rotors

**hozeman** · 07-10-2008, 10:25 AM

I'll be needing some new rotors and pads soon for my 99 SS, plan on replacing all four with better than originals. I see some super prices on drilled/slotted rotors on E-bay, as compared to some well known parts distributers, like Jegs. Has anybody bought these inexpensive but supposedly high performance rotors/pads . My instincts tell to stay away from the cheap stuff, but man the prices are so good I just gotta investigate. There are two or three sellers with these super prices,I've checked the sellers reps. and feedback but I'm leery. I like buying things from a place with a phone number or better yet a regular store with people I can talk to face to face.

**GULLETT17** · 07-10-2008, 11:27 AM

im still pondering this issue . . . check out my thread i started a while back:
http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78132
im leaning towards just gettin brembo blanks and be done with it. however, i still have the feeling that if im gonna change em, i want something thats gonna look cool, especially because my wheels really allow you to see the rotors. because in the end i could prob go get my gm ones turned and be happy for prob another 30,000 miles

**Eugenio_SS** · 07-10-2008, 05:11 PM

forget cross-drilled... they remove material which is crucial for heat dissipation, and also create stress points which you tend to see crack formation.
Among the best bang for buck is Brembo blanks... won't warp as stock rotors, and does a much better job than expensive cross-drilled.

chose between braking performance (blanks) or bling (cross-drilled)

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 07-10-2008, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

i...because in the end i could prob go get my gm ones turned and be happy for prob another 30,000 miles

I'd give them 10K at the most.

**hozeman** · 07-11-2008, 10:29 AM

Hey Gullet17, I read that entire thread , Lots of good stuff in there, thanks man. I'm still not sure what to do. So many options so many opinions. I'm in the same the boat as you, I want as good or better stopping power than I have now. I would like to improve the look via slotted/drilled rotors, But i do not want to have to modify anything to make the knew ones fit. And most importantly the y need to last and work as well and as long as the basic original parts. I hate it when brakes start pulsing , Durability and longevity are important. I do not road race or take my car to the drag strip but I love to get on it and smoke some rice burner or mustang from time to time. The only thing i drive faster than the SS is my sled(snowmobile), there are no speed limis on snowmobile trails,lol.

**QtrWhore** · 07-14-2008, 05:40 AM

somebody on ls1tech is seling baer eradispeed rotors and pads cheap..

**Sam Strano** · 07-16-2008, 10:44 AM

Rotors are friction surfaces. They don't really change the amount of braking power you have, what you get with premium rotors are tougher, better engineered pieces that are less prone to warping, cracking and so on.

Brembo's have historically been good for these cars, but because of the economic times they keep moving production to different places, and I can't keep up with the changes. Clearly they are doing this to try and save some money, but at the same time the prices keep climbing. In fact they've gotten so close to the price of the ATE PremiumOne rotors that I'm now recommending those because of their known quality and the fact they are coated to prevent rust on the hats and edges and a lot of folks like that. They are also sort of slotted, but in a way that does not weaken the rotor. The "slots" are elliptical grooves that are cast in, cleaned up and have no sharp edges to act as stress risers (that start cracks). They also aren't very deep, when the rotor is to minimum service thickness the "slot" wears away and you are left with a blank to show you the rotos is in need of changing.

We also offer an inexpensive line of rotors called "Best Rotors" (cheesy name I know, I didnt' make it up). They are inexpensive and not junk. In fact they have a 2 year warranty from the supplier that's actually honored if there is any issue like severe warping as long as they are used with an approved pad like a Hawk (junk pads can tear rotors up).

All the brake stuff we have for the cars can be seen here: http://www.stranoparts.com/searchbym...D=17&ModelID=7

Plenty of choices, and we carry both inexpensive and premium rotors. But Ebay deals tend to be iffy. There are a lot of folks buying really cheap rotors, drilling and machining them and selling them for a good profit. And I guess if they can, good for them. I'm not big on iffy brakes.

**hozeman** · 07-17-2008, 02:25 PM

I've had my 99 ss for a couple of years now but I am just starting to make improvements on the performance and appearance. The car has some SLP stuff on it already. it runs great now But as finances allow i plan to make it better. I may take it to a drag strip sometime but the car is mainly just a weekend toy, street car. I have been reading most of the forums on here since I found this site, I am learning more everyday. Thanks for the info, I'll have lots of questions in the future.