SLOTTED and DIMPLED DRILLED ROTORS

[threedogs]

Hi all would like some comments on the Slotted and dimple drilled{counter sunk} rotors. Is there any advantage over just the slotted. Don't want the drilled for obvious reasons. If anyone has them fitted some feed back would be great.

[Alitis007]

I've got some on my Mazda and so far so good, just like any slotted rotors they are noisy under heavy breaking. Plus coz they are dimpled and not drilled they don't crack like the cross drilled units

[threedogs]

Thanks mate I heard some cracked just wasn't sure which ones,
I would think combined with a good pad, braking would be greatly enhanced

[BigRAWesty]

I fitted slotted and drilled to our Ford wagon and geeze what a step up.. Went from average to awesome.
So if they are slotted and dimpled then that would be the best option. With George on the drilled one's cracking out as they compact mud and junk in, and when it expands it cracks the rotor..
And yes, a good set of pads makes a big difference to..

[threedogs]

Thanks Kallen any particular brand of pad ??
Bendix seem like an OE replacement
Found a mob that sells Brembo pads I'll use them I think

[BigRAWesty]

Pretty sure they were rda rotors and bendix pads. So far can't fault them..

[nissannewby]

I had slotted rotors on my GQ, I will never be putting anything like that on a 4wd that sees a lot of mud like it did. They always filled up with crud and the only way to clean them properly was to remove wheels. When they clogged the braking certainly was hampered.

They do improve braking, this is for sure but if you see a lot of mud in your travels I wouldn't bother.

[threedogs]

Thanks NN any recommendations of decent pads,
Thinking Brembo have a good name
@ NN these aren't drilled only slotted and counter sunk, how can they clog up?


Being auto it just runs on way too much, even driving as a manual to slow it down

[nissannewby]

Thanks NN any recommendations of decent pads,
Thinking Brembo have a good name
@ NN these aren't drilled only slotted and counter sunk, how can they clog up?


Being auto it just runs on way too much, even driving as a manual to slow it down

Research is your friend in the pad department. People have used the 4.8 pads with good results, basically the softer you go the better the braking at the expense of pad life.

As for the clogging mate, as I said I use to clog slotted rotors ( not drilled or dimpled just slotted) from playing in the mud. It would get into the slots, then would compacted into them from the pad/caliper and that's how it stayed until I cleaned them, usually with the use of a screw driver it would get that hard. If you read what I posted it was from experience and if you saw a lot of mud don't bother.

Slotted/dimpled rotors are good and will improve braking even more so matching a good set of pads to them.

[threedogs]

Thanks makes sense big pressures and heat, think another member is going
down the 4.8 road but rotors are only 10mm bigger I think.

[Bloggsy]

Well that's turned me off the slotted and dimpled rotors.

[NP99]

Bendix have a new pad out, plus the softer the pad less wear on the disc. It's all about what you want to sacrifice I guess.

[threedogs]

Affordable enough these days, now to source some pads,
found some "RED" ones in the UK ,higher working temp and less fade I suppose
A lot more home work yet, The Brembo ones have been withdrawn from sale, as the distributer cant get any more.
There is a place down here called Hopper Stoppers that are suppose to get anything to stop fast and safely.

@ NP99 any idea of name ??

[Bloggsy]

Possibly these one that NP99 is referring to.

http://www.bendix.com.au/content/bendix_brakes_4wd

[macca]

My last 4B had terrible brakes, so I fitted RDA cross drilled rotors with soft QFM (Queensland Friction Modified) pads and what an improvement.
I was steered away from slotted as noted above the crud gets caught in the slots and damages the pad and rotor.
They said drilled allows the crud to pass through and not impact on braking performance, still allowing a cooling effect..
Sales pitch, I don't know. Had no cracks in them so I don't know what to think now.

[taslucas]

I just push harder on the pedal.........lol

[nissannewby]

I just push harder.........lol

That's what she said....

[Morton]

good for onroad/touring, mud will kill it 'em end of story, if u play in mud, take the wheels off that night of next morning & hose them good, make sure the rotor is cool to touch first of it will warp

[ANDY_M]

Definitely improve braking, but as said before mud will just fill them up.

[create]

About 2000 km ago I put RDA slotted rotors and bendix 4wd pads on my Patrol. WOW! what a difference! Yes I hear the issues of mud but I am willing to clean mine when its an issue. Well well worth the dollars.

[threedogs]

@ create that's what I thought , too late now as ordered them Front and rear and some Brembo pads for the front might mix pads up and try different one in the rear.
Wont be fitting them for a week or so but will putt step by step pictures when I fit them.

Fully understand that mud will kill em but mud will kill a lot of things 4x4
No biggie to clean them
Had them on my other 4x4 with no issues but slotted only

[threedogs]

I take it all GUs have a twin piston calipher and front rotors are 306mm in diameter for diesel variants, only the petrol 4.8 has the 315mm front rotor.
Does this sound right

[FNQGU]

Yesterday I had the local brake guru's go over the truck and take it for a test and assessment. I have been unhappy with the brakes since picking up the vehicle. If I jump on them, they will still manage to lock up, but it is a spongy feel that is not confidence inspiring.

