Substantive differences between brake rotors

[David_Corbett]

Hello BITOG,

Question: Is there a substantive difference between different brands and grades of brake rotor?

I'm looking into getting new rotors at some point for my 2013 GS350 AWD, and I honestly am not sure what separates an OEM rotor from a Centric rotor from an EBC rotor from a Raybestos rotor from a Wagner rotor from a Brembo rotor from an ACDelco rotor from a Bendix rotor from a Bosch rotor... and so on and so forth. I'm also not sure what separates, for example, a Centric C-TEK rotor from a regular Centric rotor from a Stoptech rotor, or a Raybestos Service Grade from a Professional Grade from an Advanced Technology. And what about Frozen Rotors or other cryogenically treated options?

I enjoy using high-quality parts when it makes a difference, but I find myself muddling about blindly with very little in the way of understanding to guide me. It seems that almost all brands are now made in the Far East, so I can't even extrapolate based on country of origin.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SatinSilver]

The link below may help since it talks about the basic Centric rotors. In your area coated rotors may help to keep the rust in check. The Wagner coated ones are like that on both sides unlike the Raybestos ones.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...ric-c-tek-121-economy-rotors#Post4893331

 

[oldmaninsc]

I have had really good service from rotors I've bought from a company in the Los Angeles area called R1Concepts.
https://www.r1concepts.com/about_us

Their rotors seem to be high quality and their prices are decent. They are close enough if I need to I can pick up items at their store.

 

[Kool1]

I like Advics rotors made in the USA. Our Mountain rotors are made in Japan. See them for at Amazon or advance auto parts
Both of these rotors are available for Japanese cars.

 

[nthach]

I think there's no difference between Centric 120 series and Bosch/Akebono/Textar - they are high-quality Chinese rotors. As are Raybestos Advanced Technology. I think Advics is the the better choice for Toyota. Centric and Stoptech are the same company.

I was at The Critic's shop when he installed a set of C-Tek rotors, Centric's cheaper line to compete against parts stores and there was some obvious differences - the rotors weren't coated and there was no mill balancing to help the rotors run true. There could also be material differences, Centric claims C-Tek is made from G3000 iron and they have a separate number for high-carbon rotors.

My parents have white box rotors and standard pads on their LS430, I assume Napa. They're working OK so far.

 

[benjamming]

Originally Posted by David_Corbett
Hello BITOG,

It seems that almost all brands are now made in the Far East, so I can't even extrapolate based on country of origin.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.


EBC makes most of their rotors in the UK FWIW.

 

[benjy]

unless stepping up to a high performance 2 piece setup my research led to EBC's, as noted made in the UK + also manufacture in the USA prolly some pads. i got the smooth rotors that can easily be cut + they are said to be higher quality gray iron with more carbon. search their site + shop for best pricing. i had centric on another vehicle they are ok being stop tec cheaper line. 2 pc rotors like i put on my TT save unsprung weight + the Wilwood kit for the front was reasonable IMO

 

[Pelican]

Generally OEM are the best combo of price/performance. You may find better rotors at a price if you need them and cheaper ones if you want to economize.

For general use I find OEM to be the best value for me.

 

[dfarr67]

EBC + Hawk

 

[Garak]

David, if the pricing for your car is anything remotely like the parts were for my G37, and it is worth looking around to be sure, the EBC recommendations might be worth looking at. I did go with Raybestos EHT pads and their painted rotors, and I am very happy with them. However, the price difference from EBC, even if I chose something like slotted rotors (overkill) and Red Stuff pads (also overkill) would have been negligible, maybe a couple hundred dollars for all four corners, and that's even with me getting the Raybestos products at jobber price. There is an online official retailer for EBC in Canada, but you may have to rely on the application guide PDF rather than some of the online fitment guides.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Coated rotors are awesome

Centric Premium, Wagner E-coated, and EBC plain rotors are the best ones to get

 

[Donald]

I believe in getting high quality pads and good quality rotors. If they lay salt on your roads like they do in NY then coated ones might be worth it.

You can check the runout with a dial gauge after the install.

 

[Oleo]

For your lexus, I would go for Advics rotors if you intend to use them for a long period of time. Otherwise, cheaper coated rotors will work fine, just maybe not endure the physical and environmental stresses over time as well in comparison. The cheap china made rotors these days seem to be of acceptable quality from what I've heard.

 

[wdn]

The higher end line of Centric Premium brake drums and rotors are of very good quality. I had Centric Premium rear drums and shoes installed by my mechanic in my Gen 1 Tundra a few weeks ago and am very happy with them. They stop fine. It did take I would say 200 miles for everything to be fully bedded in.

 

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by dfarr67
EBC + Hawk


+1 I have always been pleased with Hawk products on cars and trucks. They have a good website as well. EBC I have used on many motorcycles as well. I have been disappointed with most Raybestos products so I have avoided them for the last 20 years.

