THE Brake Component Review Thread

RedRyder

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Sep 5, 2008
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Location
Fawking, OH
Brand & Model: PowerSlot Slotted Rear Rotors
Price paid & from where: $92 per rotor from AutoAnything.com.
Pros: Big difference in stopping power even with OEM calipers. Look great.
Cons: Perhaps a bit pricey. Rotora is cheaper.
Final Verdict: Great rotor in function and form. Wish I would have gone with Rotoras because they have the hub and vents painted black. But in terms of function/form, these are just as good. Shop around for prices though.

Brand & Model: Rotora Slotted Front Rotors
Price paid & from where: $80!!! per rotor from ExceleratePerformance.com
Pros: Best price I found, very fast shipping (they're in CT & I'm in OH), great service and good shipping.
Big difference in stopping power even with OEM calipers. Look great.
Cons: I've heard the black coating rusts away after awhile, but I don't know since I just got them.
Final Verdict: Great rotor in function and form, best performance & looks for the price.

Brand & Model: Duralast CMax Gold Ceramic Brake Pads
Price paid & from where: $35 from Autozone
Pros: Noticeably better stopping power, long lasting, makes less brake dust. Also free lifetime replacement, just bring into Autozone when nearly worn and you get free replacements.
Cons: None
Final Verdict: Just as good as Hawks for the price. Just try em.

Brand & Model: Rotora 4-piston big brake kit w/13" slotted rotors
Price paid & from where: $650 from a member
Pros: Looks really nice behind the wheel face. Definitely more stopping power (need a wider set or wheels/tires than OEM to take advantage). Compatible with ABS. Easy to install since it uses the stock parts/hardware. Relo bracket is part of caliper.
Cons: Caliper is made of aluminum which is nice since it's light, but the banjo bolt hole can strip - DO NOT overtighten.
Final Verdict: Looks really nice, performs well, & easy to install. If you find something like this used, it's a great upgrade. Pair with a set of stainless steel brake lines.

Brand & Model: Russell stainless steel brake lines
Price paid & from where: $109 from Summit Racing
Pros: Well made, look good, come with brackets/hardware for OEM fitment. Improve pedal feel.
Cons: None
Final Verdict: Simple upgrade, look nice with a well finished caliper, and firm up brake pedal a bit.
 
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atarikid07

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Jul 28, 2008
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Location
Atlanta
Brand & model: Hawk HPS Pads
Price paid and from where: $80 pair front, $65 pair rear from tirerack.com
Pros: Very good grip. Only driven them for a little bit, but once you bed them in you can feel them bite.
Cons: None yet. Barely done 50 miles on them.
Final verdict: These are really good pads. I would definitely recommend them. I don't know how long they last though, since I've only driven them for a couple miles.

Brand & model: Brembo blanks
Price paid and from where: $55 ea. front, $48 ea. rear from tirerack.com
Pros: Good rotor. Again, been on them only a couple miles, but paired with my HPS pads this is an awesome setup.
Cons: You probably need to get new pads to feel a change. I think the rotors by themselves wouldn't really make much of a noticeable difference.
Final verdict: Get these and pair them up with HPS's. I highly recommend this setup, and it's not too expensive from tirerack either.
 

NASOHC

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Sep 19, 2007
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Location
the O.C.
Brand & model: FastBrakes.com 13" BBK Wilwood 4 piston UltraLight Caliper, 2pc. Rotors w/Hawk pads
Price paid and from where: $1100 purchased direct
Pros: Feels stock but really grips under high power stops - stays cool under heavy braking - Looks killer. Quality parts and accessories - easy install.
Cons: Dimple Rotors make a slight noise under normal braking - common on most aftermarket brake systems - i wishe they had a rear system available.
Final verdict: You get what you pay for, I got a great front brake kit! Stops on a dime when you need it.
 

Tek_Rice

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Sep 21, 2006
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Location
Fairfax va
Brand & model: Brembo GT 4Pot
Price paid and from where:$1900
Pros: Extremely GRIPPY and it bites very very hard. Unlimited pad options, and great aesthetics. Easy to change the pads, and a HUGE performance increase
Cons: Expensive, and replacement parts are $$$

Final Verdict: great aesthetics, and great peformance. My rotoras performed about the same, and is at 60% of the price. If you have extra money then get brembo. If not.... then get Rotora
 

songphd

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May 26, 2009
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Pittsburgh
Re: Baer Decela Rotors & EBC Ultimax Brake Pads

Brand & model: Baer Decela Rotors
Price paid and from where: $59 pair
Pros: very good. also good price and shape
Cons: none
Final verdict: well, im getting them again, haha, so id recommend them

Brand & model: EBC Ultimax Brake Pads
Price paid and from where: $29
Pros: pretty good pad, cheap
Cons: first time brake then noise
Final verdict: id get them again if I needed to
 

SuperTurbo

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Mar 4, 2010
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Location
gta
Brand & model: AC Delco all 4 rotors
Price paid and from where: ( Honda OEM dish price /2 )- 5 = per rotor price
Pros: feels the same as OEM rotor
Cons: (waiting, only 1500km ish for now)
Final verdict: pending

Brand & model: EBC RED Brake pad all 4 corners
Price paid and from where: $170 for all 4
Pros: feels WAY better compare to OEM, stops way faster, and way more responsible compare to OEM
Cons: Kind of noisy at the first few days during run-in + you need to follow the proper procedure to run it in, so far very quite after the 1500km ish run in
Final verdic: pending
 

finch13

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Location
Twin Cities, MN
Brand, Model, Mileage: Hawk HP Street Performance Pads, 50,000 miles
Price paid and from where: $57 shipped (front only), forgot where
Pros: Great stopping, quiet, minimal dust, minimal fade, LONG LASTING (20-25% lining left after 50k)
Cons: Absolutely none.
Final verdict: Would've bought again, but I didn't want to wait for shipping. Great all around pad for a daily driver and occasional spirited driving.


