A recent survey to over 5,000 independent workshops in Australia has found that more than three in four industry professionals choose Disc Brakes Australia (DBA) when replacing or upgrading the brake rotors on their own vehicles, and nearly as many nominate DBA as the preferred brake rotor for their customers’ vehicles.

Quality and performance have been the drivers of DBA’s philosophy ever since its foundation in the 1970s. Nothing has changed in that department, and the people at the coal face of our industry – mechanics and workshop owners – are well aware of it. That’s why they opt for DBA rotors to use on their own vehicles, be it for a direct replacement or a brake upgrade.

Whilst DBA offers the most complete range of OE direct replacement rotors in the Australian market under its STREET SERIES label, it is the upgrade and performance ranges that have shaped DBA’s reputation in the industry over the decades. Its 4000 SERIES, the most popular and versatile upgrade rotor in the range, has proven its worth in countless 4WD, heavy towing, GVM upgrade, police, rally and track day applications, often under the most gruelling conditions that would send most vehicles equipped with competitor products heading for the hoist.

When it comes to safety relevant products DBA believes there must be no shortcuts or substitutions for quality. That is why DBA from the early days until today designs, engineers and for the most part manufactures its 4000 SERIES upgrade rotors at its facilities in Silverwater, Australia. “Made, Not Bought” is testament to the fact that DBA is Australia’s largest brake rotor manufacturer.

Going back in history, a pivotal moment in the company’s history occurred back in the early 2000s, when its engineering team was tasked with developing a rotor that would survive the gruelling demands of endurance racing at the Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst, Australia. DBA rose to the challenge, thus playing a crucial part in securing a championship win for the GT Performance class Subaru WRX STi.

Many of the innovations developed in this project were subsequently incorporated in DBA’s upgrade and performance rotors, including the 4000 SERIES upgrade rotor. Designed as a direct replacement single piece rotor, cast from high carbon alloyed iron and undergoing Thermal Stability Profiling (TSP) treatment, its metallurgy can handle the increased stress and heat generated under intense braking applications, time and time again. Featuring DBA’s Kangaroo Paw ventilation that implements a series of 144 diamond and teardrop patterned pillars, this unique design achieves an up to 30% increase in surface area and a 20% improvement in cooling efficiency as compared to a common straight-vane design used in many competitor products. Other DBA patents include the unique Thermographic Heat Paint (TGHP) stripes that change colour at certain temperature thresholds, thus aiding with the heat management of the brake system, and the bi-directional T3 slot design, which enhances pedal feel and the consistency and effectiveness of every brake stop.

Since those Bathurst days, whilst performance and quality have remained the cornerstones of the 4000 SERIES’s success, one thing has changed – from its humble number of available variants, the range has grown to the most comprehensive it has ever been, featuring over 1,700 individual part numbers for every application from fast movers to vintage models.

               4000 Series brake rotor