Time to replace my front rotors.

Now i know the regular ones are just fine.

i also know the technically slotted and dimpled cool better, and help remove brake dust.

but i wanted to know from an actual drivers perspective if anyone has used them on this car.
do they make the brakes grip a bit quicker and stop better?
do they actually seem to reduce brake fade?
is there anything they actually do better or on a car like this does it really not matter?

 

They are sliding callipers. Don’t even get to first base in terms of the braking hall of fame. More than adequate for the task in hand, but not the ideal starting point for braking greatness.

 

Now that I'm running the Lamina wheels, I can see the calipers and rotors. As you can on your car. I need new rotors so was thinking it would look better in there with some drilled/slotted rotors and some attention to the ugly calipers! I don't know if there would be a performance upgrade. That probably depends on the pads chosen too. Researching.

 

will certainly look better, am trying to research.

i do love the look of the rotors that have the black kinda finish to them. not sure how long that lasts for tho.
my calipers are painted full black so atleast they just kinda blend and vanish.

 

Quote:

do they make the brakes grip a bit quicker and stop better?

These discs have been around for ages and opinions and experiences are all over the board. It's akin to discussing oil additives....or who makes the best beer

For the sake of discussion let's assume and agree that these discs are a good upgrade. I think the first question, then, should be "Is there anything about my driving habits and/or driving conditions that will allow me to realize any tangible, real world improvement?"

Lots of mountain driving? Repeated hard stops from high speed? Regular participant in stop light Grand Prix driving? Car used for towing a trailer, used on the autocross course? Do you drive like a madman with his hair on fire? Anything like that?

If the answer is "No" then you don't even have to think about drilled-slotted brake discs. There's no reason to think you'd gain anything.

The Jag brakes are pretty good as-is. I drove an XJR/6 for years and never felt that the brakes under-performed, even tearing up-n-down some of my favorite mountain roads. For reference, I like fast driving....but I'm not a maniac.

All the above is "IMO", naturally

Cheers
DD

 

The discs are already internally ventilated and have dedicated ducts to channel cool air onto them. Were you to be looking to upgrade the brakes, the callipers would be the logical place to start. I have a distant recollection that there was a thread somewhere about fitting Brembo callipers from a later model XJ, but this required some engineering and particular wheels.
As has been mentioned, the standard brakes are pretty good…….

 

Thanks for the input, guys. I don't think I need them. But I want them because then I can look at them and smile since they will look so cool. IMO of course. I can refer to it as an upgrade, whether it is or not, as a conversation starter. I can claim that the V12 car is heavy and needs the "upgrade."

 

Can’t fault that logic!
Perhaps you could paint the callipers yellow and say you had ceramic brakes too ….
Enjoy!

 

The "feel good" factor .

Akin to the "Oh, what the hell? Might as well" factor. And the "I've always wanted those" factor.

All perfectly legitimate reasons..... so long as you take them for what they are.

I myself put drilled/slotted brake discs on my TR6. It felt a bit boy-racer for a 65 year old man but, what the hell, right? I've always wanted those

Cheers
DD

 

there is certainly the, 'they look awesome" and then the part where if you think something is better you have more confidence.

 

1 2 or 3?

i think #1

 

I can’t recollect ever seeing a car with black steel rotors, so I suspect that the majority of the coating won’t make it beyond the bottom of your driveway. That said, the black will stay on the edges of the rotor and the centre, so should improve appearance over time. As we have already discussed on this thread, in everyday reality the groove pattern is more about kerb/sex appeal rather than braking efficiency, so there isn’t much to choose between in that front. Rotors are not all born equal, and the specification of the metal is not without significance to performance and longevity. I don’t know of an easy way to tell the difference, so when buying I try to avoid the cheapest and stick with recognised makes. I can’t tell which makes you have picked or the relative cost, so am a bit stuck for picking between them.

 

1 is RDA and 2 are VMAX.
both are reputable aussie brands.
i am guessing there is probs not much difference between any of them performance wise and am thinking maybe the top one looks the nicest.
not sure how long the black coating is supposed to stay.....

 

When I bought my XJR6 the brakes were the one element that I felt not to be up the standard I was expecting. They were OK but I wouldn't want to use them for mountain driving. I firstly replaced the flexi pipes with Tarrox stainless and noticed a firmer pedal. As the pads are coming up for replacement and hearing good reports from others, I've just bought EBC Red Stuff pads and EBC slotted rotors. Can't comment on the performance as I haven't fitted yet. Some people have also replaced the calipers but this means going to 18 inch wheels which I don't want to do as I really like the standard 17in XJR6 fitments.

 

I would just like to present another aspect to this discussion which of course is my own view.
It seems we have already established the fact that without a caliper change, the flash rotors are merely cosmetic being a "I like the look " addition to a 30 yr. old car.
Whilst in favour of subtle improvements to enhance mechanical aspects and livability for the 21st century ( ie Air conditioning, modern entertainment/communication ) I am not keen on pursuing a "Look at me" fashion detracting from the charm and appearance of our older vehicles.
Why basically attempt to make them look like modern day hot hatches etc with their flashy wheels, brakes, noisy/throaty exhausts etc.
How many cars were presented this way in the 80's and 90's? Their style, appearance etc is their charm and character from that era.
I recently attended a couple of local car displays and one exemplifying this was a very original Mercedes Banz 450SEL 6.9L.
Why would one want to mess with this car to make it look like a 2023 Mercedes Benz AMG C63, the 450 SEL represents its era and for me and many others will attract attention, not because it has flashy new wheels and brake rotors/calipers and a vocal exhaust but my appreciation of the car and its era.
I suppose it comes down to, do we want a car looking like the current offerings or a car relative to its era.

John Herbert
1996 XJR (Previous cars Series 3 & JXS HE)

 

i totally understand what you are saying.

at the same time i do love customising my car.
and really do love to add modern additions.
like my android stereo and LED headlights.

but with everything i do, my aim is to add some modern features and my own custom touch and style whilst retaining and if possible increasing its classic charm.
everything i do, i do with the intent to compliment and/or improve on its natural beauty.

just how i like when women wear makeup. little to none, just to highlight and accentuate the beauty that is there.
not paint on a whole new look that looks tacked on and fake.