Brake Pad/Rotor upgrade suggestions?

SilentBobMk2 · Post by **SilentBobMk2** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 7:20 pm

Well im thinking of doing a rotor/pad upgrade soon, and going off past threads DBA rotors seem to be popular, as do some different brands of pads(ie racebrakes etc)

Any suggestions,
thinking slotted rotors all round(fronts are about $250 a pair, any one know what kinda $ the rears go for)?
Is it beneficial replacing rear rotors, as most of the braking would be done up front? and opinions on cross drilled rotors, extra $ just for show?

As for pads, racebrakes seem a good option, what kinda $ the pads go for(im gonna email em next week some time for some suggestions, but thought id case it here first)

Any suggestions welcome
Thanks
SilentBob

Blk-Jet · Post by **Blk-Jet** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:27 am

Email

drp_direct@yahoo.com.au

They have all brands available at cost prices.

Theremin · Post by **Theremin** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:09 am

Silent Robert

As I understand it, the fronts do about 70% of the work when braking, so upgrading the fronts is the priority. From memory the rear rotors/pads are more expensive too.

I am told the cross-drilling is mostly (if not only?) for show. The holes in the rotor will reduce the mass of the rotor. Less mass = less material in the rotor to dissipate heat from the pads = hotter pads & rotors = reduced performance.

I'm no expert - just passing on the info I got when I upgraded my brakes. I went for DBA slotted rotors with RB74 pads (front only).

cam.

kaveman · Post by **kaveman** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:42 pm

hi bob

most of are now using race brakes now

and most of us are using RB74 on the front

you should put slotted on the front, for the back i wouldn't change any thing

i've been through 1 sets of front and just about to change again and also disc's and the back still have 50% and thats from when it came in the country

mind you, you have seen the way we travel

i will drop in to race brake tomorrow

robert

MADFTO · Post by **MADFTO** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:59 am

Actually, cross drilling does increase cooling peformance is it increase the total surface area of the disk, and that matters more than mass I believe.

Mass just allows more heat to be stored, if i remember correctly, brake fade occurs when the pad get too hot for it's operating temp, or there's a layer of gas/air being generated between the disc and the pad during braking and this prevents the pad from contacting the disc. That's how slotted works, by allowing this buffer layer to be scooped away.

Don't ask me about the tech about it, I'm not too sure, but it's something about how the pad sheds materials as the pad gets hotter.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:06 am

actually, both of you are right.

By drilling holes in the rotors you are reducing the size of the disc, meaning that less metal has to deal with the heat, therefore they heat up quicker.

However, as more of the surface area is exposed to the air, they also cool down faster. And as Eric has pointed out, the holes / slots also overcome the issue with the hotgas that builds up between the disc and pad, meaning there will be more contact between the pad and disc, more friction, and more stopping power.

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:28 pm

but i've also heard that drilled discs are more prone to hairline cracks...??

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:36 pm

I've heard the same Mikey.

Personally I wouldn't do any modifications to existing discs, as you will weaken them, but discs which are made with the holes or slots by the manufacturer will be fine.

Drilling the discs yourself maybe a cheap option, but try arguing with your insurance company where they tell you they won't cover you, after your crash, because your discs broke due to being drilled.

There are some things that are just not a good idea, doing homemade modifications to any safety or stopping system is one of them. Why make yourself more unsafe and risk your insurance or your life? Go spend the money and get the proper stuff, it will work better and you will be safer!

One of the things I love about sports cars is that they are typically safer than a passanger car, as most of the safety, stopping and road holding items are much better. Sure you get a harsher ride, and sure you pay more for it, but you're a lot safer.

Everytime I jump into my wife's new Manga wagon, I feel like I'm driving a couch. It seems to float and bounce along and it is so heavy under braking that it almost feels unsafe. I'll stick to my FTO!

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 7:13 pm

Yep, RB74`s with slotted DBA s are the way to go. I recently did a track day where I did over 30 laps of Willowbank and got no fade whatsoever.
I used about half a set of front pads. The month before I painted my calipers with paint rated to 500c and this smoked away during the break between the second and third set of laps. But as said before no fade.
Jeff

TimmyD · Post by **TimmyD** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 7:34 pm

yeah, i was told from a mechanic that if your going to get new breaks dont get cross drilled ones as the start to crack from hole to hole, kinda like a dot to dot puzzle and then they have to be replaced more often.

Cheers
Tim

dannyboyau · Post by **dannyboyau** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 12:58 am

i got the cross drilled ones while the engine was being changed

no sign of cracking and i have used them to pull up from high speed, I had the same concerns

I rang DBA and was also told by DBA that they should not crack and are designed not too.

for normal driving and the occasional high speed stop

they work much better than standrad discs

I have felt what brake fade is like when doing 250 Km an hour and when you are coming up behind a vehicle at that speed and all of sudden your brakes dont work properly, not nice luckily there was enough room to pass

P.S if i see any craking i will let everyone know especially DBA

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 1:28 pm

dannyboyau, I doubt you'll see any cracking from yours as they were made that way, but some other people are taking their standard rotors and drilling them. This is where the possibility of problems come in, as they weren't designed to be drilled and will be weakened.

Theremin · Post by **Theremin** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:06 pm

250kmh dannyboyau!? Was that in your FTO?? Surely not, because I read in this other thread......

Just kidding!

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 3:27 pm

Theremin wrote:250kmh dannyboyau!? Was that in your FTO?? Surely not, because I read in this other thread......

Just kidding!

ROFL... let's not go there ok.....

dannyboyau · Post by **dannyboyau** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 12:39 am

hahaha

anyone wanna race for slips

come on fellas i could do with a spare FTO or 2

I prefer a manual how about it mikey

then again an auto would be ok ill stick one of my spare engines in it

scracy · Post by **scracy** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 4:47 pm

Mikey wanted me to give him a 5 second start at the last meet!,what hope would he have against you!

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 4:57 pm

scracy wrote:Mikey wanted me to give him a 5 second start at the last meet!,what hope would he have against you!

that's pretty much it, nothing but just 'hope'...

you just wait till i get my plasma-injected flux capacitor fitted back into my Motec system exhaust danny, i'll rip ya bum a new hole muahahaha!!

JK buddy...

dannyboyau · Post by **dannyboyau** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 5:25 pm

ill use my phaser before you can get close enough then ill finish you off with a couple of Photon Torpedos then go to warp 8 and wave good bye

scracy · Post by **scracy** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 7:05 pm

And ill have a chat with Brocky and see if I can borrow one of his energy polarisors? And then you will both have windscreens full of Altezza tailights right