This is the 3rd ranger (1986 2.3, 1999 3.0, and 2001 4.0) that I have owned. I am noticing that I have to have my rotors turned about every 15,000-20,000 miles. I would have to say that I am a "moderately heavy" braker. I got 16,000 out of my current brakes (Ceramix with new rotors). The pads are still good but I'm starting getting the all too familiar shake in the steering wheel. Would the drilled/slotted rotors help? Is this my ranger(s) or everyones?

 

your doing pretty good mine never last that long

 

Check out www.frozenrotors.com There slotted rotors are the only rotors that I have not warpped on my F-350, which are famous for being extremely hard on front rotors. I have them on my ranger also. I have used them for a few years now along with there brake pads that are much better than anything you'll find at the local autoparts stores. I would look into the slotted ones, not the drilled or drilled and slotted ones. Any hole in steel that is heated and cooled to the extremes that rotors are subject to will crack over time. That is the reason that just about all professional race teams use only slotted rotors.

 

do you drive with two feet ?drilled rotors do not tend to warp as fast because they dissipate the heat faster.

 

If you read the post, I never said anything about cross-drilled rotors warpping. What was said is that they tend to get tiny cracks originating from the drilled holes. Each time the rotor is heated and cooled from normal braking, it puts stress on the holes and they will and do crack over time. Slotted rotors also run much cooler than the stardard rotors as well as let the brake gasses vent from beneath the pad. The above reasons are why cross-drilled rotors are not as popular as the once were, more and more companies are realizing that the slotted rotors are better performing and last much longer than a cross-drilled rotor. Cross-drilled rotors also take too much surface area away from rotor.

If ever you get up close professional race car like a nascar car/truck, or pretty much any other form of racing, they just do not use drilled rotors anymore due to cracking. It also does not matter in the holes are tapered either, they all are more prone to crack over time.

 

I READ YOUR POST ,and i didnt say they would not crack i said they were much better at disipating heat than stock rotors ,if you have a problem with shudder than try drilled or slotted remember it a ranger not a nascar we are talking about!

 

On any braking application, a slotted rotor will perform better and last longer than both a regular OR CROSS-DRILLED rotor! If you are looking for the best performance and longest lasting rotor available, go with the slotted ones. If you are looking for something that looks cool, but will cause considerably less braking performance and a very good chance of cracking a rotor, go with the cross-drilled or the slotted and cross-drilled that a few manufactures offer.

Your right, it is a ranger, not a nascar. However, with the different rotor designes, what works, works in any application. I understand that you may favor the cross-drilled rotors, why? either you like the looks or you have no knoweldge on the subject, but it just isn't right to recommend something to people that can and will cause problems and extra $$$ in the future!

 

rangers are famous for warping front rotors, i need to get the ones on my 92 turned, it's not that big of a deal but it is nice to have no shimmying while braking.