what brake pads & rotors are ideal for me?

[RacerFreakXXX]

what brake pads are ideal for me? I have under 15k miles on my car and I warped my rotors, it was probably due to some heavy mt road driving or those people who slam on the brakes at a yellow light I was thinking of going with the AX6 (Aggressive Street / Autocross) CarboTech brake pads, whats your opinion? (yes I am getting rotors too... I'm not completely retarded)

[cdydjded]

www.placeforbrakes.com

[RacerFreakXXX]

just as expensive or more expensive than what MI sells

[yarrr]

Originally Posted by RacerFreakXXX

just as expensive or more expensive than what MI sells

and pep boys sells EBC stuff, not necessarily super high end racing from my research.

I warped my stock rotors at 15-20k to. Went with R1 rotors and carbotech pads(the cheap street ones) and the pads have lasted past 30k and still going with lots of material left. Better braking, lasts longer, the only decision you gotta make is how much noise you can put up with. The street ones are as quiet as stock, but still a good bump up in braking.

[cdydjded]

Originally Posted by RacerFreakXXX

just as expensive or more expensive than what MI sells

Check eBay then...

[rob323]

Can you guys get Lucas or TRW pads over there? I use them on my Echo rally car and also on my previous rally car, without any fade problems, and they are quite good on the street also. A bit dusty but that's the last thing that goes through your mind as you are trying to pull up and your brakes fade on you.

Isn't it funny that those that have proper "race" cars don't seem to warp rotors yet the brakes on a race car will will get far hotter than any streeter ever will.

[Loren]

It's highly unlikely that your rotors are warped.
Please read this.

[yarrr]

Originally Posted by Loren

It's highly unlikely that your rotors are warped.
Please read this.

no, its not.

I'll take advice from a site that can use a spell checker.. exessive.. ugh And when my rotors warped, I tried sanding them to make sure that it wasn't just "deposits." You can sand pads flat so it should be no problem getting deposits off another surface. But after the METAL was still wavy. I'm also pretty sure the machine shop I took it to would have noticed if they were taking brake pad down, and not METAL(along with the 30 other rotors they do on a daily basis, that's a lot of "TV removal")

[Loren]

Originally Posted by yarrr

no, its not.

I'll take advice from a site that can use a spell checker.. exessive.. ugh And when my rotors warped, I tried sanding them to make sure that it wasn't just "deposits." You can sand pads flat so it should be no problem getting deposits off another surface. But after the METAL was still wavy. I'm also pretty sure the machine shop I took it to would have noticed if they were taking brake pad down, and not METAL(along with the 30 other rotors they do on a daily basis, that's a lot of "TV removal")

You obviously let a couple typos get in the way of reading and understanding the article. Of particular relevance is the bit about "cementite", which is harder than iron, and is the cause of most "warped rotor" complaints. It can't be removed with sandpaper.

And I'll take my advice from experienced brake system engineers. Follow their advice exactly and you might see better results. For example, you claim to have "sanded" your rotors, did you do so with the specific type of paper recommended in the article? Or did you use the specific type that they recommended AGAINST using?

You're not a brake system engineer. Neither am I. Neither is the HS grad who turns your rotors at your local machine shop. 'nuff said.

[RacerFreakXXX]

loren... you are probably right but either way both rotors and pads are getting replaced, I don't care about noise but more so cost and longevity, while being able to make hard stops if needed.

[RacerFreakXXX]

lol... well either way i'm replacing my pads and rotors. Has anyone used the street/ track pads? do they warm up decently in cold temps?

[Loren]

Originally Posted by RacerFreakXXX

lol... well either way i'm replacing my pads and rotors. Has anyone used the street/ track pads? do they warm up decently in cold temps?

In general, any pad that is rated for "street" use will be fine for that purpose. You won't run into cold-braking issues until you get to a full-race pad. Race pads will also have the side effect of being EXTREMELY abrasive when they're not at full operating temp, thus destroying your rotors (and themselves) very quickly in a street driving environment. They're also very noisy in that condition. But, get them up to operating temp on the track and they're magical!

Get whatever Garm has that he recommends for street use. Be happy.

[06silveryaris]

Originally Posted by RacerFreakXXX

lol... well either way i'm replacing my pads and rotors. Has anyone used the street/ track pads? do they warm up decently in cold temps?

I have used ebc green stuff and have no complaints. One was on a dd EP3 that did its ocasional track day and the other was on a track only integra and I never had any temp issues

[LtNoogie]

I love the combination of R1 Concepts slotted rotors Carbotech 1521 brake pads that are on my Yaris. You have to take the time to bed the pad material into the rotor as soon as you put them on. The initial bite is perfect and I can feel exactly how much breaking is needed. I like to drive with my right foot bare or just with a sock.

[RacerFreakXXX]

So street pads it is, now do I want plain, slotted, or slotted & drilled rotors? I read that slotted gives it a bit more bite but wears the pad faster and drilled dispenses heat faster but is easier to crack the rotor with. I'm thinking plain may be the best for price and will give me more longevity with the pads. what have you guys experienced?

[Loren]

Plain stock-style rotors are all you really need.

Another good article

(edit: Author is another brake system engineer, used to work for GM/Saturn. Used to race Saturns, hence the website.)

[06silveryaris]

Originally Posted by Loren

Plain stock-style rotors are all you really need.

Another good article

(edit: Author is another brake system engineer, used to work for GM/Saturn. Used to race Saturns, hence the website.)

+1

[yarrr]

Originally Posted by Loren

You obviously let a couple typos get in the way of reading and understanding the article. Of particular relevance is the bit about "cementite", which is harder than iron, and is the cause of most "warped rotor" complaints. It can't be removed with sandpaper.

lol. question my reading comprehension when its obvious you just browsed the article and its your pet theory of the week.

"the cast iron under the deposit begins to transform into cementite"

So if any of this was true and not all complete BS, I could sand the deposits off, and be left with flat iron with specks of cementite in it. I've seen brake deposits, I've dealt with them, this isn't some new amazing theory. There's no question, I had solid metal, that was not a flat surface. THAT is a warped rotor. Random internet links don't negate 99% of mechanics knowledge, and my first hand experience.

I really don't get why you're attempting to deny simple physics though. Stuff expands when it gets hot, if part of a piece of metal gets hot too quickly, it can warp. I don't know how to explain it much simpler. Take a cookie sheet out of the oven and pour cold water on it to see the reverse.

Originally Posted by Loren

Plain stock-style rotors are all you really need.

Another good article

(edit: Author is another brake system engineer, used to work for GM/Saturn. Used to race Saturns, hence the website.)

I can find obscure articles from "engineers" all day. Guess what, there was an engineer(or 12) on the oil rig that blew up and ruined millions of lives. Is any paper he wrote unquestionable??

For starters, they are backwards. Slots were first used for outgassing, cross drilling was used for keeping temps down. My cross drilled rotors lasted longer without cracking or warping than the stock non drilled rotors. Pads lasted longer too. They aren't at all like cheese graters, they are flat faced and don't cut in to your pads, unless installed terribly wrong.

NASCARs also have 4 inch brake vent holes, and are rebuilt/replaced after every race. Nascar brakes also have to stop you from 200 mph, which is where cracking CAN occur. Brembo makes brakes for nascar teams, have you seen their brake line up lately?

Have you looked at a bugatti/lambo/ferrari/porsche/audi lately? THEY ALL HAVE DRILLED ROTORS. Every one of those companies has an army of engineers that make too much money to write asinine articles on the internet about which brakes are "good," they just make the best brakes, and put them on the best cars.