Slotted Brake Discs: Are They Worth It?

Hello everyone,

I have an Audi A6 2.5 TDI and I'm also experiencing the common problem of reduced braking performance in wet conditions. A colleague recommended that I install slotted brake discs.

However, I still have some doubts about the wear and tear. Of course, the brake pads won't get as hot. But I tend to be a more cautious driver, so hopefully they won't get that hot for me anyway.

I think they probably get dragged down quite a bit by the holes in the disc. Is that correct? Can anyone confirm this?

Furthermore, Audi does not offer brake discs with the correct diameter as standard equipment. And aftermarket brake discs often tend to vibrate and cause steering wheel shake.

It's not about the appearance or trying to push my car to its limits; it's because my Audi brakes terribly in the rain. It really takes a full five seconds of pressing the brake pedal before any actual braking occurs.


What do you think about slotted discs in my situation?





PS: Please don't recommend ATE Powerdiscs; they look so incredibly gay!

Take a look at this.
http://www.nordmannbremsen.de/
or here.
http://www.autoteile-ralf-schmitz.de/01b19b92de139bb04/01b19b92de13b5007/01b19b92df125c007.html

Nordmann parts are supposed to be very good.

Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

'MFG' stands for 'Mit freundlichen Grüßen,' which translates to 'Sincerely' or 'Best regards' in English. It is a common way to end a formal letter or email.

I know the manufacturers of these types of windshields, and they can write whatever they want from their perspective.

I'm interested in reading reports about vibrations in the steering wheel and wear on the brake pads and rotors.

Sebs wrote:

I know the manufacturers of such discs, and they can write whatever they want from my perspective. I'm interested in reports about vibrations in the steering wheel and wear on the brake pads and rotors!

Unfortunately, I can only share my experiences from motorsports, and in that context, brake pads can sometimes wear out after just 500 km (so you shouldn't use that experience as a reference). The responsiveness of slotted rotors is extremely good, especially in wet conditions, as the slots help to verschandeln the rotor surface.
Why don't you try the ATE Powerdisc? It's supposed to work very well in the rain, and the brake pad wear shouldn't be significantly higher.

Hello,

I have Zimmermann slotted brake discs installed in my Passat. I have to say that I am very satisfied with them. They provide excellent braking performance, especially when it's wet. I haven't noticed any particular wear so far. However, I only use standard brake pads. As far as I know, these are harder than the ones used in racing. Softer pads have a higher friction coefficient.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Even if the wear and tear were a bit higher, the advantages I have would be worth it to me.
I've also heard that the grooves on ATE Powerdiscs can easily become clogged. I haven't observed anything like that myself. I've noticed brake discs vibrating most often with the original VW discs (I've had three warranty cases because of it). Now, with the slotted discs, all the problems (vibration, sensitivity to water, salt in winter, etc.) that I used to have are gone and haven't reappeared.
I hope I was able to help a little bit.

Regards,
Markus.

mkmeier wrote:

... I also only have "normal" brake pads installed. As far as I know, they are harder than the ones used in racing. Softer pads have a higher friction coefficient. ...

YES/NO.

For short-distance events (slalom, short rallies, etc.), the compounds are softer. Softer compounds have the disadvantage of not being as temperature-stable, but they do reach operating temperature quickly.
Tires used for long-distance events (circuit racing, long rally special stages) are extremely hard and have a very wide operating temperature range to function properly – but then they almost burn out, which causes extreme wear.

Quote:

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It wasn't that wrong, actually.

Quote:

... I have noticed that brake discs tend to vibrate the most with the original discs from Volkswagen...

With most vibrating discs, you can just touch your nose yourself. I used to experience that quite often.
Reasoning: Hot brake discs tend to be more forgiving when they haven't been properly cooled down, or when a sudden, hard braking maneuver is performed on discs that are already very hot.
"On mixed-surface rallies (gravel/asphalt), I've occasionally braked too hard on the gravel sections, and the brake discs have overheated and cracked, resulting in damage to those expensive, specialized parts."

I'm starting to wonder what's actually wrong with the brakes...