They came back and recommended dimpled and slotted rotors with EBC Greenstuff 4wd (6000 series) pads and reckon it will improve braking by about 20% with much better feel. Good point regarding the mud though, something to keep a close eye on. I'll definitely be doing the upgrade though.

[Cuppa]

Yesterday I had the local brake guru's go over the truck and take it for a test and assessment. I have been unhappy with the brakes since picking up the vehicle. If I jump on them, they will still manage to lock up, but it is a spongy feel that is not confidence inspiring.

They came back and recommended dimpled and slotted rotors with EBC Greenstuff 4wd (6000 series) pads and reckon it will improve braking by about 20% with much better feel. Good point regarding the mud though, something to keep a close eye on. I'll definitely be doing the upgrade though.

I'll look forward to your (& other's) outcome.
When I bought my GU I thought it had a braking problem & needed bleeding. The place I bought it from told me to take it to my nearest Nissan dealer & they would pick up the tab. Twice I took it in & both times it came back feeling the same, as you describe, manage to lock up, but spongy feeling & not confidence inspiring. When I 'expressed my disappointment' & confidently stated that the brakes still had a problem I got to speak to the workshop foreman, who had me sit in two other GU's he had in at the time to 'prove' they were all like that, & the two I tried out certainly were. He mumbled something about Nissan believing a non aggressive brake set up like this was better for off road.
I'm considering upgrading the front dics & pads. Rear are drums, so might chase up some different shoe material if it seems warranted after the front is done.

Cuppa

[threedogs]

I've also been advised to use RDA "black" pads

[FNQGU]

TD, I was told that the RDA Black and the EBC Green are the same compound, or something like that. I haven't explored that any further though.

Cuppa, I will be about two weeks away from doing this little job... School holidays are upon us and the Dinosaur Way is calling... Cairns - Undarra, Hughenden, Richmond, Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine, Emerald and then a little R&R at Yepoon before returning to Cairns...and work.

It would have been good to get the brakes done before the trip but wasn't to be. I'll update once they are done.

[threedogs]

just need to source pads,,,, a friend of mine had Kevlar pads in but they stunk and chewed rotors to bits.
need something that's a bit better than a towing style pad, as the pads are more expensive than the rotors
in some cases.

[threedogs]

Bumped found some RDA {gold} "extreme" pads for the front and rear.
Price isn't bad has anyone used them??


Edit again I'll also replace the brake fluid, and possibly fit braided hoses
to stop the hose swelling under heavy pressure

@ Cuppa I'd be sourcing a Disc brake rear end if the price was right

[FNQGU]

TD - I am told that the dimpled and slotted rotors are fine with mud, but that a rotor that is drilled right through will possibly run into increased mud wear issues. The theory I was explained was that the mud dries and is thrown out relatively quickly from the dimples and slots. I am no expert on this but was assured that the dimpled and slotted rotors have a proven record with 4wd vehicles and won't cause issues. I'll take this on face value I guess and the first time I hit the mud I will be closely inspecting them to see what happens.

[nissannewby]

Bumped found some RDA {gold} "extreme" pads for the front and rear.
Price isn't bad has anyone used them??


Edit again I'll also replace the brake fluid, and possibly fit braided hoses
to stop the hose swelling under heavy pressure

@ Cuppa I'd be sourcing a Disc brake rear end if the price was right

Im using them at the moment they seem to work well, can manage to lock up if I want to.

[nissannewby]

just need to source pads,,,, a friend of mine had Kevlar pads in but they stunk and chewed rotors to bits.
need something that's a bit better than a towing style pad, as the pads are more expensive than the rotors
in some cases.

If anything you want softer pads, better braking at a sacrifice of pad life. if you could find a could balance then you are on a winner, you don't want Kevlar pads that chew through 4 sets of rotors to a set of pads, more like 2 sets of pads to a set of rotors or 2 sets of rotors to a set of pads

[NP99]

Pads are cheaper than rotors.....I'd go soft pads!

[Cuppa]

Pads are cheaper than rotors


Not necessarily.The EBC pads i just bought cost $215 just for the two front sets. The two RDA dimpled/slotted rotors were $169. Whether the pads are worth the cost I'm yet to discover.

[nissannewby]

Not necessarily.The EBC pads i just bought cost $215 just for the two front sets. The two RDA dimpled/slotted rotors were $169. Whether the pads are worth the cost I'm yet to discover.

2 front sets? Did you get a spare set? Generally you get fronts in a pack and the rears in a pack. I haven't seen them sold in pairs.

[NP99]

Not necessarily.The EBC pads i just bought cost $215 just for the two front sets. The two RDA dimpled/slotted rotors were $169. Whether the pads are worth the cost I'm yet to discover.

I'm happy with the $40 set from supercheap. 12 month life from the pads is fine for me and the stopping power is pretty good.

[threedogs]

I cant believe how much better the Patrol stops now, bedding in period is nearly over.
Luckily have not had to stop in anger and get the rotors hot, Highly recommend,
BTW I fitted RDA Gold extreme pads for $52 a set, For Autos and towing applications
Little effort required to stop now, happy camper

[Cuppa]

2 front sets? Did you get a spare set? Generally you get fronts in a pack and the rears in a pack. I haven't seen them sold in pairs.

Nah, just the one set. 2 pairs of pads :). I think I've probably only ever bought pads for bikes & am used to buying a set (pair) for single disc front or rear.