Help Buying Brakes...

[al1dere]

Alright, i read through numerous threads and comments about brakes and such, and i've come to the decision to purchase slotted/dimpled brembo rotors for my 93' eagle talon tsi awd. I want to purchase new calipers, ss brake lines and pads as well for front and rear.

I plan on using this car as a daily driver as well as for racing auto-cross and drag. i know you can't have the best of all worlds, but something that'll hold up. I don't believe i'll ever compete religiously, more as a hobby or fun past-time.

So here are my questions:

1. I want pads that don't create a lot of dust or make a whole lot of noise, with low wear.
I bought ebc green stuff (~$25 *friends discount) for the front a while ago (when my car was still running and was in dire need to replace the pads at the least), but are they good enough? or should i purchase something else?

2. What brand ss brake lines are good? a lot of people seem to buy russel or goodrich? does anyone know where i could purchase them for a good price?

3. I was also thinking of purchasing brembo calipers, do those simply replace my stock calipers, or am i going to have to purchase pads and ss brake lines made for the brembo calipers.

any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated,
thanks

 

[Todd TCE]

Haven't seen anyone look for them but search out some Raybestos Quiet Stops for pads. Not sure if they are available or not. Good ramping up of torque vs. temp and low noise/dust. Maybe not high on the bling scale for cool advertising.

Hoses are pretty much hoses. DOT class hoses simply mean that they do not have 'adapter' fittings with them to make them fit. Direct replacement. Easier install. They should fit and not rub things.

Calipers are going to be limited to what you have now. You can't go buy Brembo calipers (unless they make the stock iron ones) as none of them will bolt onto your car. At least not without all the other parts that make them a $1500+ purchase. **Yes in fairness before someone jumps up and down....you can do the later twin piston calipers etc on this car too. Maybe a worthy consideration, but no 'Brembo' either.

In short, you sound a little 'green' around the edges with these questions. That's fine, just don't go nutso on what you need based on what everyone tells you they'd buy. If your budget is $300 then plan on $300- fresh rotors, new pads, hoses and let 'er rip. Don't expect $2k brake performance increases/changes for $300. If the parts on the car now are old and worn you'll enjoy the enhancement of these parts. In the future you can consider those Brembos if you like, just bring your wallet.

 

[wret]

Look at Axxis Deluxe. I like them.

 

[steve]

you can do the later twin piston calipers etc on this car too. Maybe a worthy consideration, but no 'Brembo' either.

Todd, as a '93 AWD (s)he should have the front dual piston calipers stock, IIRC.

Steve

 

[al1dere]

if by "green" you mean that i'm willing to spend money, then yes, but only if i can find what suites me and will keep me satisfied. If i were following the crowd, i would be driving a civic, slap on an exhaust, intake, and a huge ass tack, oh yea and the fire extinguisher to my passenger a-pillar like everyone else in my town, but u know "girls can't work on cars"...if the best pads were $10 at the auto store, i'd do that. I just want to take in as much info. that i can before i decide whether its worth spending however much it would cost. I know what you mean though, because a lot of people just follow the crowd thinking that if majority agrees then its right for them. I rather put something on my car that i know about, agree with, and performs the way i want it. i just figure that if i'm going to spend the money, i should do it the way i'd want to have it in the long run. I look into the raybestos like you suggested, the calipers i'll most likely just replace with stock and paint it (i love performance, but i still try to make my car look "pretty") and no i don't mean pink, besides i think my gear wrenches are cute...haha. have you heard of "project u"? i saw them on ebay and emailed them about my car, they said they could send me 4 slotted/dimpled with custom color, shipped to my house for $250.00. Do you think those would be alright?

thanks for the input/advice

 

[Todd TCE]

By 'green' I simply meant to imply that there is a lot of good info here for you if you wish to search it out. And some bad too depending upon where you sit.

Being male or female means zip to me. You asked the question, I repllied. My opinions are no more or less valid than others.

As for slotted and dimpled rotors from ebay....buyer beware. They'll be Chinese blanks on a mill sold as 'performance rotors'. (don't go bashing me for stereotyping the Chinese now too!) If it's a stock replacement it won't offer you anything special.

However if purchased with a good set of pad, some SS hoses you'll enjoy the minor benefits and feel. And not break the bank doing it.

 

[al1dere]

By 'green' I simply meant to imply that there is a lot of good info here for you if you wish to search it out. And some bad too depending upon where you sit.

Being male or female means zip to me. You asked the question, I repllied. My opinions are no more or less valid than others.

As for slotted and dimpled rotors from ebay....buyer beware. They'll be Chinese blanks on a mill sold as 'performance rotors'. (don't go bashing me for stereotyping the Chinese now too!) If it's a stock replacement it won't offer you anything special.

However if purchased with a good set of pad, some SS hoses you'll enjoy the minor benefits and feel. And not break the bank doing it.

I wasn't accusing you of insulting or bashing me in any way, i thought you meant it as i shouldn't "follow the crowd". But anyways, I take it "Project U" isn't something you've heard of? or anything that should be recommended? do you think that the brand of the brake lines matter? or that ebc green stuff is alright?

thanks

 

[jtmcinder]

It's "Project Mu" (as in the Greek letter that looks like a "u" with a long left leg). The name comes from the fact that mu is the symbol used for the coefficient of friction. I've driven one 2G with those pads. No big deal. I prefer Metal Masters on a street car, personally. If you really use your brakes, I prefer Porterfield R4-Ss over EBC Greens, but, that too, is just an opinion.

New calipers (JNZtuning.com), rotors and SS lines (RoadRaceEngineering.com), and whatever pads you like ... couldn't agree more.

- Jtoby

ps. Todd - The idea that your opinion on brakes is no more or less valid than that of others is modesty taken to a laughable extreme

 

[al1dere]

It's "Project Mu" (as in the Greek letter that looks like a "u" with a long left leg). The name comes from the fact that mu is the symbol used for the coefficient of friction. I've driven one 2G with those pads. No big deal. I prefer Metal Masters on a street car, personally. If you really use your brakes, I prefer Porterfield R4-Ss over EBC Greens, but, that too, is just an opinion.

New calipers (JNZtuning.com), rotors and SS lines (RoadRaceEngineering.com), and whatever pads you like ... couldn't agree more.

- Jtoby

ps. Todd - The idea that your opinion on brakes is no more or less valid than that of others is modesty taken to a laughable extreme

alright, i think i'll just give in, my head hurts, i eat, sleep and think about brakes too much. i'm going to get the brembo slotted/dimpled rotors, ss lines from RRE, and stick with my ebc green stuff for the front since i already have them and don't care to toss them or give them away, and get the metal masters for the back, and lastly replace my calipers with stocks one, and paint it all pretty. *sigh

 

[1LE]

If you really use your brakes, I prefer Porterfield R4-Ss over EBC Greens, but, that too, is just an opinion.

Even the Porterfield R4E's are fine on a streeted car. I used R4S' for a long time and was concerned about switching to the E's. I should have done it a long time ago!

 

[jtmcinder]

Of course, you do. Only the early '95 AWDs had the vented rears.

Now, can you and the vendor please take this SPAM offline? Danke.

- Jtoby