Bendix explains the benefits of composite rotors

Composite disc brake rotors were once the domain of race cars or high-performance street cars, but increasingly, these rotors are finding their way into ‘every day’ vehicles, delivering their owners several benefits.

Composite rotors are often also referred to as semi-floating or dual cast rotors and typically they feature a two-piece design differentiating them from a standard fully cast rotor. The two-piece design allows for a steel or aluminium hub to be used instead of cast iron, leading to an unsprung weight reduction.

Composite rotors were normally only found on race cars, but in recent years their benefits have been applied to other vehicles.

This weight loss has many positives including increased fuel efficiency, improved acceleration, better suspension response and a reduction in the brake force needed to bring the vehicle to a safe standstill because of lower rotational mass.

It is now more common to find composite rotors on luxury and performance European cars.

Vehicles with composite rotors are also set to gain durability benefits. Their design allows for added expansion and contraction of the outer ring through braking applications, especially in hot and demanding conditions. This along with better heat dissipation can help reduce the likelihood of rotor cracking and warping.

While more cars – particularly European vehicles – are now entering new car showrooms fitted with composite rotors as standard, through its Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotors, Bendix offers upgrade options for cars that may not have originally arrived with composite rotors. And because the range meets strict OE specifications, this means they’re also an excellent replacement for those models that originally did come with composites.

Bendix's Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotors are lightweight, strong and help to better dissipate heat.

In reaching OE specifications, the Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotors range meets strict design, construction and performance requirements and test protocols. The E+ Original Equipment Fit calls for disc brake rotors to be tested for braking capabilities, speed sensitivity, cold performance, and may only deviate from the frictional characteristics of their original equipment counterparts by no more than 15 per cent.

The range meets strict design, construction and performance requirements and test protocols under the 'E+ Original Equipment Fit' measure.

Available for selected European vehicles, the Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotor range features the very latest in braking technology and manufacturing processes, and use High Carbon Metallurgy to increase brake performance while providing added strength and wear resistance. Depending on the car model, selected Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotors are available with slots and v-shaped dimples that more efficiently expels gases, dirt and water, for even greater braking performance.

Depending on the vehicle, Bendix's Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotor range offers variants that feature slots and v-shaped dimples.

The Euro+ rotor ranges are best matched to Bendix’s Euro+ Brake Pad Kits – together they offer quieter and smoother braking performance, lower dust and reducing braking distance over OE brake pad equivalents.