Proper Rotor Direction | vlog 049
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Which way do rotors go?
There’s a little confusion out there on how to properly install rotors, or which direction rotors should be installed. This is applicable to any car, not just the E46 M3. This is something you want to get right, especially if you’re going to do a brake job yourself.
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Canon 5D Mark II
Edited in Adobe Premiere.
Music by DJ Quads / aka-dj-quads
I would think the vanes should point forward to force air into the rotor to cool it. And I would think the slots tilt BACK so every rotation past the pads swipe dust from the rotor surface up the slot and out the end of the slot.
matermark your right
The veins should be pointing forward to draw air from the outside as it will not be able to efficiently from the inside out
You are both wrong, the rotors do not and cannot draw air in as they are designed to exhaust hot air from inside out. The vanes are not creating suction but just the opposite, when they are rotating a kind of vacuum happens thus pulling hot air from the vented rotor.
The INTERNAL vanes are what matter. If they are straight, then the direction of slots doesn't matter. If you have directional vanes, then mount based on that. Only company I heard of that specifies a direction for slots is Brembo, they say the top of the slot should face forward. No other company cares. There just saved you 5 minutes.
So glad I saw this video. I’ve been commenting on other UA-camrs videos suggesting they had their rotors installed backwards. I was CLEARLY wrong. Thank you for this clarification!
Happy I came across this video putting my rotors on my F150 tomorrow. Thanks
I always mount the rotors with the slots (angled) towards the rear of the car. On all of my cars. I just like it this way. So far so good.
Don't let them get to you bro! Your videos are amazing. I'm almost through them and I just discovered your channel a few weeks ago. Can't wait for the next one!💯
I had just installed both my rotors before seeing this video and i panicked so i took one wheel off just to find out my cheap amazon ones dont even point anywhere but up like normal rotors 🤣
If that is the case then you are OK because if your vanes are not directional then it doesn't matter either way
Exactly. Straight air vains means you can install rotors in any direction💪🏼
Wrong.
Automobile manufacturers have different mounting positions of the brake calipers. Some are mounted in front of the disc rotor, some are mounted on the back of the rotor. Installing drilled and slotted rotors, with veins curved "into" the brake pads and calipers are ideal, and highly recommended, as this will keep heat away from the axle spindle and bearings as well as "throw" cool air into the brake pads and calipers..
You never want to pull heat away from your calipers and vent that into your wheel spindle and bearing assembly, that's a explosive idea and not very wise. Aways pull heat out and away from the spindle and bearings and "throw" air into the brake pads and calipers. that combination works, and is successful.
Great video, very good information, and that guy makes me laugh.
Drawing air through the vents from the hub to the edge of the rotors. Installing it backward will draw air from the outside edge, air will heat up then vent into the hub. You don't want the hub to get cooked. Plus on race cars and with brake ducts, notice how the ducts leads into the hub area .
At @3:08 thi drawn lines are CORRECT! the slots ARE NOT.
Those were incorrectly manufactured rotors. OR they ARE on the wrong side.
Not rocket science. The SLOTS have a purpose! Pulling crap inward is NOT one of them.
Im literally hours away from installing a slotted disc kit on my 03 x 5. Good job on the video
The direction of the slot should point twords the back of the vehicle, yes it does 5hats why you have those marks on your rotors it's the heat not escaping and making you brake pad cook to the rotor
Thanks, I didn't know that, I've been doing my own brakes for years, I've just been following the stickers. I'll know now if the stickers fall off.
You’re welcome. Yeah I had to do some homework to figure this out for myself before I installed them 💪
Thanks very helpful
What's funny is when the rotor's sticker says "driver's side".
What country? UK rotors in the USA.... Wrong!
Straight pee wee herman vibes!!! Its your boat float however you want
The rotors have the part number and a L or R on the outer edge of the rotor...yours are backwards because the slots should point towards the front to sling the hot brake dust outward away from the brake and pull the cooling air from center outward...!
But wouldn't it get better air flow the other way
Cheers, I was just checking before installing some on my e36 vert....
👍
Could've explained in literally 10 seconds!...
But ya didn't.
Whats up ur ass ? Lol
Thank you for the clarification. You learn something new everyday.
Jason Bover 👍
woohoo i put em on right birches! i looked at em deeply before slapping the tires back on all loooked well if they were flipped id notice i think
Thank you very much!.... and the original ones i got is basically same side on each side... i looked and the veins do have direction but passenger front has them backwards... (came like that from factory and all ive seen..) i cant really specify because i retro fitted different calipers and rotors.... but i keep seeing the same like if they got lazy and put 2 driver side rotors cuz they ran out of passenger side lol damn you mercedes!!! But this helps 100% thank you! Now on to diameter of sizes i need to order vs what i have! Lol i have 2 different car parts in one different older model!
