Brakes

[cl1006]

I am looking for some new brakes for my 2000 neon. can anyone tell me what the best type of high performance brakes are? can anyone compare any?

[das2123]

Originally Posted by cl1006

I am looking for some new brakes for my 2000 neon. can anyone tell me what the best type of high performance brakes are? can anyone compare any?

Brakes or brake pads? Hawk brake pads are the best!

[Cold_Silence]

Most performance brakes will perform excellent, just get a decent brand. If you want the best brakes possible get the slotted and drilled rotors with the good brake pads. Drilled and slotted cools down faster and they brake really crisply. Im not sure about rear drums tho (boo)

[das2123]

Originally Posted by Cold_Silence

If you want the best brakes possible get the slotted and drilled rotors with the good brake pads. Drilled and slotted cools down faster and they brake really crisply.

They also crack and wear down the brake pads alot faster, and offer no better stopping power. They are ONLY good for show purposes. If they performed that well, most autocrossers would use them, but alas, they don't!

[neon_rt]

I recently bought EBC rotors and pads for my '00 Grand Caravan, best brakes I've had yet.
Here is a link to the place I bought mine, they have a lot of choices, I got EBC slotted and drilled rotors with EBC "green stuff" pads.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com

[TEXSRT4]

if you want a good upgrade, go with the wilwood big brake kit. its a great improvement on my srt, and it will bolt right up to teh neon. plust they are cheap, like $550-$600 for everything

[sheetmagnet]

Cross-drilled rotors run around the same overall temp, but can create hotspots between the holes during heavy braking. The payoff is that they cool down MUCH faster than a standard OEM "smooth" rotor, anywhere from 40 to 200+ degrees per second at 70 mph. For everyday driving, they are one of the best options.

A good cross-drilled rotor is about the best overall option, if dependable stopping power and reduced brake fade are your main interests. Over time (lotsa miles), cross-drilled rotors will crack slightly between the holes and fins, but usually do not pose a problem unless you're going 160 and stomp on the brakes with really crappy pads... that is one of the main reasons why autocrosser's don't use them, because they don't care if they have to change the brake pads after a good run on smooth, hardened rotors.

Just make sure you pick a high-performance pad, like the "green" or many other metallic-based high performance pads. I made some equipment a couple years ago and drilled and balanced about 20 sets of rotors for cars ranging from Focus's, to Malibus, to an F150, and had nothing but praise from the "customers." There are a couple of basic hole patterns that have a slightly different visual appearance, but all are just as functional. ALL of them were based on new, OEM cross-hatch milled rotors from Murrays, and worked beautifully.

I did a set for my '98 Cutlass and used green pads, and they held up great... at 30k miles, I still had the usual stopping power like the day I put them in, and still had over half of the pad-life left. I think I have some photos around here too if you are interested in seeing some of them... it would be easy to whip another set out (I charged about $30 per rotor usually + cost of the new OEM rotor; but keep in mind some of them were for cars that as far as I know didn't have any aftermarket sales of cross-drilled rotors, so the owners liked my services lol). Either way, happy braking.

[das2123]

Originally Posted by sheetmagnet

The payoff is that they cool down MUCH faster than a standard OEM "smooth" rotor, anywhere from 40 to 200+ degrees per second at 70 mph.

Where is this info coming from? I'd like to see the comparisons, because the OEM Mopar front rotors are vented.

Tire Rack has the following disclaimer under the descriptions for all the slotted/drilled rotors they sell:

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Slotted, drilled or dimpled rotors offered as OEM replacements should not be considered appropriate for high-speed track use.

While grooved, drilled and slotted rotors offer an enhanced appearance and add some resistance to the boundary layer of gasses that can build up between the pad and rotor, they are not designed to withstand the extreme temperatures that are produced on the racetrack. If they are used on the track, it is very important that the rotors be carefully inspected and should not be driven on if even minor signs of deterioration are seen. Note, too, that if any products are used on the track they are not warrantable.

Brembo says their rotors are track worthy (although they make no claims that slotting/drilling will decrease stopping distances), while powerslot doesn't even mention track use in their sales pitch.

The main purposes of slotted rotors on a modern car are to reduce the risk of glazing and keep water and random dust/debris from getting between the rotor and the pads. If the slots are cut properly (powerslots aren't) they can be track worthy.
Drilled rotors are pretty much just for looks. I don't know of a company that sells drilled rotors that are supposed to be trackable.

[TEXSRT4]

EBC greenstuff pads SUCK!!!!! they are no better in feel or braking ability than my factory SRT pads. i was very bummed. from then on out, i have been running the hawk pads, and they are AWESOME!!!!!!

[cl1006]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sheetmagnet
The payoff is that they cool down MUCH faster than a standard OEM "smooth" rotor, anywhere from 40 to 200+ degrees per second at 70 mph.

