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We replaced our front rotors with DBA’s top of the line 5000 series rotors. The 5000 series rotor is a two piece design featuring a lightweight aluminum center hat with a corrosion resistant black anodized finish. The Aluminum center hat reduces unsprung and rotating weight by several pounds per rotor. This improves acceleration, braking and suspension performance. The rotor itself is available separately so the hat can be reused should the rotor wear out. The rotor is positively held to the hat with aerospace NAS bolts. Although the 5000 series rotor comes in a cross drilled configuration we opted for a more competition worthy slotted surface.
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| The differences between the DBA and stock rear rotors are similar with the exception of the alloy hat. |
When brakes are used at high speeds, the brake pad material vaporizes and the pad can hydroplane on a layer of gaseous vaporized brake pad. This makes the brakes much less effective. This type of brake fade is often encountered, especially with new unbedded brake pads. Holes drilled into the surface of the rotor give the gas somewhere to go, reducing the hydroplaning effect and eliminating this type of brake fade. The trouble is, although drilled rotors look sexy, they often crack between the holes. Thus for track use, many feel that a slotted rotor is better. The slots act like tread on a tire and give the gas a place to go. The slots do not have any tendency to crack. For this reason we decided to go with slotted rotors. Slots also tend to reduce the brake pads tendency to glaze and help wet performance as well as they give water somewhere to go helping reduce the pads tendency to hydroplane on a layer of water.
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| The rear rotor also has more open vaning on the inside of the rotor. |
For the rear, we opted to use DBA’s 4000 series rotor. This is a one piece rotor made necessary by the STi’s use of a drum type parking brake that is integral into the rear rotor. This makes the use of an aluminum hat impractical. The 4000 slotted model has a unique 6×6 Wiper Slot design for exceptional venting of vaporized brake pad. Unlike many aftermarket rotors, the 4000 series has a coating of heat resistant paint on the center part of the rotor so if you have open wheels you don’t see a nasty rusty looking rotor.
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| To remove the rear heat shield, we had to chisel off a few spot welds. |
Both of the DBA rotors have stripes of thermal paint on the outer edge of the rotors. By observing which stripe of thermal paint burns off, you can determine what temperature the rotors reach and choose an effective brake pad for the temperature reached on the track. This is a practical and neat detail that to our knowledge no one else does.
