there. It however doesn't have so much as brake dust as brake sludge - the whole inside of my rim is filled with a thick layer of the remnants from the pads... Now that is just a nightmare to clean.

Just take note that AFAIK slotted rotors will eat the most amount of brake pads. Drilled ones aren't that bad; but if you get a combination of both I think you can prepare for a very short brake pad life. Also if you get competition pads, they will also eat your rotors rather quickly.

PS. Don't think your DS2500 should have any problem with the Tarox rotors.

Good little write up. Was considering the hawks vs the ds2500, so think I will go with the ferodos now.

Tarox discs are out of the equation now also. ATE make some lightweight 2 piece discs for my car so will probably go with them.