Buy Acura CL Disc Brake Rotors

The Acura CL disc brake rotor-also called a brake disc, rotor disc, or brake plate-is the spinning iron surface that your pads clamp to slow the car. Getting the size, material, and care steps right keeps braking smooth, prevents steering-wheel shake, and helps the coupe stay safe for many more miles.

A disc brake rotor is typically made of gray cast iron, prized for its heat-soaking ability and strength to-weight ratio. Most passenger-car rotors-including every CL year-use the SAE J431 G3000 grade of gray iron, which balances hardness with crack resistance (Wikipedia).
Ventilated rotors contain cooling vanes sandwiched between the two faces; the vanes draw air in and pump heat out as the wheel spins (Wikipedia). Solid rotors lack these vanes and are usually found on the rear axle of lighter cars where heat load is lower. Drilled or slotted patterns are optional designs that help wipe water, gas, and dust while adding style; they do not automatically shorten stopping distance but can stabilize feel on repeated hard stops (MotorTrend).

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Minimum thickness: Honda/Acura marks a discard line on the hat-typically 23-26 mm for front and 8 mm for rear, depending on year (Honda-Tech, Cars.com).
Lug torque: Tighten wheels in a star pattern to 80-95 ft-lb; using a calibrated torque wrench prevents rotor distortion (Wikipedia).

• Plain cast-iron: Least expensive, quietest, and fully adequate for normal commuting.
• Drilled or slotted: Helps gas release and pad de-glazing during repeated hard stops; the slots also give rainwater an exit path (MotorTrend).
• High-carbon alloys: Add carbon and trace metals to cut vibration and resist cracking under heavy heat cycles-useful for spirited Type-S driving (papers.sae.org).
• Coated hats & edges: Zinc or GEOMET® coatings slow cosmetic rust on the hat without changing friction on the swept face (AutoZone.com).

Always match the rotor style to the pad compound; combining aggressive race pads with entry-level rotors may shorten life or glaze pads prematurely.

• Steering-wheel shake or pedal pulsing usually means rotor thickness variation (DTV) or run-out; a dial indicator reading over 0.002 in calls for machining or replacing the disc (PowerStop Brakes).
• Grinding noise signals pads are down to metal and scoring the rotor face.
• Longer stopping distance can follow overheating or glazing, especially if rotors weren't properly bedded in after install (PowerStop Brakes).
• Brake-warning light with no fluid loss sometimes appears when warped rotors make the pedal travel farther, tripping the fluid-level float (Car Forums at Edmunds.com).
  Ignoring these clues can cook wheel bearings and even trigger service bulletins; several CL owners filed vibration complaints with NHTSA before replacing rotors (NHTSA Static).

1. Clean the hub with a wire brush so the rotor seats flush; debris here is a prime cause of run-out (PowerStop Brakes).
2. Hand-tighten lug nuts in a criss-cross star and finish with a torque wrench at spec (Wikipedia).
3. Use new pads every time you install new rotors for proper bedding.
4. Bed-in the set: perform 5-6 medium stops from 40 mph, then 4 hard stops from 50-10 mph, letting rotors cool in between-this lays an even film of pad material and prevents future shudder (PowerStop Brakes).

Normal street rotors on a midsize coupe like the CL can last 50,000-70,000 miles if you avoid heavy loads and anticipate traffic, but towing or mountain driving shortens that span (AAA). Regular multi-point inspections catch rust lips and uneven wear early (Wikipedia). If you live in a road-salt zone, washing wheels weekly slows corrosion and pad contamination.

ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, and ventilated front discs came standard on every 2001-2003 CL and help the car stop straight even on wet pavement (Edmunds). Upgrading to premium pads and high-carbon rotors can trim stopping distance, but the biggest gains often come from fresh brake fluid and tires with strong wet-grip ratings (NAPA Blog).

For deeper dives into brake metallurgy, heat management, and rotor design, explore SAE papers on gray-iron grades (papers.sae.org), NHTSA owner reports on brake vibration (NHTSA Static), and community fit-ment threads that document the CL's 5 × 114.3 mm hub pattern (Acura Legend). Happy wrenching and safe stopping!