The Perfect Brake Job?
As far as brakes go on a GM disc set up, theyre fairly easy. If you havent done them in a while but have hand tools you can do the job. Do one wheel at a time. Clean up all the parts with Bra-Kleen or something like it. The only part I really "lube" is where the caliper meets the abutment braket. Thats where the caliper slides in and out. I use disc brake grease. Only use a small amount, you dont want to chance getting grease on the braking surfaces (rotors or pads).
If youre planning on new rotors be sure to clean them off with Bra-Kleen also. They are shipped with a thin film of machinist oil on them to prevent rusting. I usually spray a liberal amount of Bra-Kleen on them, then wash them off with very hot water and grease cutting dish soap followed by a very hot water rinse and immediate compressed air dry. A large towel will work if you dont have compressed air.
As far as slotted rotors making a difference..... you will not really notice in a street driven car. Not to say that they dont look cool. What really makes a difference in a street driven car is the type of pad you choose. A good semi-metalic pad on a stock steel rotor will be a good combo.
If the calipers are leaking or just have a ton of miles on them, it could be time to replace them. Every part in the system you replace will add to a better braking car.
If you have the time and want to do a complete job, get the system flushed by someone with a pressure tank for flushing brake systems. That also makes a big difference in stopping power. Old fluid captures moisture and moisture compresses much easier than hydraulic brake fluid.
Good Luck!!
If youre planning on new rotors be sure to clean them off with Bra-Kleen also. They are shipped with a thin film of machinist oil on them to prevent rusting. I usually spray a liberal amount of Bra-Kleen on them, then wash them off with very hot water and grease cutting dish soap followed by a very hot water rinse and immediate compressed air dry. A large towel will work if you dont have compressed air.
As far as slotted rotors making a difference..... you will not really notice in a street driven car. Not to say that they dont look cool. What really makes a difference in a street driven car is the type of pad you choose. A good semi-metalic pad on a stock steel rotor will be a good combo.
If the calipers are leaking or just have a ton of miles on them, it could be time to replace them. Every part in the system you replace will add to a better braking car.
If you have the time and want to do a complete job, get the system flushed by someone with a pressure tank for flushing brake systems. That also makes a big difference in stopping power. Old fluid captures moisture and moisture compresses much easier than hydraulic brake fluid.
Good Luck!!
Last edited by 2Z's; May 23, 2012 at 07:53 AM.
why were you quoted new calipers, is there an issue?
pads and rotor replacement are duck soup to do. Since this will be your first time (sorry for the assumption but it's like riding a bike) I suggest getting a haynes manual.
I'm not sure why you would use bra cleaner when working on brakes...................
right now adv auto has brake cleaner for $2.50 per can and Walmart is also reasonably priced. here's another tip; brake cleaner kills spiders, hornets, wasps and bees on contact and works great on nests without risk of them just getting angry and stinging you (I'm not kidding)
You can flush your brake lines yourself simply by way of bleeding. Honestly, doing brakes is a "1 hammer" level of difficulty job but a job if done yourself, will save you a lot of money when compared to the cost charged at shops.
example, a couple months ago my buddy brought his daughter's Kia over to my house along with the pads and rotors for the front. Jacking it up, doing the job, putting away the tools, lots of BS'ing and killing a beer took all of 1 hour. Of course he did not return her car after that hour because there was still beer which required our attention and you cannot rush that along.
pads and rotor replacement are duck soup to do. Since this will be your first time (sorry for the assumption but it's like riding a bike) I suggest getting a haynes manual.
I'm not sure why you would use bra cleaner when working on brakes...................
right now adv auto has brake cleaner for $2.50 per can and Walmart is also reasonably priced. here's another tip; brake cleaner kills spiders, hornets, wasps and bees on contact and works great on nests without risk of them just getting angry and stinging you (I'm not kidding)
You can flush your brake lines yourself simply by way of bleeding. Honestly, doing brakes is a "1 hammer" level of difficulty job but a job if done yourself, will save you a lot of money when compared to the cost charged at shops.
example, a couple months ago my buddy brought his daughter's Kia over to my house along with the pads and rotors for the front. Jacking it up, doing the job, putting away the tools, lots of BS'ing and killing a beer took all of 1 hour. Of course he did not return her car after that hour because there was still beer which required our attention and you cannot rush that along.
As far as brakes go on a GM disc set up, theyre fairly easy. If you havent done them in a while but have hand tools you can do the job. Do one wheel at a time. Clean up all the parts with Bra-Kleen or something like it. The only part I really "lube" is where the caliper meets the abutment braket. Thats where the caliper slides in and out. I use disc brake grease. Only use a small amount, you dont want to chance getting grease on the braking surfaces (rotors or pads).
If youre planning on new rotors be sure to clean them off with Bra-Kleen also. They are shipped with a thin film of machinist oil on them to prevent rusting. I usually spray a liberal amount of Bra-Kleen on them, then wash them off with very hot water and grease cutting dish soap followed by a very hot water rinse and immediate compressed air dry. A large towel will work if you dont have compressed air.
As far as slotted rotors making a difference..... you will not really notice in a street driven car. Not to say that they dont look cool. What really makes a difference in a street driven car is the type of pad you choose. A good semi-metalic pad on a stock steel rotor will be a good combo.
If the calipers are leaking or just have a ton of miles on them, it could be time to replace them. Every part in the system you replace will add to a better braking car.
If you have the time and want to do a complete job, get the system flushed by someone with a pressure tank for flushing brake systems. That also makes a big difference in stopping power. Old fluid captures moisture and moisture compresses much easier than hydraulic brake fluid.
Good Luck!!
If youre planning on new rotors be sure to clean them off with Bra-Kleen also. They are shipped with a thin film of machinist oil on them to prevent rusting. I usually spray a liberal amount of Bra-Kleen on them, then wash them off with very hot water and grease cutting dish soap followed by a very hot water rinse and immediate compressed air dry. A large towel will work if you dont have compressed air.
As far as slotted rotors making a difference..... you will not really notice in a street driven car. Not to say that they dont look cool. What really makes a difference in a street driven car is the type of pad you choose. A good semi-metalic pad on a stock steel rotor will be a good combo.
If the calipers are leaking or just have a ton of miles on them, it could be time to replace them. Every part in the system you replace will add to a better braking car.
If you have the time and want to do a complete job, get the system flushed by someone with a pressure tank for flushing brake systems. That also makes a big difference in stopping power. Old fluid captures moisture and moisture compresses much easier than hydraulic brake fluid.
Good Luck!!
None the less in a street use situation they are really only going to give you a wow factor. Unless youre pushing the car hard like in a track situation, its not going to be noticeable on the street. The slots are for gas evacuation and the drilled holes will help with heat disipation. The problem with drilled rotors and hard use is they tend to get hairline cracks near the drilled holes. I imagine the higher end examples like Brembo, probably wont suffer the same consequences..... But the regular steel rotors will crack when used hard.
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