Brand & Model: Napa AdaptiveOne pads (for 99 Prelude)
Price paid and from where: $45 (List is $108) @ Napa
Pros: Different formulas for inner and outer pads (supposedly for even pad and rotor wear), awesome semi-met pad. Brakes like normal under light pressure, put a bit more pressure on the pedal and you might find your passengers through the windshield.
Cons: Expensive, more dust than the Hawk HP.
Final verdict: Great pad if you want to spend the cash, would probably buy again.


Brand & Model: AEM 13" Big Rotor Kit (front only)
Price paid and from where: $220 + shipping on here, discontinued
Pros: Looks awesome, stops even better, fills all the space in 18" wheels, easy to install, construction was top notch and even drilled for 4x100/64.1 hubs.
Cons: Had to switch over to Prelude calipers to use them on a 4cyl Accord, discontinued means not being able to replace the rotors.
Final verdict: Awesome! 2 for 1 with an appearance and performance part.

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russiansohcf23

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Mar 23, 2009
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Location
Lake Worth, FL
Brand & model: Aimco/Duralast Rotors & EBC Greenstuff pads.
Price paid and from where: Rotors were $42.99 each from Autozone and the pads were $54 from www.autoanything.com
Pros: I love this setup! I can't say it enough. Very smooth breaking and very quiet.
Cons: None!
Final verdict: I recommend this setup to anyone. Big difference from Factory OEM. The factory pads and rotors were good for about 50,000 miles but towards the last few thousand miles my steering wheel started to shake like crazy. The new setup is a big difference compared to factory. I can feel the pad bite into the rotors and stopping has improved. I have read on many other forums such as LS1tech, Team-Integra and many people have said that they love the Duralast rotors and some people even use them for Auto-X. I recommend this setup to anyone.

I replace this setup with 20% pad left and I only had 11,000 miles on it.
 
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Pharell

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Nov 1, 2010
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Location
Roseville, CA
Brand & model: Acura TL 99-03 Front and Rear Spindles/Hubs w/Calipers & Brackets, Stainless Brake lines for Front (Ebay) Pieced together over a couple months

Price paid and from where: $50 for ea. rear set (Spindle/hub/caliper/e-brake cables), $30-40 for Front Calipers and Bracket +shipping and $35-50 for any 98-03TL/CL/AV6 5-lug hub, 4 stock TL rotors, Free hub pressing ( Worked at Carquest) Most of parts from Junk yards except four new hubs.

Pros: OEM fit and function. To start it's def a huge upgrade going from rear drums to rear rotors. Second and most important, almost 2in size increase over 4 lug 4cyl rotors. The callipers were a bit larger as well, look much better in casting and shape, obviously some R&D. Makes for fun deep braking at any time. These were obviously supperior pieces on the acura. Using best carquest off shelf pads (gold.) No fade, and can stop fast without ABS, very fast. AGAIN FACTORY PARTS AND FIT, cant beat it.

Cons: Adjusting to new abilities of brakes is probably worst part :) E-brake lines from TL are must and they will be tuff as **** to hook up, but can be done with full adjustment on play, make sure you inspect calipers and Bearings. I rebuilt and painted me calipers

Final verdict: Perfect, Bang for buck is unreal. U feel like you just bolted on a performance brake system. I have and 06 R6 w/mods and I know what stopping fast feels like, trust me, EASY and Worth the parts search. I'm sure the brake lines help quite a bit.
 
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INK DEMON

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Nov 29, 2008
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Location
SAN DIEGO
Brand and Model: Brembo blanks #25434 Prelude rotors
Price: $85.82 for pair on Amazon
Pros: Better quality over OEM rotors. Bigger than stock 4 cylinder rotors.
Cons: None really.
Final Verdict: Brembo blanks are sufficient for my driving needs. Daily driver, have no complaints. Got the pair for a good price plus free 2 day shipping and no sales tax.

Brand and Model: Hawk Performance Ceramic pads #HB143Z.680 (Accord V6 pads)
Price: $82.55 on Amazon
Pros: Noticable braking difference over stock set up
Cons: Dusty as hell. They seem to dust at same rate as OEM pads. And I DID follow the bed in procedure properly.
Final Verdict: Braking improved especially after driving a few miles once the brake components warm up. I do notice some fade when I first start driving my car in the mornings but it goes away after about a mile or so. I love the better braking feel but hate the damn dust.

Brand and Model: 98-02 Accord V6 front calipers and brackets #45018-S87-A02 and 45019-S87-A02
Price: $55 for the pair at local junkyard
Pros: The slide pin design feels more comfortable over 4 cylinder calipers. And of course they are bigger so they were needed for the brake upgrade I did.
Cons: They were of course dirty as hell when I picked them up, so they took some time and work to clean up.
Final Verdict: Can't complain too much about Honda parts like this. The calipers were in good shape, but just to be safe I rebuilt them anyways. Rebuild kit cost $5 per caliper, so I consider it cheap insurance.

Other Thoughts: I obviously did what many other members on here have done. I upgraded my 4 cylinder's front brakes to the V6 calipers and brake pads, and upgraded the rotors to the Prelude rotors, and bled the brake system. I also swapped out the splash guards to those from the V6, which with the help of a slide hammer I was able to remove the hub. I wanted it to look stock and did not want to bend or cut the stock splash guards. All in all I am happy with final result. This project cost me a total of about $300.
$85.82 for the rotors
$82.55 for the pads
$60.00 for the new splash guards
$55.00 for the calipers
$10.00 for the brake fluid
$10.00 for the rebuild kits
 
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