All of my research shows what you said, however, my Lexus has directional rotors and the part numbers determine the side and Lexus has the internal vanes pointing forward. It’s very controversial on the Lexus forums bc some say it should be the way you say but others say Lexus did it that way for a reason. It’s not just one model or year they said this for either. Any thoughts?
Great tutorial! I see people run their rotors backwards alll the time at the track haha. Also an easy way if you aren’t sure is to check the part number on the box. They usually designate left or right.
Christina Lam haha yeah I got a little worried. That’s why I had to check :) Mine didn’t specify on the box - I wish it did.
Always listening always understanding
Christina Lam is left and right while standing in front of and facing vehicle or in vehicle looking out.
So, pulling water, dust, debris, and heated air inward with the slots, is the correct direction?
Yes I believe this is true because the internal veins have to flow a certain way to get cooled properly .....
The internal vanes are indeed the most important. If the internal vanes are straight, or bi-directional, the slots should cut against the brake pad. So in you case, the are both well oriented. These are good rotors installed properly…
Thanks for the comment!
Well explained, better than the suppliers whom I bought the kit from. Cheers mate
Guy at big o tires today tried convincing me I did it backwards while putting on new tires for me and I said no I didn’t and it was just a long drawn out conversation about it then I was like ok whatever you say..
I didn’t even go there for that just put on my damn tires and quit fucking up my shit up lol
Hahaha
In think the vanes should point to the front of the vehicle in other for air to get though probably, you have them definitely wrong
👍Thanks. 🏴
Good dude right here...thanks bruh good looking out
There is serial number on the rim of the rotor which ends with either L or R.
What if I have J hook rotors? The internal veins are not directional.
Hi, may I use just a small part of your form 3.10 to 3.15 on one of my video ? this animation is perfectly clear to explain rotor direction, any way thank
Hi, yes and thank you for asking. All I ask is that you give me a credit somewhere. Thanks!
I will do, thank you, end beautiful images by the way
:
Not .
Like this 3:15
And wala it comes up in blue.
I Will go check mine right now!!
With straight vaned rotors do you determine the left and right as if you were sitting in the drivers seat or if you were standing outside the vehicle and facing it from the front? My new straight vaned drilled and slotted rotors are labeled left and right but I need an answer to my previous question for proper installation placement. Thanks
I always determine left and right as if you’re sitting in the driver’s seat looking forward
your rotors are on backwards, the internal vanes are designed to act as an air scoop and pull cool air into the hub where the bearings are, the slots on the outside should face a direction that channels debris and brake dust away from the hub when in forward motion, the way you have your rotors installed they will channel debris and brake dust into the hub and the internal cooling fins are useless when facing backwards, i suggest you stay off the inhalants when doing any kind of service work on your car. ua-cam.com/video/krLOy90KrvY/v-deo.html
black flagged, a mfg of rotors, SP, states the slots should go fully to the outside edge, thoughts? Purpose of slots- by community- gasses?
Thank you for showing us
Omg i just had this same issue with 1 guy telling me i did my work wrong. My rotors dont have directional vanes, so either way is fine. Plus, i did watch videos/read a host of different explanations of HOW/WHY disc brakes work. Then this guy shows up and call the slots “air vents” and even when i reply with the same info you just described in your vid, he casts further doubt on these facts. Smh, people sometimes.
Doing mine soon so that is useful info. Thanks!
Derek Whittle you’re welcome!
Ultimately…, the rotor manufacturer will determine which direction the rotors will go. It will be either stamped on the edge or labeled with a peel-off sticker. DON’T Guess!
Internal vens are supposed to be catching air as you drive forward.. in your case they're hitting the air.. unreal... so wrong
I like your style bro. Props to the education. Lol
Well said 👍 glad that i did it correctly 😅
You hit 2 birds with 1,stone. Nice ☝🏼. Thanks for the tip.
You’re welcome. Thanks.
Good info, great camera and I find this oddly calming
Thanks!
Cause he looks super stoned hahaha
Good point 👍
Thanks!
Love the style of your videos. Greetings from germany. Building also a e46 m3 for the track...
Dogma! , without an explanation as to the why of the vanes being towards the rear as opposed to the front you have left out the reasoning behind your assertion. You must back up your assertion with science. You have NOT made your case young man.Why should I just take your word for it? With that said, you happen to be correct.The reason why is because the internal vanes act as a centrifugal air pump and if the vanes angled forward then the "pump" would be working against the wind created from forward motion of vehicle instead of being assisted by it and drawing the heat away. My Brembo rotors vanes happen to be straight from center not leaning one way or the other. Brembo,in this case recommends that the brake pad makes contact with the outer point of the slot first ,meaning my slots will lean towards front of vehicle .