'I'm familiar with the brake problem from my colleague's 2001 Passat. It's a complete nightmare; heads should roll for that kind of thing... several seconds without any braking power...'

On the other hand, my Octavia also has the FS-III system with 280mm discs at the front.

'It's experiencing massive downpours, and the heavily salted A8 highway is completely unaffected by the spray. The brakes work as I would expect from any vehicle, even after driving for 50 kilometers through a salty puddle without stopping. And there are no spoilers or other aerodynamic features installed. It's very mysterious...'

CU Gremlin.

However, this could also be due to the driver, not just the brakes. It's possible that the brake pads were improperly installed, and they are now scrap because they are burned or glazed.

Yes, that's strange.
My car doesn't have that problem either. Some types of brake pads are prone to fading, but it's not an issue when driving in wet conditions.
Was about a retrofit campaign that Audi once offered? Did that not help?
If this issue occurs in current Passats, A4s, and A6s, could it be due to their front-axle design, which is unique to these models?

The adrenaline rush you get from heavy rain and highway driving is also present in the Golf IV .

By the way, as far as I know, the Mercedes E-Class has an automatic transmission that occasionally applies the brake pads briefly without driver intervention to avoid exactly this effect.

Wasn't there a similar problem with the Passat before?

On my father's Passat (model before the facelift, year 1998), these plastic 'leading edge deflectors' were installed later. You had to pay for the parts yourself, but Volkswagen covered the installation cost.
As far as I remember, the problems with moisture were fixed afterwards. I'm not entirely sure, but my father certainly didn't complain anymore. There was also a recall campaign for the A4, wasn't there?


Perhaps your problem is due to that as well?

Hmm, I don't know.
After getting a new set of rotors and pads under warranty at the very beginning due to vibrations, I installed Brembo rotors with ATE pads last year. During the 240,000 km (approximately 150,000 miles), I've driven in various conditions, including rain, but never had any problems, neither with the 17' OZ wheels nor with the 15' steel rims.

By the way, the original BS models had a production run of just under 180,000 units.

Hello everyone!

I am also currently facing the problem that I urgently need new brake discs and pads. I also have the same issue with braking in wet conditions...
Anyone who has experienced this knows how 'unpleasant' it can be!
I now want to install two slotted brake discs from Zimmermann with Jurid pads on the front and hope for an improvement in braking response.
Has anyone here actually noticed a real improvement in the problem with slotted brake discs? Or does anyone know about problems that can arise from using slotted discs (e.g., increased wear, reduced braking performance, noises, etc.)?
Thank you in advance for your help!

DENNIS

Hi.

'Until Saturday, my A4Q (8D5) had 312mm brake discs (original Audi) on the front and Ferodo DS2500 pads all around.'

In my opinion, it's a brilliant combination. The brakes showed absolutely no fading, neither when wet, cold, nor hot.

Disadvantages:
The toppings are extremely expensive.
The linings are squeaking because they have no anti-squeal compound.
The brake pads are damaging the rotors.

After almost 40,000 km, I had to replace all the brake discs (ouch, it was expensive!) even though the pads still had about 50% of their life left.

Someone who brakes 'less harshly' could probably drive 80,000 km on a single set of brake pads without needing to replace them.
I'm now trying it with original discs and original pads. It's not as expensive to buy, but even now it's not great; there's brake fade and a spongy feel. However, things might change once they're properly bedded in. (Now: ~370 km).

My opinion on perforated discs: just don't get them. They are noisy, they look bad (subjective), and they are expensive. And in my experience, they haven't prevented brake fade when it's wet. (Zimmermann)

Stefan.

In the Passat forum, there are some customer reviews about the original VAG service solution for the wet brake problem.

In the 2004 Passat, a cover etc. was installed for the brake disc, and according to user reports, it should have made quite a difference. The set is likely to fit on all VAG front axles with 4-wheel steering. So also Audi A4 and A6. Those who are familiar with AKTE can take a look .

Perforated brake discs generally don't offer any advantage when used with standard brake pads. However, they are actually a brilliant combination when paired with Ferodo DS2000 pads.
When buying slotted brake discs from Zimmerman, you shouldn't skimp on the pads either. And isn't Jurid more of a budget brand?