I'm going to replace the rotors & pads on the X, was doing some research and read where slotted and drilled rotors actually create weak points in the rotor for vehicles this heavy.

 

The general opinion is that you won't see any benefits with slotted or drilled rotors for our type of application.

The more braking surface the better you'll stop. Most people have reported much improved braking and pedal feel using Hawk pads.

 

Thanks was my thoughts... but we have a VW Golf and a few of my past cars had slotted and Drilled rotors I can stop on a dime.
I want to get the big X to that point. I know it can be done...so its research on brake lines, rotors & pads. Most of it all was all logical but the rotors things seemed suspect. Though when you put it like that all the surface area I can get to stop this 8000ish pound beast is needed.

 

The problem with general opinions is they are opinions not informed or researched facts.

Often these opinions start out from a misdiagnosed problem or a perceived benefit and are repeated often enough that it becomes general opinion, not because it's fact or even based on personal experience but because somebody heard it was so.

 

I just ordered drilled and slotted rotors for all corners, guess time will tell.

 

Follow the lineage of drilled rotors and you can make some guesses where the general opinion may have come from.

Let's go back a mere 20 years ago... Race car brake systems were substainatly less efficient then today and racers like racers do they search for any and all performance advantage.

Drilled and later slotted rotors give the gas and dust from the pads someplace to go instead of being trapped between the pad and rotor surface acting like a ball bearing.

Now you have to understand that a race car can use an entire brake pad up in just 1 race so we are talking condensed time frames and accelerated wear due to soft pads.

Weaker rotors, cracks start on square edges easier then a radius edge. So if you drill, a hole and do not radius the edge of the hole you have created a ideal spot for a crack to start.

So those basics out of the way the drilled or slotted rotors transisition to the consumer market went something like this.

Hand made race part. $$$$$
Production race car part $$$$
Hot rod guys adopt and DIY $$$
Enthusiast aftermarket companies get in the game $$
Imports compete for market share of the new fashion $

So you have a design that can and does offer certain performance charteristics and now spans the spectrum from true performance parts to fashion parts. The ones made correctly are plenty durable and the ones made cheaply still suck. Generally speaking of course.

 

Lots of high perf high end cars are using slotted and/or drilled rotors.....still! The only time they will crack and fail early is under extreme continuous braking conditions, and those are race cars that will be replacing them after every race (or inspections). For our uses they will do wonders for braking perf. On my next brake job I will be going with them, and I'm at 17k lbs combined weight so they will see some use.

The only negative thing you will notice is increased noise/feel from the brakes when stopping. Otherwise they will perform great over stock replacement stuff!

 

I have been running slotted/drilled rotors on my X for over 3 years now. They have not had to be turned, and they still stop the X on a DIME. Saved my butt on I-10 when the truck-trailer in front of me lost control and started weaving all over the highway. I stopped so fast the F250 behind me smacked into the back of the X. Far superior braking to what was on it before WITHOUT A DOUBT IN MY MIND. You guys can talk theory all you want, I have real world experience that they work on my X, and I would buy them again in a snap.

 

I know hence I'm trying to sort fact from fiction on this topic.....

 

Power Slot cryo rotors and Hawk LTS pads on front of my 99 F250 SD with almost 20k miles and no issues.

I may look for the Hawk Rotors next time as well.

 

I just had my Mechanic install EBC rotors, new Calipers and EBC Greenstuff Pads along with new rubber lines on the front axle of my Ex. Stops nice and straight...I'm happy.

 

I have them on all three of my vehicles. All I know for sure is that they have resisted "warping" (another topic sure to divide people) for over 100K in all my applications where I was replacing them in 50K. I have now installed 8 powerstop setups between my own and friends vehicles and everyone is happy. Anectodal? perhaps, but I consider myself an excellent source of information...lol.

 

I put AC Delco "police duty" rotors on my SD, along with Motorcraft Extreme Duty pads. Been on for a few years and a whole lotta miles with no problems. MUCH better braking, especially when I'm down in the mountains of Kentucky. I'll be doing the same setup on my Ex- the braking is good enough for me that I don't need the fancy cryo stuff...

 

I recently pulled everything on the front apart and realized how nasty the rotors and pads were and started hunting prices for stuff. Rock Auto had the powerstop drilled and slotted with the truck/tow pads far cheaper as a set than any local parts stores for just two rotors, and would still have to wait for them to order those in. I'll be installing everything on Wednesday likely (might even snap a few pics for you fellows). I guess time will tell , but for $200 delivered to my house I'm willing to try it out.

 

wrong thread!