Brake Rotors cracking?

[Spoolin]

So I warped my stock rotors on my 2014 1LE while tracking the car at Laguna Seca.



I upgraded the Brake Fluid to Motul 600, threw on some Stainless Steel lines and upgraded to some Drilled and Slotted rotors to help cool the brakes. I do have some plans to get some brake vents routed in there but right now that's all I've got.





Anyways, while at Thunderhill on Friday I spoke with a guy who warned me that Drilled rotors have a tendency to crack while being tracked. He said that when they get hot like they do on a race track they will heat up and expand and the holes in the rotors become a weak point and they start to stress and crack. If not caught in time they will do serious damage. Anyone ever heard of this?

Should I just get my stock rotors turned down and put them back on?


Thanks for any advice/input.

[X25]

I don't think your stock rotors look bad. It looked to me like the brake pad material went over its designed temp range and laid uneven pad material on the rotor. I agree with what that guy at the track; I'd not want to use drilled rotors at the track.

[Spoolin]

Originally Posted by X25

I don't think your stock rotors look bad. It looked to me like the brake pad material went over its designed temp range and laid uneven pad material on the rotor. I agree with what that guy at the track; I'd not want to use drilled rotors at the track.

You could be right about the brake pad leaving material on the rotors. I'm still using the stock brake pads, and I've read that they don't like the heat generated from racing as much as Race pads do.

I can tell you that my brakes do not feel as strong with the different rotors, brake fluid and SS lines as they did when they were stock. Not sure what to attribute it all too but they just don't bite like they used too. Might be that I need to bed the new rotors and pads a little more but they've been through two track days now.

[Synner]

Brake ducts would be a far better investment. And yes they are prone to crack, slotted max or plain but not drilled.

[X25]

As I've also mentioned in other threads, I just cannot stand brake pads with low bite anymore. Using a semi or full race pad that is not corrosive is the way to go for high performance vehicles if you want good braking performance (and ducting is a must especially for heavy vehicles like Camaros). My Miata also has race pads, my truck already comes from factory with pads with good bite (due to its tow rating I presume), and even my commuter car (Leaf) has a great initial bite with its regen brakes, so I'm a happy camper :P

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by X25

As I've also mentioned in other threads, I just cannot stand brake pads with low bite anymore. Using a semi or full race pad that is not corrosive is the way to go for high performance vehicles if you want good braking performance (and ducting is a must especially for heavy vehicles like Camaros).

This ↑↑↑.

Once you've driven with pads that have some real bite you won't want to go back to OE, not even on the street. The only real caveat for extended street driving is that the pads should still give good bite when cold.


Norm

[Exigent]

Drilled rotors will crack sooner or later. Small cracks radiating from the drilled holes are actually ok but what you really want to watch for are cracks that go out to the edge of the rotor.

[Norm Peterson]

Spoolin - I think you'll find that the lighter colored strips on your OE rotors correspond to where the veins between the rotor faces are, and that the rotor face temperatures were significantly not uniform.


Norm

[Spoolin]

Originally Posted by X25

As I've also mentioned in other threads, I just cannot stand brake pads with low bite anymore. Using a semi or full race pad that is not corrosive is the way to go for high performance vehicles if you want good braking performance (and ducting is a must especially for heavy vehicles like Camaros).

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

This ↑↑↑.

Once you've driven with pads that have some real bite you won't want to go back to OE, not even on the street. The only real caveat for extended street driving is that the pads should still give good bite when cold.


Norm

DTC's are a brand I've heard being thrown around, any others?

Originally Posted by Exigent

Drilled rotors will crack sooner or later. Small cracks radiating from the drilled holes are actually ok but what you really want to watch for are cracks that go out to the edge of the rotor.

Next time I swap my pads I'm gonna change/Upgrade to the CTS-V set-up. Kinda bummed that I bought these and wasted money. Oh well, live and learn. Hopefully they stay in good enough shape that I can re-sell them.

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Spoolin - I think you'll find that the lighter colored strips on your OE rotors correspond to where the veins between the rotor faces are, and that the rotor face temperatures were significantly not uniform.


Norm

Those veins can act as heat sinks which would explain why those strips were always a bit cooler than the rotor face no? Do you think the rotors are warped or brake pad residue? They were stock pads which I've been told don't like to be run really really hot like they do in Track applications.

[X25]

DTCs are corrosive. Their dust rusts. I do use ST43 (Raybestos) in my cars.

[Norm Peterson]

I've been running Carbotechs. Started with XP8's, which really weren't enough (had developed heat stress cracking even though less than half worn). Moved up to XP10's and have one track day on them (with two more track days scheduled for this month). Rotor wear has been surprisingly minimal, they aren't too noisy (at least not yet), and the dust can more or less be dry-wiped off.

I suspect it's pad material.


Norm

[CHMSC]

Stock rotors are not bad. The new ones you have may develop cracks. If you were really wanting something like it I would suggested a dimpled rotor vs drilled. In all honesty if I were getting rotors I would get plane or slotted and that would be it. Drilled and slotted sound nice but there is less surface area for the pad to grab. The key is better pads and keeping the rotors cool. Ducting is a big help.

as Norm and X25 said get better pads!!!!!!!!!

I have really liked the racing brake track pads. Awesome bite with no fade. You will not like the price of any track pad you try but you will never go back to a regular pad when on a track.

I use racing brake pads for street as well with my CTS-V front brake conversion and stock SS rears. Love the bite and how they perform. Granted they do dust a little but hey I would rather stop fast than stop slow and have less dust. Dust can be washed away, taking to long to stop may lead to getting into an accident.

[Todd in Vancouver]

As mentioned brake cooling ducts are the way to go.

[jksynergy]

Originally Posted by CHMSC

Stock rotors are not bad. The new ones you have may develop cracks. If you were really wanting something like it I would suggested a dimpled rotor vs drilled. In all honesty if I were getting rotors I would get plane or slotted and that would be it. Drilled and slotted sound nice but there is less surface area for the pad to grab. The key is better pads and keeping the rotors cool. Ducting is a big help.

as Norm and X25 said get better pads!!!!!!!!!

I have really liked the racing brake track pads. Awesome bite with no fade. You will not like the price of any track pad you try but you will never go back to a regular pad when on a track.

I use racing brake pads for street as well with my CTS-V front brake conversion and stock SS rears. Love the bite and how they perform. Granted they do dust a little but hey I would rather stop fast than stop slow and have less dust. Dust can be washed away, taking to long to stop may lead to getting into an accident.

So, which pads are you using and how is the longevity of the pad?