I had no idea. I always thought it had to do with slots and drilled holes. Good thing manufacturers mark them left and right. Oh crap, is left standing in front of vehicle or while looking out of vehicle.
Haha yeah always the dilemma. Left *should* be looking out of the vehicle. I was at a friends house tonight and his rotors had a little arrow machined in them indicating which direction they should turn. Simple and smart.
Really helpful, thanks!
Your videos are the best bro!!!!
Thanks bro!
My ZCP cross drilled go with the vane. where are your rotors from that you get the Black hubs?
Slots need to be facing the rear of the vehicle. Look at every performance vehicle that comes equipped with them stock!!!
Don't the veins on the bottom just face the opposite direction anyway? Won't you always have the same number of veins pointing in any given direction no matter which way the rotors are on. The only differences I see is which way the slots bite the pads. Never the less I will install them your way LoL.
You think the direction has an effect on the brake pads or stopping power?
I just think it has an effect on cooling and gas venting. Which I guess could effect stopping power if everything gets too hot and fails.
GTduzit of course the direction has an effect on the braking ability, if the rotors are not venting properly your braking is far less efficient. The rotors exhaust heat with the help of the vanes, do some research.
GTduzit to answer your comment, STRAIGHT vaned rotors are bi-directional and function in any direction (no left or right). ANGLE vaned rotors are directional and need to be installed for correct rotation.
Yo the outside edge of the rotor has the specs if theres an L in it its left... If theres a R its right
Adrien Ross and if some idiot at the factory stamped the wrong letter, should you use your head or not ?
The vanes inside the rotor follow the same path as the holes. They have to. If the vanes are straight, it absolutely does not matter which side you put time on BUT most manufacturers want the hole on the outside hitting the pad first. This is incorrectly installed. If you buy Brembo, TRW, ATE, other drilled and/or slotted rotors they specify left or right sided rotors and you absolutely must follow their instructions on a high performance car or youre going to have overheating and fade. At the top the holes slots should point backwards or another way of thinking is scooping at the bottom as you move forward tossing out at the top behind-Easiest way to remember.
Im getting the same rotor .i didnt knw which way they go
I like that jack
So I started looking into this because mine were making noise after a brake job. I thought mine were wrong, Totally just got more aggressive pads than I intended. O well little noise just means they work good.
I like your style man!
3:15
my man
You remind me of Ferris Bueller love it.
INTERNAL COOLING VEINS SHOULD LEAN TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE CAR. THAT'S IS !!
Nice man :)
Biscu thanks!
What about stock brakes the have those 2 ?
stock rotors are straight vanes so you don't have to worry about it.
Tom Lee ty for letting me know
The internal vanes should scoop cool air facing forward to push it down towards the hub. They are not there for decoration. Guys I would listen to the rotor manufacturer.the outside lines don’t make much of a difference but should face back.
Love it thank you so much for confirming what i knew was right all along.
Definitely wrong. Look at any squirrel cage fan. The internal vanes always face foreward.
Perqaset Molly Perqaset 🥴
Keep it up bro!
You think has nothing to do, this rotors have bad design. Check some Japan motorcycle the front left and right and you see the difference.
CHURCH
NEW SUBSCRIBER
what stud kid is that? link if possible. thanks!!
csuxak47 ecs 56mm studs front,
78mm studs rear. I’ll find you a link
Front kit: www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/wheel-stud-conversion-kit-half-set/001467ecs04kt/
Rear set: www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-parts/wheel-stud-conversion-kit-half-set/001467ecs07kt/
The thumbs 👎 are from people that put theirs on backwards! 🤖🤣
They're from people who realize he took 5 minutes to blab and repeat himself for less than 1 minute's worth of useful information.
Notice how the slots have a distinct pocket of residue around them....because your forcing those hot gasses back down and creating more gas than a solid rotor....hints why the rotors look like crap after your "TRACK DAY"
Unbelievable.. The guy did research on the right way and still has them on backwards. This video should be taken down.
you know how to install
Symmetric no rotation problem can mount left right, not the best design. pin.it/j3ir4rlwagvkpa
Keren bang videonya
HEY LISTEN UP ROTORS DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE THEY ARE MADE ALL THE SAME WAY, TAKE THAT ROTOR AND PUT IT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR AND SEE WHAT DIRECTION THEY WILL BE ,YOUR SLOTS WILL BE FACING TO THE BACK NOT LIKE WHAT YOU SEE NOW FACING TO THE FRONT
Ahhhhhhhh I cant stand seeing these China rotors
Go to 3:00 to skip all the bullshit rambling. You're welcome.
You are talking toooo much
No he's not, I love his monologues.
i agree, i don’t believe he talks too much
Get to the point, u really waste too much time with nonsense
Slots SHOULD be in the same direction as the veins for the SAME reason. Those rotors were probably manufactured wrong.