 

[The Critic]

Premium rotors tend to have more consistent QC, better finish (faster pad bed-in), mill balancing (questionable value) and a coating of some sort. Metallurgy is sometimes better, but it may/may not be relevant depending on the pad material used.

I generally prefer OE rotors when the cost makes sense.

 

[David_Corbett]

Thanks for all the information so quickly, folks! I see that EBC rotors have come up a lot, and I wouldn't mind some assistance in working out exactly which grades of iron they are using. Their rotors seem to have a very good name and I would much rather buy a British-made product.

Depending on the source - and EBC seems to contradict itself frequently - there seems to be some inconsistency.

My expectation would be that EBC would cast its rotors blanks and then machine them differentially based on whether they were going to be RK blank, USR slotted, GD sport, or BSD blade-type slots. This would necessitate that they be generally made from the same sort of iron.

On its website, under product information, EBC states that its rotors are made from G3000 gray iron, which I understand is fairly typical. It refers to its RK blanks as being made from "highest specification grey iron". The USR page refers to all of its USR rotors - indeed, all of its rotors in general - as being made in the UK. However, the GD page it talks about a sister company in Italy and states that only 90% of the rotors are made in the UK or Italy. The GD page also says that *most*, not all, rotors were G3000 iron. The BSD rotor page goes back to stating that they are all made in the UK - and makes reference to a unique material known as 'Discalloy', whatever that is. Similar challenges emerge when trying to determine whether they use Geomet or "Nitrotherm" to coat their rotors.

Checking the catalogue gives no help, as it refers to rotors (this time the USR series) as being made of "special rotor alloys which are unique to EBC brakes", but on the same page cites that the blanks and BSD rotors are made from G3000 gray iron.

The stockists are similarly confusing; Canada's "PartsEngine.ca" declares the BSDs to be 100% British made using "GG15HC High Silicon and High Carbon cast iron alloy", the GD and USR series as "high quality grey iron", and the RK series as "OE Spec G3000 Grey Iron".

Just to throw some extra confusion into the mix, EBC apparently makes its two-piece floating rotors from G3500, not G3000, grey iron.

The net effect is enough to leave me absolutely baffled. Does anyone know what EBC is actually doing?

 

[bulwnkl]

Trying to baffle you so that you just buy whatever sounds the coolest?

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by David_Corbett
Question: Is there a substantive difference between different brands and grades of brake rotor


Some brands (Centric) give specs for flatness and runout, and you can see them tighten up a bit on their higher end products. In all cases though, they have to meet the OEM runout spec for the given application.

I'll sing my usual song here- the flattest, least runout, best balanced rotors may not matter a bit if they are simply bolted on and sent down the road. Every Factory Service Manual has a spec for on vehicle runout, and unless somebody bothers to measure it- with some simple equipment- you just don't know if your perfectly flat rotors were mounted crooked or not.

In decades of watching through the waiting room window, I have yet to see a dealer or tire shop use a dial indicator on a rotor. Now I no longer allow anyone else to work on my brakes, and I dial-in each and every rotor to minimum runout.

 

[David_Corbett]

Originally Posted by bulwnkl
Trying to baffle you so that you just buy whatever sounds the coolest?


Well, they've certainly succeeded in baffling me. I have requested some information from their American office directly, but haven't received any response yet. Unless I can get a straight answer, I'll probably go for the stock rotors, which I can obtain for around $120 each. (Rotor prices in Canada are... not so great.) They are made in Japan and seem to have been fairly well coated. Certainly they have not let me down in 125,000km/five years of use.

Originally Posted by HangFire
Originally Posted by David_Corbett
Question: Is there a substantive difference between different brands and grades of brake rotor


Some brands (Centric) give specs for flatness and runout, and you can see them tighten up a bit on their higher end products. In all cases though, they have to meet the OEM runout spec for the given application.

I'll sing my usual song here- the flattest, least runout, best balanced rotors may not matter a bit if they are simply bolted on and sent down the road. Every Factory Service Manual has a spec for on vehicle runout, and unless somebody bothers to measure it- with some simple equipment- you just don't know if your perfectly flat rotors were mounted crooked or not.

In decades of watching through the waiting room window, I have yet to see a dealer or tire shop use a dial indicator on a rotor. Now I no longer allow anyone else to work on my brakes, and I dial-in each and every rotor to minimum runout.


Now this is a very legitimate point, and one I hadn't considered. The next time I do a brake job myself - well, the first time I do a brake job myself - I will have to obtain a dial indicator to check the runout personally. I can't imagine it's so great; I had my rotors re-machined as part of the last brake job, and I expect that a mechanic on a lathe probably won't be as efficient as a factory setup.