I own an '02 maxima, its needing brakes soon and was just wondering if
vented/cross drilled roters are okay for every day use or not and will
they increase longgevity on the roters. And the same question for the
ceramic brake pads.

Thanks

Mr Christie

curtchristie (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote in news:1175258075.817821.213280
@p15g2000hsd.googlegroups.com:

Honestly, I can't understand the use of drilled or vented brake
rotors in non-racing applications. Vented rotors work well in
race cars because they are moving and have lots of air flow over
the rotor. Much of the braking is done with the intent to slow
but not stop the car (except for the times that you must stop).
Since the car keeps moving, the rotors get cooled by the air flow
and the drilling/venting helps cool the rotors.

Street driving is different. Your greatest use of the brakes is
to bring the car to a complete stop (IE: at a red light). Since the
car is stopped, there is no air flow over the rotors to help cool
the rotors. The best way to keep the rotors from overheating is
by shear mass. Drilling the rotors removes mass.

So unless you install somthing like auxillary cooling fans to blow
air over the rotors when the car is stopped, I don't see the point.

On Mar 30, 7:34 am, curtchris... (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote:
No point in this car; the rotors are already too small (not enough
mass). Drilling out more metal is the wrong answer.

Ceramic pads are fine. But I'd get a pair of Brembo aftermarket
rotors, no slots, no drills, and be done with it. The Brembo rotors
are cast with much more ventilation than the OEM are, in any case.

Drilled look cool, but that's where the cracks start when the rotors
get under a lot of stress.