Drilled front rotors
 

I've seen the drilled front rotors for sale recently and have been thinking about buying them, then I read somewhere that drilled cast iron rotors tend to crack. Any opinions? What about the slotted rotors? It seems to me that they would wear down to regular rotors, and if you had them turned they would be back to flat anyway. What about taking off the dust shields? any risk with street use? Thanks

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92 lx 5.0 5speed bbk longtubes,filter, short belt, ofroad pipe, frame connectors
69 & 71 ss396 4 speed camaros

slotted rotors are good for street use. I have heard that after time, drilled rotors tend to crack around the holes. The slots or holes are there to allow the gasses escaping from the pads a place to escape. That way they don't build up between the pad and the rotor. This all means better braking at the limit. Also means they look cool. Go for the slotted ones I say.

I don't think you will gain any benefit from removing the dust shields. If anything, make a duct system to the center of the rotor through the dust shield. Rotors cool by pulling air into the center and flinging it out to the perimeter, kinda like a centrifugal supercharger. So air directed to the center can beneficial.

Ken

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'91LX hatch, 377ci Windsor, TW heads, GT40/Downs intake, BBK LT headers, 12.80 corrected ET. (actually 13.90 at 5800')

Slotted/drilled rotors are for show, period. The escaping gasses (green gassing) is really negligible. The slots/holes are just more prone to heat differences and thus crack easier there. For the roadcourse I would stay away from them, for the street they do look cool (but thats about it).
As for the duct shield, if you are on a roadcourse, then your should remove it and get some brake ducting in there. For the street, just leave it. The rain/dirt will not be worth it (you wont notice anything, barely).

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Darius Rudis
Roadracer: Home built t-arm/panhard suspension powered by an S-trimmed motor :-)
My Mustang Page

Don't drill Ford rotors. That's asking for trouble. They won't hold up.

Slotted rotors are meant to let gasses escape. They sort of work, but will tear up your pads. Most modern pads don't release much gas.

Properly cross drilled rotors are more for cooling. Again, they will tear up your pads quicker, but do cool better, so less fade.