Vented vs. non-vented: differences?

[Tyler]

On my 85, I have non-vented front rotors. Am I right in assuming the only difference between the old style non-vented and the old style vented brakes are the rotors themselves and the yoke that slides on the caliper? Does that make sense? Thanks in advance.

-Tyler

[Dans_t16s]

IIRC The vented front disc requires the wider yoked sliding caliper ( almost impossible to find now!) AND narrower width disc pads ( also as rare as hens teeth!)

Its just a bolt up and drive job (if you have the parts).


Dan.

[kemosaabey]

I have the vented discs - I've used standard pads with no problems.

Maybe there was a difference but I guess it's a case of 'one size fits all' these days....

[Rodentmaster]

The pads were originally......

made of different compositions, non vented had softer compound while the vented used a slightly harder compound to make up for the reduced depth (thickness) of the pad. I found that the non vented rotors were prone to a 'higher than average' occurance of brake throb or grab/ warpage, however you wish to describe it.
Generally, I found after a hard drive and workout on the brake pedal then applying the handbrake, I would usually begin to notice the brake throb a few days later. That to me was one flaw in the front handbrake arrangement, the front pads, always the hottest, being compressed into the hottest disc where, at the pad/disc contact area, would be the last point to cool down and so create an uneven heat cool cycle across the rotor.

I'm not seeing this occur at the moment with the current car thankfully.

[900t]

I think the handbrake issue is more related to depositing pad on the disc pretty badly in such scenario. After a hard braking you don't even want to stop as the material can "weld" itself to the disc.