Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

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Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by Roadrunner »

I bought a set of Brembo front rotors for the 2000. I was looking for a good high quality, long lasting OE rotor.
When the package arrived, the box said “Made in China” :angry7:. After looking at the first one, I figured it might be OK since it was heavy enough and machining looked good.

Opened the second box and found this:
Image
I thought “that’s a lot of material to be removing to balance it”.

I then saw that the thickness of the inboard & outboard surfaces varied quite a bit.
Image
In this spot the difference in thickness is 0.09” and 120 degrees from this spot the thickness is the same.
It’s like the rotor was badly warped before it was machined.


I also noticed the inside surface of the fins is a lot rougher than the other rotor.
Image

---------------------
Other rotor:
The worst spot on the other rotor has a difference in thickness of about 0.03” between inboard & outboard surface (does not look too bad). Overall machining quality appears to be on par with the USA Bendix on my ’93. The uniformity and smoothness of the casting surface of the cooling fins is not nearly as good as the bendix.

--------------------
What Should I do?
In the past I would have bought USA Rabybestos or Bendix. Since these no longer exist, I thought Brembo was the next best. This car is driven 25 to 28k miles per year (sometimes aggressively). Pad/rotor longevity is important so I was trying to avoid slotted rotors.

The bad one is definitely going back.
I’m not sure what to do about the better one. Should I try to get a good mate to it or should I return both and try to get something better?

Has anyone recently bought ’00 + rotors that are good quality?
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by Roadtech195 »

Try Intense... or even ZZ Performance.
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by 1994se »

Besides the race kit Intense doesn't sell rotors. I'm also trying to avoid getting shoddy rotors so i am just biting the bullet and getting powerslots as i have heard nothing but good things about their product.
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by willwren »

Let us see pics when you get them. And I can compare to mine. My powerslots are Brembo blanks. Powerslot slots and hardens them after they get the blanks from Brembo.

Mine are quite a bit thicker than those. But they're at least 3 years old, too.
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by Roadrunner »

I'm thinking Powerslot is probably the way to go too.
I'm wondering if their quality has changed since they were bought out by Centric last November.

willwren wrote:... hardens them after they get the blanks from Brembo...
Did you order the Cryo treated version or are you talking of something different?

I was initially wanting the Powerslot Cryos but the delivery was about a month at the time.
I then thought these Brembos might be good enough.
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by rrounds »

I've had Baer DecelaRotors rotors on my car for 3 years now, they work good.
http://www.baer.com/products/oe/rotors.php

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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by 1994se »

willwren wrote:Let us see pics when you get them.
Ordering today, hopefully i don't have similar issues.
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by Roadrunner »

I returned the Brembos and just received new Power Slots.

OMG - Now this is what a rotor should look like! :thumbup:

Surfaces are uniform and the vanes are much smoother and heavier than the Brembos. The slots are also not as aggressive as I thought they would be.

They used a center split core casting (see middle of this page Centric Rotors ) whereas the Brembo had a side split. The vanes on the Brembo were not nearly as uniform in length either.

So now the question I have is:
Are the premium OE replacement Centric this good too?
If so, this one may fill the void left by the loss of Raybestos and Bendix as quality suppliers.
Someone should try these to find out.
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Re: Does anyone still make good rotors? (Brembo issues)

Post by 1994se »

x2 i just received mine today and see no manufacturing flaws that are shown in the pictures of the Brembos. I too am thoroughly impressed with the quality of these rotors and i haven't even put them on the car yet.
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