THarber
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2021
- Posts
- 307
- Reaction score
- 277
You can probably have those rotors turned and just upgrade pads and save yourself some $$$$. Look at the different EBC or Powerstop pads.
Which brakes to get ?
- Thread starter Ghost10
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
There's a big simple question here. Do you want some basic knowledge you can build on, or do you want an easy answer and just have someone else do it?
If you want to know, and learn for yourself: If your brakes are stopping well, and aren't warped, and you don't need more stopping power, why would you spend the money to change all that to have the exact same thing? I think it should be in your owner's manual (or search here), but you can find the discard thickness of your rotors and pads. BUY A DIAL CALIPER for $10 and you can measure the thickness of both. Based on how long they have lasted you can get an idea of how much longer they will last. If they aren't squealing, within spec, and working well. Then ask yourself why you want to spend money to change parts and fix nothing.
If that downhill is your concern, then
1. Slotted (and/or) drilled rotors have LESS surface area to create friction. They will take a hair more distance to stop, but they reduce excess gasses. They are for track vehicles, and I don't THINK they would help you on the hill. You would need to be on them just a little bit more, and they would not reduce heat enough at slow speeds to be worth it.
2. Make sure your fluid is good. It goes in clear, and takes about two years to go to dark brown/black. When it's dark it should be changed. I would check that first, and if needed change that first. You should at least have a jack for your spare tire. You can buy jack stands, a turkey baster to suck out most of the fluid, then poor in new stuff and bleed the 4 wheels. If you have a second person, then you just need a wrench, or you can bleed it yourself with $10 speed bleeders (4), or a pressure bleeder. YOU CAN BUY ALL THESE TOOLS FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE A MECHANIC IS GOING TO CHARGE YOU. This is how you justify buying tools and you save yourself the money on all your future jobs.
3. After you know your fluid is good, and your rotors are within spec, then you might just want a different brake pad type. There are Carbon, ceramic, organic, hybrid, type pads, (and I think a couple more). Each one has a trade off, between brake dust, stopping ability, what temp they work best at, and price. Depending on what you have a harder pad that works better at higher temps, like a ceramic pad might be a better option if that hill is your main concern.
If you're still reading, you should also learn about the 2020 4 piston caliper brake upgrade before you go and buy new rotors. It might be worth it to you to upgrade the front brakes. You can buy these with fluid, and a cheap / used jack and stands, do it yourself for right about $500.
If you want to know, and learn for yourself: If your brakes are stopping well, and aren't warped, and you don't need more stopping power, why would you spend the money to change all that to have the exact same thing? I think it should be in your owner's manual (or search here), but you can find the discard thickness of your rotors and pads. BUY A DIAL CALIPER for $10 and you can measure the thickness of both. Based on how long they have lasted you can get an idea of how much longer they will last. If they aren't squealing, within spec, and working well. Then ask yourself why you want to spend money to change parts and fix nothing.
If that downhill is your concern, then
1. Slotted (and/or) drilled rotors have LESS surface area to create friction. They will take a hair more distance to stop, but they reduce excess gasses. They are for track vehicles, and I don't THINK they would help you on the hill. You would need to be on them just a little bit more, and they would not reduce heat enough at slow speeds to be worth it.
2. Make sure your fluid is good. It goes in clear, and takes about two years to go to dark brown/black. When it's dark it should be changed. I would check that first, and if needed change that first. You should at least have a jack for your spare tire. You can buy jack stands, a turkey baster to suck out most of the fluid, then poor in new stuff and bleed the 4 wheels. If you have a second person, then you just need a wrench, or you can bleed it yourself with $10 speed bleeders (4), or a pressure bleeder. YOU CAN BUY ALL THESE TOOLS FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE A MECHANIC IS GOING TO CHARGE YOU. This is how you justify buying tools and you save yourself the money on all your future jobs.
3. After you know your fluid is good, and your rotors are within spec, then you might just want a different brake pad type. There are Carbon, ceramic, organic, hybrid, type pads, (and I think a couple more). Each one has a trade off, between brake dust, stopping ability, what temp they work best at, and price. Depending on what you have a harder pad that works better at higher temps, like a ceramic pad might be a better option if that hill is your main concern.
If you're still reading, you should also learn about the 2020 4 piston caliper brake upgrade before you go and buy new rotors. It might be worth it to you to upgrade the front brakes. You can buy these with fluid, and a cheap / used jack and stands, do it yourself for right about $500.
Something to remember about rotors is that they start at a specified thickness. Over time, some of that thickness goes away. Brake friction builds heat and heat transfers into the rotors and surrounding parts, another reason to flush brake fluid after a certain amount of time/miles, like @adriver said. The darkness of fluid is moisture that is absorbed over time. That works against internal parts of the brake system and lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid that can cause brake fade, especially going down steep grades.
Anyway, rotors don't start out with gobs of thickness anyway because any where the manufacturer can save weight, the better fuel mileage ratings they get to satisfy Big Brother. That means that when the rotors warp from the heat build up over time and it is time to machine them flat again to get rid of pulsation, well you are making them thinner and more apt to warp quicker again, especially if you are very close to minimum thickness or below that spec. IMO, always replace rotors with new because of that.
As was stated above, care of your brakes will increase brake efficiency and time they perform for you. Brakes are a maintenance item and not a repair item. Like an oil change.
Anyway, rotors don't start out with gobs of thickness anyway because any where the manufacturer can save weight, the better fuel mileage ratings they get to satisfy Big Brother. That means that when the rotors warp from the heat build up over time and it is time to machine them flat again to get rid of pulsation, well you are making them thinner and more apt to warp quicker again, especially if you are very close to minimum thickness or below that spec. IMO, always replace rotors with new because of that.
As was stated above, care of your brakes will increase brake efficiency and time they perform for you. Brakes are a maintenance item and not a repair item. Like an oil change.
C$465 for OEM rotors and pads online from Amazon and that's a good price
