MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

I've been wanting a long time to get some aftermarket rotors that were cross drilled, slotted, or both. Preferably cross drilled because IMO they look better. Before you go off and tell me cross drilled or slotted rotors are inferior to stock rotors, they will crack, etc., etc., when you bring your car to the track because the rapid heating and cooling will cause stress cracks around the drilled holes, I already know that. However, I don't plan on bringing this car to the track. I have had crossed drilled/slotted rotors on my previous car for years and never had any problems with them with street driving. I know they are only for looks only and does nothing for performance, and this is exactly what I am looking for, to make my rotors look more aggessive.

The dealership replaced my front rotors and pads couple months ago because they were squeeking when I only went in to replace my windshield moldings. I was thinking instead of buying cross drilled rotors, have my stock rotors drilled to have the same look. R1 Concepts who sells brake parts and rotors said they can cross drill my stock rotors for $20 each. Are the stock rotors robust enough to take cross drilling with street driving? Or are those rotors that get cross drilled made of stronger metal to handle cross drilling.

Lexs350

iTrader: (3)

I ended up going with PROSTOP on ebay. They are out of Arcadia, Calif. I ended doing the work twice. Because I assumed the ROTORS were Zinc Plated. They were not. and rust started to show a month later. However, PROSTOP stepped up to the plate and sent me a new set ZINC for $20.00 extra. I payed the shipping for the return. So.....the moral of the story. Don't assume and make sure they are ZINC DIPPED.
I love the look.

chi123

iTrader: (12)

I'm interested in hearing the answers people have about this. I think it would be possible to drill the stock rotors since I heard R1 Concepts just drills blank Centric rotors. However, you are loosing weight off the rotors and material. Not sure if it'll work but for $20 each, I'll get my stock ones drilled if it woks.

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

Yea, R1 Concepts is local to me, I called them up and they said yea they can drill stock rotors. They even ask if I want them plated but I said no because our stock rotors already have that flat black coating to prevent rust. I can buy new rotors that are cross drilled but I would hate to have my stock rotors just sit there not being used.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Just don't try to drill used rotors. It may not be pretty at all.

IS350HKS

iTrader: (4)

i would not do it

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

I trust what you say because you seem knowledgeable in anything car related. Can you explain in further detail why this might be a bad idea? Not pretty meaning it's gonna turn out ugly looking or not pretty in creating a disaster for my brakes. Thanks.

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

Just thought of this as an option to get the non oem rotor look. Are your rotors still available? Last you said your car is still in the shop. Let me know!

joedad

If you must do it only get slotted, the drilled rotors will start to heat crack at the holes very quickly and the you've just wasted your money. You really don't even need slotted unless you are really heating things up for no reason. That's a spendy way to go for a look that you can only see if the car is stopped.

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

^^ Never had cross drilled holes crack on my old car or on any of my friends' cars with street driving. I don't really hear about cracked rotors with street driving but track yes. I believe Lobuxracer even posted a picture of his stock IS-F rotors having cracks after a track day, and those come cross drilled.

SiskoMax77

iTrader: (1)

He is right, VERY BAD! There was once a youtube video of an Integra owner who did that and the rotor snapped on the highway.....did not sound good nor looked good at all

It will be less expensive in te long run to buy a set, even the cheaper ones are less riskier then drilling yourself...just saying

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

Thanks, guess drilling is a no go and will just buy new rotors later on that comes drilled when the time comes. I'm no metallurgy expert but I assume the constant heating/cooling when braking (even with street driving) changes the metal structure of the rotor in a uniform manner. Perhaps introducing holes in a used rotor where the structure has already been altered makes the rotor more prone to cracking. I had a sense it was a bad idea, but I just had to ask anyways. Topic didn't really come up in searching. Thanks everybody.

SiskoMax77

iTrader: (1)

No worries glad to help! It's always better to ask and be looked at as a fool then go out and do it and feel like a fool when you ae broken on the side of the road my friend or worse in the middle of a freeway. And always remember there is no such thing as a dumb question.............well there is but lets not go there on this one lolz

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

This is where you are missing the important piece - rotors can develop hot spots and those hot spots will have very different physical properties. It might be practically impossible to drill because the iron has hardened sufficiently to make most cutting tools useless. You can always use a plasma cutter, but they're not designed for nice clean holes unless you've got a robot controlling the head.

Once you drill, you introduce a whole new set of stresses to the metal, and how those stresses resolve may end up cracking the rotor catastrophically.

A new rotor has none of these issues, so drilling a new one isn't a big deal at all. The cast iron is pretty soft and the drills don't need to be super expensive to do a good job. I'm still no fan of drilled rotors, but there are ways to do it to minimize the risks if you've decided you have to have it.

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

^^ Makes more sense the way you explained it. Thanks for the info.

Not being a fan of drilled rotors + IS-F stock drilled rotors = Not a fan of IS-F stock drilled rotors