DBA Two Piece 5000 series rotors

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by The Stig

Reason they are worth the money to me (which btw they are only $1,850 from Apex Speed) is because they weight savings is 100% unsprung weight. Whereas any weight savings in wheels is split between rotational weight and unsprung weight.

I would have to disagree with you that the rotor does not also have a rotational weight impact. Even though it is a smaller diameter than the wheel itself it still has a rotational inertia that needs to be stopped. Afterall the brake rotor is rotating at the same RPM as the wheel. Just the rotors weight is more concentrated towards the center of the wheel so it's rotational inertia is a little easier to overcome (has less leverage) but it's still a rotational intertia that needs to be stopped by the brake pads.

This can be viewed as the same principle as a heavier flywheel vs a lighter flywheel on the engine. The heavier the flywheel the more rotational inertia it carries.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by Nick S

I would have to disagree with you that the rotor does not also have a rotational weight impact. Even though it is a smaller diameter than the wheel itself it still has a rotational inertia that needs to be stopped. Afterall the brake rotor is rotating at the same RPM as the wheel. Just the rotors weight is more concentrated towards the center of the wheel so it's rotational inertia is a little easier to overcome (has less leverage) but it's still a rotational intertia that needs to be stopped by the brake pads.

This can be viewed as the same principle as a heavier flywheel vs a lighter flywheel on the engine. The heavier the flywheel the more rotational inertia it carries.

No you're absolutely right. Rotors are a combination of rotational and unsprung weight.

[Doc]

The nice thing about RB's rotors is they genuinely improve things in 5 different areas as opposed to other rotors which may only improve things in one area at best.

Many rotor upgrades honestly only improve appearance, which for those who buy them is usually the main reason they bought them. They like the drilled and slotted look because they think that makes them look "cool" and "high performance" and that they'll run cooler as a result. The looks are nice but there's an issue with simply drilling holes in a cast, solid rotor, and that's rotational balance. Unless you're using an engineering program that's controlling a computer-controlled drilling setup that's PRECISELY drilling the holes at EXACTLY the right locations around the disc, you're almost guaranteed to throw off the overall spinning balance of the rotor.

Having an out-of-balance rotor does the same thing an out-of-balance wheel/tire does; it causes vibrations, stresses the bearings and can reduce performance as a result. Because the rotor is smaller it may not be so immediately obvious the way an out-of-balance wheel is but the effects are the same.

What's great about RB's rotors (and one of the reasons why they're worth the money) is the slotted/drilled rotors are factory balanced before they're shipped. That's not something most people think about with brake rotors but it's worth knowing and having.

In addition to being a superior brake rotor, RB rotors reduce unsprung rotational weight which improves acceleration, deceleration, cornering and suspension response (all of which has nothing to do with braking), and for actual braking, after hot laps on the track they'll run about 150° cooler than competing rotors which is a significant advantage in avoiding brake fade. And for those who are concerned about looks, they look seriously "cool"; just take an RB rotor out of the shipping box and you'll instantly see why they cost what they do. They make the stock factory rotors look like crude junk by comparison.

It's like losing weight; yes you look better but you're also healthier, feel better and can move faster. It's worth it to save up for RB rotors because they improve things in other areas besides just brakes. No I don't work for them; just a fan of quality products.

And since people have graciously referred to it, here's a link to my project thread which has more info and shows why I convinced Warren and RB to make these rotors available for our Camaros in the first place:

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45165

I was familiar with RB's rotors through Mazda racing (I had a Mazda RX8) and I knew these would be great for the Camaro, and they are.

[Jay_LHD3]

I have DBA 5000 front 4000 rear and have no complaints.

The first year I had the car I warped the factory rotors. Then I added some very affordable, cool looking rotors that I warped in about six months. RBs were not in my price range for a daily driver and I got a good deal on the DBAs from Maryland Speed. They have been on the car now for well over a year with no issue.

I don’t race, but I’m not a hypermiler either!!

[OV3RDRIV3]

Originally Posted by Jay_LHD3

I have DBA 5000 front 4000 rear and have no complaints.

The first year I had the car I warped the factory rotors. Then I added some very affordable, cool looking rotors that I warped in about six months. RBs were not in my price range for a daily driver and I got a good deal on the DBAs from Maryland Speed. They have been on the car now for well over a year with no issue.

I don’t race, but I’m not a hypermiler either!!

Pics? I would love to see.

[OV3RDRIV3]

Originally Posted by Doc

The nice thing about RB's rotors is they genuinely improve things in 5 different areas as opposed to other rotors which may only improve things in one area at best.

Many rotor upgrades honestly only improve appearance, which for those who buy them is usually the main reason they bought them. They like the drilled and slotted look because they think that makes them look "cool" and "high performance" and that they'll run cooler as a result. The looks are nice but there's an issue with simply drilling holes in a cast, solid rotor, and that's rotational balance. Unless you're using an engineering program that's controlling a computer-controlled drilling setup that's PRECISELY drilling the holes at EXACTLY the right locations around the disc, you're almost guaranteed to throw off the overall spinning balance of the rotor.

Having an out-of-balance rotor does the same thing an out-of-balance wheel/tire does; it causes vibrations, stresses the bearings and can reduce performance as a result. Because the rotor is smaller it may not be so immediately obvious the way an out-of-balance wheel is but the effects are the same.

What's great about RB's rotors (and one of the reasons why they're worth the money) is the slotted/drilled rotors are factory balanced before they're shipped. That's not something most people think about with brake rotors but it's worth knowing and having.

