Needing new brakes

Hey all-

So I'm tired of feeling like I'm riding on rumble strips when I brake. I know I could get the rotors turned, but I think I just want to go with new brakes and rotors.

I know usually everyone just say R1 Concepts and that's the end of the discussion. I'm looking for other suggestions if you have some, though.

As far as hot-spotting, what my car has, this is a great write-up a racer friend of mine pointed me to...why warped rotors are almost always a fallacy, and some good points on race brakes v. road brakes:

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

I'm pretty sure I don't want OEM. I'm thinking some brakes to dissipate heat better, since I think that's part of what caused my hot-spotting.

My parameters:

1. 20" rims maximum (I'm on 18s now, but that's a discussion for the Spring)
   
2. Street driving, not track
   
3. Tend to brake a little harder than some...street driving, but I do like to step on it a bit

So right now, from what I know, I'm between R1 Concepts and Stoptech. Thoughts? Drilled/slotted/drilled & slotted? Pad types?

Thanks

Just from what i have read and personal experience i would say R1 rotors and ebc pads... as far as drilled or slotted etc... im not to sure heard some stories about them breaking... but i am sure someone will chime in that has them..

i just put these on the dimpled and slotted. ok so far only have a few hundred miles on them

http://brakeperformance.com/site/brake_rotors.php?&ad=yahoo

I wouldn't recommend the Hawk brakes from MarylandSpeed simply because they are still noisy on mine. They stop on a dime, but they still screech when they are hot. They have quieted down a bit, but it's annoying enough that I'm considering ceramics.

My discs weren't turnable so I ended up getting factory (slotted) discs which was probably a mistake.

HiPwr wrote:

I wouldn't recommend the Hawk brakes from MarylandSpeed simply because they are still noisy on mine. They stop on a dime, but they still screech when they are hot. They have quieted down a bit, but it's annoying enough that I'm considering ceramics.

My discs weren't turnable so I ended up getting factory (slotted) discs which was probably a mistake.

Thanks! I need the "what not to get" info too.

Only issue I've heard with drilled rotors is from guys who track their cars/trucks. They get them hot enough to crack around the holes.

On two of my trucks I run Power Slot Cryo'd slotted rotors to avoid that (heavy ass trucks= more prone to cracking drilled rotors).

For a daily driver car with some hard driving that doesn't see track time, drilled or drilled and slotted should be fine as long as it's a quality rotor.


I have no idea on what pads work best on cars though

HiPwr wrote:

I wouldn't recommend the Hawk brakes from MarylandSpeed simply because they are still noisy on mine. They stop on a dime, but they still screech when they are hot. They have quieted down a bit, but it's annoying enough that I'm considering ceramics.

My discs weren't turnable so I ended up getting factory (slotted) discs which was probably a mistake.

according to matt robinson who tracks his car often the factory slotted SRT rotors are better than any aftermarket he has tried including R1's. i trust his track time expertise over any company's claims. he road races his 426 magnum almost every other week.

I'm getting a set of the factory slotted rotors in the spring with another set of ebc red pads. ebc reds are noisy for the first 2000 miles too but they don't dust and are a race track worthy pad that does great on the street. they are harsh on rotors tho.

you can get the factory slotted SRT rotors online for 74bux a piece. you cant beat that price. the factory rotors are not made with a left and right because the fins on the inside are straight. only rotors with curved cooling fins require a left and right side because the fins have to exhaust hot air from the center out. the slots also have to go opposite of the colling fins in direction to keep it strong on directional rotors.

^^^^^GREAT INFO!^^^^^

If I go with factory SRT rotors, though, what else do I need to upgrade on the system? Calipers maybe?

Iguanaman wrote:

^^^^^GREAT INFO!^^^^^

If I go with factory SRT rotors, though, what else do I need to upgrade on the system? Calipers maybe?

sorry that post was kinda directed at HiPwr. i was trying to make him feel good about his choice of the factory rotors on his SRT but its a little more complicated if you wan to use SRT rotors on your R/T.

your better off looking for aftermarket rotors that fit the R/T because you would have to get the SRT knuckles to run the SRT's brembo calipers on your car. the caliper is not a direct swap.

if your looking at break kits then willwood makes a fixed caliper you could go with but its still expensive and i would think you would be better off going with a good set of direct bolt on pads and rotors. i don't have a ton of experience with what is good in the aftermarket with R/T brake components but i do know liljoejoe54 loves his R1 rotors.

