Well, let me tell you about my little adventure today. Day two of the track day at Road Atlanta. Before I began, I already knew that I'd have to get my pads replaced soon, as my 30000 mile service is coming up. Long story short: I had to forfeit 3 of my 6 runs and limp my car home with metal chunks of brake pad eating my rear rotors. So now the rear rotors are trashed, the fronts are warped and all the pads are dead. I need brakes, FAST. I want to do the Siegel track day I signed up for. My friend is a mechanic, and we talked about different upgrades to get. I only have about $600 to throw around right now, so a whole BBK or even 2006 WRX calipers are out of the question. In looking at the various brake upgrades out on the web, I compiled a list of questions for the community. Any advice would be appreciated. This is for a 2004 WRX btw: -Do SS lines work without having to modify the ABS system? -The normal rear rotors are not vented. Can vented rear ones work without modifying the crappy calipers? -Will Hawk HP+ pads warp rotors more frequently? -If crossdrilled rotors become warped, can they be machined/turned? -Which are better: slotted rotors or crossdrilled? JSC Speed has some pretty good offers for complete sets of rotors/pads/lines for about $650. How good are the stoptech rotors compared to the powerslot rotors? And how good are the Axxis Ultimate pads compared to Hawk HPS?
-If crossdrilled rotors become warped, can they be machined/turned? nope, and id go with slotted if u were you and SS lines as far as i know work without messing with anyone
Don't bother with drilled rotors, they are worse than solid rotors, read this: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=368072 Also, AFAIK vented rear rotors will require new calipers as they are much thicker than non-vented rotors. I haven't heard of any downside to getting ss lines. If anyone knows of any negative effect of ss lines, please correct me!
I say get new slotted rotors and better pads with SS line and higher temp fliud...if your boy is a mechanic than you can get it done around $600....
I agree with Ill. You need the ss lines (no modification necessary), DOT4 fluid (bleed entire system), slotted rotors (same size as stock), and Hawk HPS (not +). I've seen the +'s eat large indentations into Brembos, enough to have to replace them after one set of pads. The brembos weren't slotted or drilled which could be the make or break difference, but they were only being used on an autox course. HP+ if you are tracking frequently.
Well I went ahead and bought JSC Speed's combo package with front and rear powerslot rotors, HPS pads, SS lines and Motul 600 brake fluid. I thought that was a pretty good deal for $630. That will get me back on the road again. Later I'll probably get some track pads for track days and upgrade to a BBK. Thanks for the help guys!
Now you just need a brake spreader and a large socket to remove the rotor nut and you can do the entire install yourself. I outlined the rotor removal in my DIY thread about wheel stud removal. Installing the pads and lines are a piece of cake if you have the spreader. The HPS's should last you the one track day and about a year on the road. Good luck with them.
Any local parts store. I got my at advance auto parts. It is a flat plate threaded onto a long bolt. At one end of the bolt it has another flat little round piece. It allows you to use the flat plate and round piece to spread something apart by twisting the bolt. They will know what it looks like if you ask.
Well I just got the parts in so I'll either be doing this tonight or tomorrow. Just a quick question, is there any order in particular in which I should install the parts? Should I install the lines first and bleed them, and then put the new rotors and pads on?
Rotors, pads, lines, then bleed. Bleed from front right (passenger side)- left rear-front left-rear right. Don't let brake fluid resevoir empty and don't pump the pedal to the floor.
It's first time hearing that "dont pump the pedal to the floor" any reason behind that?? BTW, i tried speedbleeder. bleeding job can be done by one person and with more safety margin.
I always heard you can risk damaging the cylinder by going all the way to the floor. Its probably a combination of no fluid and going to the floor. The speed bleeder is a much better way to bleed if you can't always recruit friends. Plus its pretty fast.
I'll be definitely getting speedbleeders in the future. Well over the last two days I've been driving to my parents house at night to get the work done. Everything is installed, but I have to go over one more time to bleed the brakes. Oh, by the way, what size speedbleeders fit on my car? Are they the 7mm kind?