In addition to being a superior brake rotor, RB rotors reduce unsprung rotational weight which improves acceleration, deceleration, cornering and suspension response (all of which has nothing to do with braking), and for actual braking, after hot laps on the track they'll run about 150° cooler than competing rotors which is a significant advantage in avoiding brake fade. And for those who are concerned about looks, they look seriously "cool"; just take an RB rotor out of the shipping box and you'll instantly see why they cost what they do. They make the stock factory rotors look like crude junk by comparison.

It's like losing weight; yes you look better but you're also healthier, feel better and can move faster. It's worth it to save up for RB rotors because they improve things in other areas besides just brakes. No I don't work for them; just a fan of quality products.

And since people have graciously referred to it, here's a link to my project thread which has more info and shows why I convinced Warren and RB to make these rotors available for our Camaros in the first place:

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45165

I was familiar with RB's rotors through Mazda racing (I had a Mazda RX8) and I knew these would be great for the Camaro, and they are.

I am like you as well and appreciate quality products. That is why it is so difficult now having seen a relatively perfect product like the RB rotors to settle for anything less. I think that the DBA 5000 and 4000 rotors would probably do a good job for my vehicle, but I am a perfectionist type and much prefer the looks of the RB rotors, not to mention their other fine performance enhancing attributes you mentioned. Thanks for the nice write up

[OV3RDRIV3]

Originally Posted by Inferno LS3

I was happy with them when I had them. Did plenty of events as road course in Phoenix and lots of autoX events.

Remind me what rotors you are running with now?

[Jay_LHD3]

Originally Posted by OV3RDRIV3

Pics? I would love to see.

I'll try to remember to snap a few pics tonight after work.

[Jay_LHD3]

Ignore the dirt. I live on a dirt road (Georgia red clay) and it has been raining every evening.

[OV3RDRIV3]

Originally Posted by Jay_LHD3

Ignore the dirt. I live on a dirt road (Georgia red clay) and it has been raining every evening.

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Thanks for the pics!!! They look great. That's the old model of the DBAs but they still look very clean. Looks like they're holding up well.

[Rob@WretchedMS]

I'm not going get in to the what's better debate, but i wanted to post this article from DBA

If you want a deal on the DBA's pm me or email me



From DBA
This is a common topic that comes up in performance car discussions all the time. Unfortunately there isn’t a simple answer for all applications so we will cover some of the important details to allow you to make an educated decision.

For example ; 
A typical large sedan weighing 1690kg (3725 lbs) is traveling at 134km/h (80 mph) down a freeway and you have to brake quickly. Let’s say the average tires can handle a G-Force of 0.85 before they lose traction. We will decelerate at 0.81 G’s to avoid skidding down the road. This vehicle will come to a stop in approximately87m (285 feet) and generate approximately 1170 kW (1569hp or 1110 BTU/sec) of kinetic energy doing so. This energy has to be transferred through the braking system in order stop the vehicle. When you pump this much energy into the disc rotors in a matter of seconds (4.7s) it generates a lot of heat and the amount of mass or weight in the disc rotor is critical in order to cope with this load.

A typical front disc rotor on a large sedan is approximately 300mm (12in) in diameter and weighs around 9.5kg (21 lbs). We’ll focus on the front disc as it generally takes 70% of the braking load. A disc rotor consists of to main components, the mounting bell which attaches to the axle and the braking band (ring) to which the brake torque is applied via the caliper. The braking band or ring in this disc rotor weighs approximately 6kg . In the above mentioned brake application this 9.5kg disc will increase in temperature by approximately 125 deg C (257 F) in just less than 5 seconds.

Note; “ increase ” = In addition to the current temperature before braking .
If the same 300mm disc weighed 8.5kg (18.7 lbs) with a braking band of 5.5kg then the temperature increase would be closer to 137 deg C (279 F). 10% increase in temperature doesn’t sound all that much but unfortunately heat transfer isn’t all that simple. In a one off braking application an additional 10% probably wouldn’t make a noticeable difference. But what happens in performance driving on or off the track is a series of brake applications at regular intervals. The time between brake applications is rarely enough to allow the disc to recover to the optimal braking temperature so you end up with an accumulation of temperature build up over a period of time. 10% plus 10% plus 10% now becomes an issue!
The other side of the coin! Unsprung weight or rotating inertia!

All performance fanatics talk about reducing unsprung weight. Yes, a rotating disc does have a certain amount of rotating inertia or a flywheel effect which requires power to accelerate and to decelerate. It takes approximately 24 Nm (18 lbf-ft) of torque to get those 9.5kg disc spinning up to 134km/h (80 mph) and back down to zero when braking. The lighter 8.5kg disc requires approximately 20.5 Nm (15.1 lbf-ft) which is a little better than 10% saving in energy required to accelerate and decelerate the same vehicle. On a 6 liter Pontiac GTO with 542 Nm (400 lbf ft) of torque you probably won’t notice a 3.5Nm improvement in torque whereas on an ultra light small performance or race car you may.

Generally a car manufacturer will do all the math explained here and much more to determine the ideal disc mass (weight) for the vehicle and we can assure you it isn’t in their best interests to add weight to their vehicles or give away unnecessary kg’s of metal.

By thinking smarter DBA has developed opportunities to reduce weight without reducing performance by using higher quality disc rotor materials like DBA’s performance range or by replacing stock rotors with two piece designs such as DBA’s 5000 series discs which reduce weight from the mounting bell while maintaining the optimal weight on the braking band.

[jeepguy_1980]

Are the DBA 5000 suitable for a daily driver? I'm not concerned about them being overkill. I just recognize that the abuse of daily driving is different than track driving. I want to know that I can get 30,000 miles out of my next rotors.

[Rob@WretchedMS]

you will be fine, i've been running the 5000 series for years and they work perfectly daily driven.

if i can help you with them let me know.