Ceramic Brake Rotors
Thread Starter
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 102
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From: Silicon Valley Bay Area
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA
Ceramic Brake Rotors can be ok for the street but usually don't hold up to track use. I know this from a lot of experience running track days with the Porsche Club. Everyone who has gotten the ceramic rotor option regrets it. They cost WAY too much and don't hold up to track abuse as well at iron rotors.
The weight savings with ceramic rotors is nice but trust me... not worth it.
The weight savings with ceramic rotors is nice but trust me... not worth it.
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2/4 wheel cornering fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,090
Likes: 3
From: Pasadena, CA
It's the usual buzzword-dropping of new racing technology, and just because they've seen the ceramic brake setups on Porsches, they think that it will transfer directly over to readily available street use. 
"Carbon/carbon" braking setups offer the benefits of ultra-light weight and fantastic braking power, but they need major heat to operate properly, and it's virtually impossible to generate that type of heat on the street.
Ceramic composites offer nearly the same light weight benefits of carbon/carbon brakes, but without the serious heat requirements for proper friction couple to generate adequate stopping power. The problem is that the ceramic surfaces are so hard that a very abrasive pad compound is necessary to generate enough friction. I was told that the Porsche compound is based heavily on a silicon carbide-based formulation, which is an even harder and more abrasive substance. Thus, under heavy use, the discs won't last very long. And they both have the disadvantage of being very labor-intensive to produce, meaning big $$$ in costs to the consumer.
However, there is a "ceramic matrix composite" developed by a well-known brake component company just over the horizon that promises the benefits of ultra-light weight and fade-free braking, without the huge costs (although they'll still be much more expensive than conventional metal rotors) and heat requirements of carbon and ceramic. However, it's probably at least a year away from any production application for automobiles. Motorcycles, however, will see these available very soon...
"Carbon/carbon" braking setups offer the benefits of ultra-light weight and fantastic braking power, but they need major heat to operate properly, and it's virtually impossible to generate that type of heat on the street.
Ceramic composites offer nearly the same light weight benefits of carbon/carbon brakes, but without the serious heat requirements for proper friction couple to generate adequate stopping power. The problem is that the ceramic surfaces are so hard that a very abrasive pad compound is necessary to generate enough friction. I was told that the Porsche compound is based heavily on a silicon carbide-based formulation, which is an even harder and more abrasive substance. Thus, under heavy use, the discs won't last very long. And they both have the disadvantage of being very labor-intensive to produce, meaning big $$$ in costs to the consumer.
However, there is a "ceramic matrix composite" developed by a well-known brake component company just over the horizon that promises the benefits of ultra-light weight and fade-free braking, without the huge costs (although they'll still be much more expensive than conventional metal rotors) and heat requirements of carbon and ceramic. However, it's probably at least a year away from any production application for automobiles. Motorcycles, however, will see these available very soon...
