Magazine for the auto service professional
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23 | February 2016 with new or used rotors, always clean the disc surfaces thoroughly. While spray brake cleaning solvent is viable and certainly helps to remove surface contaminants, it's best to hand-wash and scrub the discs with a mix of hot water and Dawn dish washing liquid and a bristle brush. The Dawn brand specifcally seems to work best for remov- ing oils and particles from the machined surfaces. You can certainly follow up with brake cleaning solvent, but don't rely on the solvent alone. Seriously, wash with Dawn and then dry. Even leading rotor manufacturers recommend the use of Dawn. Drilled or slotted rotors You may wonder why some rotors are drilled with a series of holes and/or feature slots that have been machined into the disc surfaces. This approach was initially developed in aircraft and most notable motorsports applications. Cross-drilled holes or slots improve brake "bite" while allow- ing gasses that are created between the pad and disc to evacuate (think of tires with tread designs that prevent hydroplaning on a wet road). In addition, the holes or slots help to clean The Chassis Rotor cleanliness is an absolute must when performing a new rotor and pad installation. The disc surfaces must be cleansed of all oils and particulates. Washing and scrubbing with hot water and Dawn dish washing liquid is highly recommended. The machined grooves seen on this Dodge Charger police car aid in self-cleaning the pads. The increased surface area created by the grooves also helps to dissipate rotor heat.