Name : Mark Age : 58 Location : Canton, NC Joined : 2007-09-16Post Count : 104 Merit : 3
Subject: Re: FAQ: Brake Rotors and Pads Sat May 16, 2009 5:08 pm
I've used EBC dimpled/slotted rotors and EBC Ultimax pads front and rear for over 40k miles. I had to replace the fronts after about 30k miles. Great brakes. I'd never go back to stock type rotors or pads. I live in the mountains and have many steep grades to pass over on my 150 mile/day commute.
AA Administrator
Name : Aaron Age : 46 Location : C-bus, Ohio Joined : 2007-01-13Post Count : 18448 Merit : 252
Subject: Re: FAQ: Brake Rotors and Pads Mon May 18, 2009 12:54 am
Matthew, I've decided to keep the HP Plus pads for full time duty. I want to see what happens to my rotors when using a more abrasive pad compound. HPS are yours if you want them. I'll send you a PM soon with pics, and can discuss price.
The more I experiment with changing pad compounds, the more I feel they make more of a difference than the rotors or the F-Body calipers. It's true the F-Bodies provide a larger pad surface, and I think that helps to deal with heat and makes the pads wear longer, but I think most of the increased stopping power I saw in the beginning came from swapping to Hawk HPS pads vs. ceramics.
The HP Plus pads I just installed provide an even higher level of stopping power, so can only imagine what would happen with all-out race pads. Not saying the F-Body brake mod isn't worth it, but there is some argument for keeping the stock calipers and just upgrading the pads. I think you would stop just as quickly. The real benefit of the F-Body mod seems to be heat management and increased pad life, imo.
'70 Ninety-Eight Holiday Coupe 455cid • 116k miles ^^^ SOLD ^^^
AA Administrator
Name : Aaron Age : 46 Location : C-bus, Ohio Joined : 2007-01-13Post Count : 18448 Merit : 252
Subject: Re: FAQ: Brake Rotors and Pads Sun May 24, 2009 12:00 pm
Recently installed Royalty slotted & drilled rotors, which have a lifetime warranty against warping and cracking. I also have the F-Body calipers:
For pads I chose Hawk HP Plus. These are noisy and a bit dusty, but they do what they claim: a plus over Hawk's HPS street compound. I've changed by preference from clean and quiet to all-out performance. I want to be able to stop on a dime, and do it all day without harming the system. These pads certainly stop well, hoping they will last.
Here's some video from last night. I admit, it doesn't look to be braking that fast, but this is the quickest my car has ever slowed from high speed. I think I was decelerating faster than the needle showed, because you can hear the seat fall back while the needle is still moving down:
