{"id":173765,"date":"2025-07-04T20:13:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T03:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/?p=173765"},"modified":"2025-08-28T16:57:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T23:57:39","slug":"what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Car Brake Rotor Look Like?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column173765_995ec5-66 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-432f79  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-c8e70b\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading173765_a0dfb9-1d\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brake rotors are round, circular discs or plates that are mounted by way of the lug studs and are sandwiched between the hub and the wheel of a vehicle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are different types of car rotors: standard car rotors, drilled rotors, slotted rotors, and drilled and slotted rotors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Car rotors play a large role in the braking system and are responsible for generating friction in tandem with brake pads to slow the vehicle down.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"732\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor-1024x732.jpg\" alt=\"car brake rotor\" class=\"wp-image-173791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor-1024x732.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor-150x107.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor.jpg 1105w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A brake rotor | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brake-disc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Brake rotors\">Brake rotors<\/a>, are round, circular discs mounted by way of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/wheel-stud\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"lug studs\">lug studs<\/a> and are sandwiched between the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/wheel-hub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"hub\">hub<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/wheel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"wheel\">wheel<\/a> of a vehicle, and have a two-sided friction surface for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brake-pad-set\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"brake pads\">brake pads<\/a>, which pinch the rotor when the brakes are applied, using friction to stop the hub and, by extension, the wheel.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Brake Rotor Types Are There?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though the standard run-of-the-mill car rotors are smooth and blank, there are different types of rotors, each with unique traits and functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drilled Rotors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike normal car rotors, drilled rotors do not have smooth discs. Instead, the discs have holes drilled into them, allowing dirt, water, dust, and heat to dissipate easily. Holed rotors are ideal for drivers who live in wetter climates, though they don&rsquo;t work well in hotter environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Slotted Rotors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These rotors have slots etched into the discs, helping them draw in more air between the pad and the rotor surface. This improves cooling and heat dispersion, making them an excellent choice for vehicles that need more stopping power when towing or hauling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drilled and Slotted Rotors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drilled and slotted rotors possess both drilled holes and etched slots. These car rotors have the least durability but also provide the most benefits, making them ideal for performance vehicles such as sports cars. They&rsquo;re excellent at dissipating heat and improving braking ability &ndash; necessities on the race track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do Brake Rotors Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Car rotors play an important role in the braking process. When the brake pedal is pressed, the brake pads clamp down on the rotor, creating friction and slowing the rotation of the wheels. The friction generated by the brake pads and the rotor converts kinetic energy into heat, which is then dissipated by the rotor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"rsi-card\">\n  <div class=\"rsi-thumb\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/d_noimage.jpg\/b_white\/e_sharpen,e_auto_brightness,e_auto_contrast\/f_auto\/q_auto:eco,dpr_auto\/w_873,h_873,c_pad\/images\/set-stpc27110095drs2_1\">\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"rsi-info\">\n    <span class=\"rsi-title\">Your Guide to Shopping for New Brake Rotors<\/span>\n    <span class=\"rsi-desc\">Find out which brands of brake discs are the best on the market with this guide. Compare pros and cons, and choose the best rotors for your vehicle.<\/span>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/your-guide-to-shopping-for-new-brake-rotors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Discover Your Options\">Discover Your Options<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Brake rotors, are round, circular discs mounted by way of the lug studs and are sandwiched between the hub and&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1651,"featured_media":173791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1034,3749,52],"tags":[918],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":["post-173765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-auto-repair","category-braking-system","category-diy","tag-brake-disc","entry"],"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Does a Car Brake Rotor Look Like? - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Familiarize yourself with car rotors, what they look like, different types, and how they work.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Does a Car Brake Rotor Look Like? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Familiarize yourself with car rotors, what they look like, different types, and how they work.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-05T03:13:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-28T23:57:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/car-brake-rotor.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1105\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"790\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CarParts.com Research Team, Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CarParts.com Research Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-a-car-brake-rotor-look-like\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"1651\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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He has produced a coffee table book of digital watercolors called \u201cMemories of South Alabama\u201d created from his personal photos, along with a dozen Christian fiction short original novels and a collection of short stories, all available in Kindle or softcover format. Richard has written a 2,500-word Bible study every week for the past 20 years and uses it to teach a small group at his church every Sunday morning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Credentials:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"author-list\">\r\n<li><p>ASE Certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Professional Mechanic\/Technician for 25 years with experience on diesel and gasoline engines, vehicles and equipment (including hydraulics).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Spent 5 years in fleet maintenance, 20 years in independent shops and dealerships (VW, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln), specializing in driveability and electronics for the last 14 years of his career at the same dealership.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Senior Contributing Editor at Motor Age Magazine, first published in Motor Age in May of 2000 and every year since. He has won two International Automotive Media Awards for technical articles published in trade magazines.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has attended hundreds of hours of automotive training from OEMs including GM, Volkswagen, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Chrysler, as well as additional training at events like KC Vision and MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems Association).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Taught college level auto mechanics for 19 years.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has written for automotive training companies (including course development work for training companies in Canada and the Netherlands) and has been hired to teach professional trade show technician courses at multiple training events in Texas and Alabama.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>While still teaching at the college level, Richard launched a new automotive program in Geneva, Alabama, setting up a dual enrollment department in a new building, organizing the shop and classroom, teaching morning classes to high school students for 2 years while still teaching at the college in the afternoon.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Richard\u2019s college program at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College worked at professional shop speed during his tenure to prepare graduates for production level work in the real world.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/173765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=173765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/173765\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/173791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=173765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=173765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=173765"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=173765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}