If your a heavy footed brake abuser it's not a problem just as long as you cool the rotors off good before putting the car away. They get too hot and if you don't do a cool down the pads will leave material on the rotor that turns into cementite. The false idea of "warped rotors" is really just brake shoe deposits on the rotor.

Best way I've found to seat in the new brake system is go real fast and panic stop and take off for a high speed cool off. I do this and my brakes are as sticky as a Bears ass stuck in honey. Do it 5 or 6 times to break them in. They will stop you on a dime after that. I would use factory pads too. Fuck the dust, it's brake performance your looking for. Ceramic s are a bitch and they are way hard on the rotors. Just my 2 cents.

So has anyone ever used Stoptech?

Pretty sure I've settled on R1 slotted rotors...looking for more pad recommendations.

Steven from R1 is talking either Hawk HPS pads or posi ceramic...thoughts? Other suggestions?

Iguanaman wrote:

Pretty sure I've settled on R1 slotted rotors...looking for more pad recommendations.

Steven from R1 is talking either Hawk HPS pads or posi ceramic...thoughts? Other suggestions?

I like the thought of the ceramics just because the Hawks are dusty as shit! Ceramics should keep the dust down...Now on performance side I really don't give two shits either way, IMHO it doesn't matter! Really none of us besides Jon road race on a track therefore either would be a good choice because I would imagine they are both better than stock!

I went with the ceramics from r1 for that reason. Brake dust drives me fucking nuts, and the hawk pads create a shit load of it.

I don't road race, I hate brake dust, and with show season coming, I don't want to be in the business of cleaning brake dust off of nice wheels.

Guess I'm just asking if anyone is recommending a ceramic alternative to posi quiet, or is hating on posi quiet, that's all.

From what I have heard pretty much all ceramic pads are good when it comes to brake dust. If you decide to go with r1, pm them from the Z and ask if they will still honor the group buy. Even though its over a year old, they will still honor it.

I did the deal on the Z with the R1 slotted and drilled rotors and their pads.... couldnt have been happier..not much dust and didnt have any warping or problems... and they have held up great!

Ok I think that settles it...

I did confirm with Steven over on the Z last month that they're still doing the GB. Thanks everyone.

Oh, and...

@DA HNIC: I'll now "stop playing and pull the trigger". LOL

[/Indecisive over-analysis]

Way to go Dave. Good luck with 'em!

My brakes are on the way...

Anyone here at a shop that could put my car up on a lift and change them? Easier than changing them on jack stands in a garage, I'm guessing?

I had a less than hilarious time trying to do this myself last time, so I'd be grateful for help.

Read about my last attempt at doing this HERE.

jack stands in a garage is not hard. im sure we will have a spring mod day soon we can hammer it out at.

as for the warped rotor theory in your first post. thats true to an extent. ask adam if my rotors were truly warped or not. there is no way in hell that wable was just pad material, you could see the warp of the metal in the rotor when we put it on the lathe and it spun. its cause in autocross right after your run you have to get back in the staging lanes for your next run and can't do any cool down driving around the pits so the brakes cool uneven.

jontoad wrote:

jack stands in a garage is not hard. im sure we will have a spring mod day soon we can hammer it out at.

as for the warped rotor theory in your first post. thats true to an extent. ask adam if my rotors were truly warped or not. there is no way in hell that wable was just pad material, you could see the warp of the metal in the rotor when we put it on the lathe and it spun. its cause in autocross right after your run you have to get back in the staging lanes for your next run and can't do any cool down driving around the pits so the brakes cool uneven.

That's from going "warp speed" JT. lol

Well, for starters, I don't have jack stands. And I'd rather do this with someone that knows what they're doing because, if you read my linked blog post, I went into THAT thinking it wouldn't be too hard.

brakes aren't hard Dave,i'm sure we all can lend a hand.I have two jack stands for starters.....

HemiMag24s wrote:

brakes aren't hard Dave,i'm sure we all can lend a hand.I have two jack stands for starters.....

I know they're not SUPPOSED to be, just read my blog link a couple of posts North. A funny read now, if nothing else.

I'm just coming from a family history where nobody did their own work on cars...hell, my dad used to trade in the car when the ashtray was full. So I didn't learn when I was young.