 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  | |  08-02-2005, 03:17 AM | #1 | | Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Los Angeles, SoCal Posts: 77 |  VENTED vs NON-VENTED ROTORS
HEY ti-ers,
One question, what is the difference when they say "Vented rotors" vs. "Non-Vented"? Can either be installed or are they specific to certain cars? What is the main difference between each other and/or benefits (if any)?
thanks |  |  | | 08-02-2005, 03:22 AM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 |
Fig 2 are vented. They provide for more cooling of the rotors.
Fig 1 are solid. I think all 4 cylinder [US] came that way unti 4/98. My guess they are solid for economical reasons.
They are not interchangable.
Brake pads are the same but the caliper is different to accommodate the thicker rotor. __________________ ...steven
BMW CCA #146825
1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i
www.bmwcca.org
| | | | | 08-02-2005, 03:30 AM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 528 |
The solid ones probably weigh less. When they designed our cars, they didn't think people would be tracking them like the M cars, so they put cheap brakes on. They're fine for the everyday street, but if you track your car a lot, you should upgrade the brakes in some way. Vented brakes cool off faster than solid, so they're more efficient under lots of hard braking. | | | | | 08-02-2005, 05:58 PM | #4 | | Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Los Angeles, SoCal Posts: 77 | I See...
That makes sense. Next time I remove my tires I will have to check out my rotors. Does that apply to both front/rear? Or only front are vented? If I am not mistaken, my 1998 ti - prod 11/97 HAS VENTED rotors in the front brakes. Almost every thread I've read so far has mentioned they did not implement vented rotors until after 4/98 prod (so basically 99 ti's), correct? | | | | | 08-02-2005, 06:37 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 |
Rear are solid. 11/97 would be solid unless the previous owner replaced them. I had a 11/97 build ti and it had solid front rotors. __________________ ...steven
BMW CCA #146825
1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i
www.bmwcca.org
| | | | | 08-02-2005, 08:15 PM | #6 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Great White North! Posts: 701 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by vix_98_318ti That makes sense. Next time I remove my tires I will have to check out my rotors. Does that apply to both front/rear? Or only front are vented? If I am not mistaken, my 1998 ti - prod 11/97 HAS VENTED rotors in the front brakes. Almost every thread I've read so far has mentioned they did not implement vented rotors until after 4/98 prod (so basically 99 ti's), correct? | Correct. Until 03/98 front rotors were solid and as of 4/98 vented rotors were offered. Cheers, __________________ 
Engine: 2.1L Hartge conversion (bored to 86X91mm, ported & polished head, new valves, new crank, & upgraded ECU), Supersprint SS headers, Hartge exhaust, custom cat bypass (track), KV85 wires, Bosch platinum plugs, Vitesse cf spark plug cover, Vitesse cf CAI, Samco hoses, Fiamm air horns. Drivetrain: custom ssk, Vitesse adj. clutch stop, Redline D4 ATF & 75W90. Chassis: 18x8.5 Hartge Classics on 225/40/ZR18 Direzza DZ101s, 17x8 Hartge 7 spokes on 235/40/17 Direzza Z1 *specs and 17x9 Enkei MT1-R on 235/40/17 Direzza Z1 *specs(track), Vitesse 10mm spacers with cf/billet hub extenders, Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, Hartge sway bars & strut brace, urethane offset LCABs, Vitesse rsb, billet/urethane RSMs, X-brace, ATE BBK, ATE slotted rr. rotors, Goodridge ss. lines, ATE Superblue. Exterior: Violettschwarz, Hartge lip spoiler, window spoiler, hatch spoiler & mirrors, Vitesse cf door pillars, Vitesse cf fog light blanks (track), ZKW ellipsoids, HIDs in headlights, highbeams and foglights, and much more... Performance BMW Magazine feature car March 2003 www.vitessetuning.com | | | | | 08-08-2005, 11:28 PM | #7 | | Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 78 |
I've just replaced my old rotors with Brembo solid rotors. Simply, why if you're racing and need to cool down quickly, fine get the slotted, but for normal driving I'm keping it simple. | | | | | 08-09-2005, 12:55 AM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
The reason I'm going to replace them is the vented (Not slotted or drilled) are cheaper than the stock TI ones. The calipers are cheaper as well. I can fade my TI brakes in about 12 turns. The 3 series vented rotors and calipers fit on as a bolt on and they use the same pads. see http://www.emotors.ca/articles/article.aspx?id=77 as was posted in another thread. Soon as the current pads wear out.... Dave __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 08-09-2005, 04:09 AM | #9 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by pdxmotorhead The reason I'm going to replace them is the vented (Not slotted or drilled) are cheaper than the stock TI ones. The calipers are cheaper as well. I can fade my TI brakes in about 12 turns. The 3 series vented rotors and calipers fit on as a bolt on and they use the same pads. see http://www.emotors.ca/articles/article.aspx?id=77 as was posted in another thread. Soon as the current pads wear out.... Dave | 'bout time you hook that upgrade up dave. after all, you have almost 80k on there  __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 08-09-2005, 04:47 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
What can I say, its "my wifes" car. Funny thing is she is bugging me for the brake upgrade, says she wants it to stop like the 911 we sold 10 years ago....
These pads look like they are going to about make 06.....Maybe,,, Unless I start driving it more. My comute is 12 miles of hair pin corners...
Dave __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 08-17-2005, 06:48 AM | #11 | | Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Los Angeles, SoCal Posts: 77 |
What would be required to upgrade from solid rotors to vented? Major upgrade and what is required for the upgrade? Labor time? | | | | | 08-17-2005, 09:00 AM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 |
It is not a major job and has been discussed elsewhere in this section.
You would need calipers, mounting brackets and rotors.
Then the decision is 325/328 rotors or 330 rotors. __________________ ...steven
BMW CCA #146825
1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i
www.bmwcca.org
| | | | | 08-17-2005, 05:31 PM | #13 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 |
You only need calipers and rotors if you stay with E36 fronts. You need the brackets if the rotor diameter changes... At least thats what I'm finding so far.... See - http://www.emotors.ca/articles/article.aspx?ID=77 It lists the sizes etc... Dave __________________
Dave - PDX
1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan.
2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | | | 08-17-2005, 05:50 PM | #14 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
to go from non-vented to vented, you'll need calipers, carriers (which i believe are being called brackets here) and rotors. pads are the same (if you stay within the e36 family). if you go to e46 32x family, i believe the calipers are the same, but you'll need the different carriers (as the rotors are larger diameter). forget if the e46 330 brakes use different calipers (and carriers of course), i believe they do. you can make sure for all of these by matching part numbers up in the ETK ( www.realoem.com/bmw). __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 08-18-2005, 04:35 AM | #15 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 290 |
You still need the different carriers (caliper brackets) going from non-vented to vented, because the thickness of the rotor almost doubles, nevermind the diameter. | | | | | |
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