Where is this info coming from? I'd like to see the comparisons, because the OEM Mopar front rotors are vented.



Lets see a comparison Please is someone dont mind?

[neon_rt]

The EBC rotors that I got are more "dimpled" than drilled. The holes do not go
all the way through the rotor. EBC claims that this gives extra cooling to the rotor without reducing its strength. The EBC pad and rotors made a huge difference on the Grand Caravan which has inadequate brakes (by far) to begin with.

[sheetmagnet]

Originally Posted by das2123

Where is this info coming from? I'd like to see the comparisons, because the OEM Mopar front rotors are vented.

...Drilled rotors are pretty much just for looks...

Power Stop Rotors claims:

"The primary reason is that cross drilled rotors run cooler, approximately 200-250 degrees, when used with high quality pads. This reduces the chances of warping, which has become a major problem in recent years, particularly on late model U.S. made vehicles. Additionally you will experience improved wet weather braking with shorter stopping distances. If you are experiencing pulsation on the brake pedal, your rotors are warped. It may be possible to turn them, but they will then be thinner and unable to dissipate heat as quickly as before, and will soon warp again."

4WD World:

"As we know normal brake discs have a smooth, flat surface. Holes and slots in the face of the disc have a number of purposes. Firstly removing gases from the face of the disc, these gases greatly reduce the coefficient of friction. Disc pads, when hot, expel gases. These gases form a cushion between the face of the disc and the pad. It takes a tenth of a second to squeeze these gases out on normal rotors. Now this does not sound like a long time, but consider this. When a vehicle is travelling at 100km/h, it is moving at a rate of 30 metres per second, therefore a tenth of a second is three metres. So in essence when the brakes are applied the vehicle travels for three metres squeezing out gases, and not creating friction to slow the vehicle. Cross-drilling and slotting makes the disc surface uneven so water and dust cannot develop into a thin layer that becomes a smooth, glass like surface and can greatly reduce the coefficient of friction."

Brembo:

"Cross drilled brake rotors reduce brake fade. Cross-drilling also improves rotor cooling, again defeating brake fade. On cross-drilled rotors, temperatures can be reduced by as much as 200 degrees during extreme braking when compared to stock rotors. The Brembo Sport rotor’s cross-drilled holes are bi-angle chamfered at the rotor’s outer surfaces to help reduce the cracking caused by repeated, high stress, high temperature brake applications. Brembo Sport drilled brake rotors are sold in axle pairs."

Roto-Tech:

"Advantages of our Cross Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors:
MAXIMUM STOPPING POWER
RUNS COOLER
INCREASE PAD BITE
CLEARS GASES
ELIMINATES BRAKE DUST
REDUCES HEAT RELATED STRESS
BETTER VENTILATION
LONGER ROTOR & PAD LIFE"

Steeda Autosports, and KVR Performance:

"Crossed Drilled Discs offer an enhanced initial bite (more responsive, especially in wet weather) and greater heat dissipation (reduction in heat induced fade - "Brake Fade") as compared to O.E.M."

Ractive Performance:

"Ractive Cross-Drilled and slotted brake rotors keep their cool, providing increased surface area for venting the heat and gases caused by the extreme friction of braking. As a result, rotors and pads last longer than factory rotors. Rotors remain warp-free for rock-solid stopping power, and the cadmium finish prevents corrosion."

Nuespeed:

"Every time you step on the brake pedal, your brake pads make contact with the brake rotor to slow your car down. The byproduct of that contact is heat, dust, and gas. NEUSPEED's cross-drilled rotors help dissipate this heat, dust and gas to reduce brake fade and cool down the rotor faster..."

Stillen:

"STILLEN Sport Rotors are an exact size as OEM rotors; they offer maximum performance with stock calipers. Computer Aided Design (CAD) is employed to determine the optimum pattern for any size rotor. This pattern is critical, for it must correctly sweep the brake pad to increase its initial bite and allow for out gassing while also cleaning the entire brake pad surface. The sweep will eliminate hot spots and maximize the brake pad friction to the rotor. The added air surface, created by cross drilling, will increase the rotors ability to dissipate heat and cool more effectively."

... Only about one out of four companies mentions not to use them in race-track conditions, although have seen many different cars that use them in high-speed professional racing. However, I imagine a lot of drivers don't use them for EXTREME heat conditions like I already mentioned.

[das2123]

I want to see stats, not the advertiser pushing their own product. And I am talking about comparing them to Mopar OEM rotors, not another OEM rotor. The Mopar OEM's are great with Hawk pads and alot cheaper, and I would say perform just as well.

[cl1006]

i would like to see stats also if anyone can get some. im just looking for the best brakes and rotors. ststs would be nice to see.