No nonsense - the benefits of perforated brake discs

Disc brakes on all four wheels are now standard on modern vehicles. The drum brakes serve only as a parking brake. Even in compact vehicles, the moving masses and engine power are too high for simple drum brakes to guarantee safe braking. However, the problem that applies to all brakes has a name: brake fade.

Prevent brake wear with high performance brakes

Brake fade is the loss of braking effect due to the accumulation of heat in the braking system . If the heat generated during braking cannot be dissipated quickly enough, a dangerous situation arises: the temperature of the brake disc approaches the melting point, and the friction between the brake lining and the brake disc deteriorates significantly .

in drum brakes this often results in complete failure. But simple, non-perforated and solid brake discs can also cause brake fade. Here also the cause is inadequate removal of accumulated heat .

Perforated brake discs: be careful and make the right diagnosis

As a rule , the standard installed brakes are suitable for general use. Even exceptional situations such as long trips downhill are taken into account by manufacturers during construction. Steel brake disc has melting point 1400°C . You have to slow down for a very long time to get to it.

If a momentary brake failure occurs when normal use , this is probably not caused by loose brakes. In this case more likely hydraulic system failure .

The most obvious reason is too old brake fuel accumulated in too much water. This can be checked with a test strip. If the brake fluid has already turned green , you can save yourself the trouble - the brake fluid must be changed immediately, and the brake system thoroughly ventilated. another reason sudden loss of brake pressure may be a rupture of the brake line.

Therefore: when the brake becomes unsafe, immediately start looking for the cause. Under normal use, brake problems are almost never due to design defects. .

More speed, more heat

When the car is pushed to the limit and is driving on the race track, a standard one-piece brake disc can reach its limits too .

As for the brakes , the colder they are the better .

therefore engineers are constantly working on optimizing braking conditions with innovative discs.

One option is a perforated brake disc.

Perforated brake discs: more than just holes

It would be too easy just drill some holes in a solid brake disc and hope for some effect. Here we have to disappoint the user — creating a thermally optimized brake disc requires a lot of ingenuity .

The perforated brake disc can be seen as the next step in the evolution of the internally ventilated brake disc. . Although one-piece brake discs can be optimized with slots and holes ... They only allowed on the rear axle and mainly serve as optical effects, since they cannot be distinguished by sight from the heavily tensioned brake discs of the front axle .
The internally ventilated brake disc is a very complex component. . It is designed in such a way that during movement, air is sucked in through the hub and blown out through the channels inside the brake disc. The air flows around the heated disk, taking with it the accumulated heat.

Brake disc with internal ventilation is efficient and without perforation . However, if the brake disc is provided with carefully spaced holes, there are several positive effects:

– optimization of heat dissipation – less wear on the brake disc – reduction in the weight of the brake disc – sporty, dynamic accent for the car.

However, even brake discs of complex design with internal ventilation and perforations are made exclusively from gray cast steel, which makes them amazingly cheap .

Disadvantages of perforated brake discs

Having many advantages of perforated brake discs you almost won't believe that they may have some disadvantages . Unfortunately, where there is light, there is shadow.

The main disadvantage of perforated brake discs is increased brake pad wear. . The structured surface of the perforated brake disc acts like a grid, wearing down the brake linings much faster than a smooth one-piece brake disc. .

If you want to install perforated brake discs on your car , keep in mind that you will have to change the brake pads twice as often . Fortunately, this service is very simple and can be quickly mastered.

Be sure to check the approval

The perforated brake disc is a heavily loaded component , which was structurally weakened. This necessitates high quality construction and finishing. If you're interested in this dynamic and efficient feature, don't skimp on the wrong end: you should always buy perforated brake discs of certified quality .

therefore high-quality branded products usually have universal certification. Most manufacturers do not require additional conversion to the registration documents of the car.

Perforated brake discs: pay attention to the direction of rotation

• especially important for ventilated brake discs is installing them in the right direction . Air is sucked in by the hub and directed out.
• If they are set incorrectly, the opposite happens: cold air is sucked in from the outside of the brake disc, heats up on its way through the disc and is blown tightly inside .
• This causes heat to build up on the caliper, axle hub or ball joint. . These components contain a certain amount of rubber, which weakens as a result of constant heat and, as a result, quickly ages.

• perforated or not , each modification or installation of brake discs with internal ventilation includes: carefully read and understand the manual before installation and before unscrewing the first bolt . Only then can you be sure of a successful repair that delivers the desired performance boost for your vehicle.