Pros:

• Work Great When Cold; Excellent For Short Trips & Cold Climates
• Available In Track-Ready Formulations
• Relatively Less expensive Than Comparable Ceramic Pads
• Typically Easier On Rotors Than Ceramic Pads

Cons:

• Louder Than Ceramic Pads
• Generate More Black Dust That Can Stick to Wheels
• Don’t Last As Long As Ceramic Pads

OEM Rotors:

As opposed to performance rotors, the OEM style rotors have a smooth pad contact surface with no grooves or holes for heat dissipation. They do; however, have a vented center between both rotor sides as well as straight, parallel fins to improve the passage of air. This ensures the metal will expand more evenly, minimizing the chance of warping. For those who are going to use their Corvette for everyday driving rather than racing, or aggressive driving, a basic OEM style rotor is just the ticket.

Slotted Rotors:

Slotted rotors look like a traditional set of rotors with slots carved into the surface of the discs. The slots actually allow the discs to expel built-up brake dust and gases that are generated every time you tap your brakes. You can continue to use traditional or original style brake pads with slotted rotors or you can match a set of high performance pads to your new high performance rotors.

Drilled Rotors:

Unlike slotted rotors, drilled rotors do not have grooves. Instead, they have holes drilled through the surface of the rotors. These holes allow brake dust and gas to vent. Unlike the slotted rotors, the drilled rotors have holes that go through the rotor. This creates more air movement through the hole and dissipates heat even more effectively than the slots do in slotted rotors. The downside is that drilling holes weakens the strength of your rotors.

Drilled and Slotted Rotors

Can’t decide between slotted or drilled rotors? Go with a hybrid of the two. Drilled and slotted rotors will give you the maximum amount of heat dissipation, keeping your pad and rotor temperatures down. This will keep your brake pedal firm and give you maximum stopping capabilities even under extreme braking conditions. There are a couple negatives to these rotors. The drilled and slotted rotors are the weakest in strength, but this should not be an issue if you are looking for a high performance rotor or taking your car to the race track, as you should be replacing your rotors frequently anyway.

Rubber Hose vs. Stainless Steel:

Rubber brake hoses (lines) are less expensive than their stainless steel counterparts. Rubber brake line installations are much more common, because the average everyday vehicle owner won’t notice the difference in braking response that comes from using rubber brake lines. Rubber brake lines are easier to inspect than the stainless steel brake hoses, since you can visually see the rubber, where as the stainless steel covers the rubber.

Upgrading to stainless steel lines does have its advantages. The rubber brake hoses are susceptible to wear and damage, while the stainless steel hoses are protected by the stainless steel braid. Stainless steel brake lines serve in many high performance braking systems because Teflon resists expansion as mentioned above, and therefore creates more direct fluid pressure.

A standard rubber brake line, when faced with more than 1500 PSI of pressure at the point of brake application, will flex and absorb some of the pressure from the brake fluid compression. In a stainless steel brake line, brake fluid will only flow to the path of least resistance, which usually ends up being the end of the brake line or caliper in a sealed system. This will give you a firm brake pedal feel. There is also a cosmetic advantage to stainless steel lines. If you have a show car, a set of steel lines may be the choice for you, regardless of the technical benefits.

Brake Fluid:

Most automotive professionals agree that glycol-based brake fluid, (DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5.1) should be flushed, or changed, every 1–2 years under non-racing conditions. Periodic fluid changes will ensure reliability and safety. Once added to the braking system moisture will diffuse into the fluid through brake hoses and rubber seals and, eventually, the fluid will have to be replaced when the water content becomes too high. Most brake fluids used today are glycol-ether based, but mineral oil and silicone (DOT 5) based fluids are also available.

Silicone fluid should be used only to fill brake systems that have not been previously filled with glycol based fluid. Silicone fluid does not allow moisture to enter the system, but also does not disperse any that is already there. A system filled from dry with silicone fluid does not require the fluid to be changed at intervals, but only when the system has been disturbed for a component repair or renewal. Silicone fluid is used extensively in cold climates.