I need to replace my front brakes this week before a long road trip on Friday. I've called around but can't find any place that keeps the Legend loaded calipers in stock. Anyone know of a place that does?

Other question is on the core charge. Do they refund the core even if you bring back your factory CL-S calipers? Assume they don't know the difference and just refund it?

Also wanna verify that all I need to upgrade is the loaded caliper. I've seen a couple threads say you need different brackets while others say the factory bracket works fine.

 

Loaded caliper is just a caliper with pads and bracket. (if i remember correctly)
Not needed, you retain the CL bracket.
As for the core, most dont even notice

 

Yeah I'd like to find a place local that carries loaded calipers in stock so I can do it today instead of having to wait til next week to order some in. Semi-loaded (ones with everything but the pads) would be best actually. NAPA carries them but they have to be ordered even at the warehouse store here.

 

I would just throw some cheap pads in there till you have time to do it right. Do a complete job when you get back.
The car will still be ok. You may chew up the rotors buy your replacing them anyway.

 

I need to do the brakes now cause the rotors are starting to warp and I think it's a good idea to take care of before heading off on a 900 mile plus trip. Think I'm gonna go with Performance Friction pads. Had them on my previous car and they worked well. The lifetime warranty is great too (exchanged them twice for brand new ones when they'd wear).

I guess at this point I can just throw on new rotors and pads for the trip and then swap the calipers out at a later date.

 

Just do the pads and rotors now if they're really in bad shape. I think all places will have to special order even the semi-loaded calipers as it's not really a commonly need part in most auto parts stores. Takes about 3 days for them to get in. The guys at the counter won't know the difference when they open the box for the core charge, if they open it at all. Though, if I may make a suggestion...save your money on the calipers for a BBK.

 

I don't see any reason to goto the BBK. This is my DD, it's no race car. I just thought about going to the other calipers to help with the rotor warp issue (although I got about 14k miles outta these rotors which isn't all that bad).

The steering wheel just started pulsing a bit when braking at high speeds within the last week. They aren't warped that bad yet but I figured it'd be smart to get it outta the way before a trip.

 

Actually you may be better off waiting. If they are warped driving a long distance straight might correct them. Also sounds like they are not that bad. Why do the new brakes & then put all those miles on them? Also you will not be able to brake them in right going on a long road trip as soon as you put them on.
I've done a ton of long road trips,

 

Very good point. Maybe I'll wait since they just started. Guess I kinda wonder if they other calipers are worth the money. Looks like they run about $130 for the 2. I can get 4 rotors for that so that's like 30k miles or 2 years. If they really increase the longevity of the rotors I'm all for it but if we're talking just a little increase then it may not be worth it. A couple have commented that the braking force seems better. I'd like to hear more from people that have made the swap and those that have had them on for a while.

 

Won't do much for rotor warping. You're still running the same undersized rotors..

The only way to make brakes more effective is by increasing the swept area. You aren't accomplishing this with the legend caliper swap.

 

So what's the point of upgrading to the twin-caliper then? The other posts claim it will help with rotor warp because it will spread the braking pressure more evenly over the braking surface.

 

They're just that- claims.
If you think about it, how much "flex" do you think occurs in a pad under braking pressure? Do you really think the pad bends in half when you brake?

 

correct.

not only that, but since the brake pressure is spread more evenly across the rotor, it takes LESS pressure to achieve the same brake distance.

do not listen to the guy above.

 

Unless you defy laws of physics in your CL, it takes more brake fluid to push 2 pistons than it does to push 1. It may take less pressure from your foot, but if you are running identical pad and rotor setups it takes the same amount of pressure to achieve the same brake distance. Prove me wrong from the physics perspective.

Rotors warp because of heat, not because of how the brake pressure is spread. Like I said, brake pads aren't made out of cheese. The iron backing of the pads is there to ensure that the pad stays straight and distributes the pressure during braking. If it flexed, the pad would not wear as evenly as it does.

I also recall that 'gaping46and2' warped a set of rotora rotors with his legend calipers.

Like I said, there's nothing to gain from this swap. Your swept area stays the same and you're applying less pressure because it takes more fluid to push 2 pistons.

If you're going to do the swap, temporarily hang on to your stock calipers in case you decide to go back. I'm glad I did..

 

So why does Porsche use a 8-piston caliper? By your logic they could use a single piston for the same results.

 

Their 8-piston calipers don't use a pad 5" long. In extreme applications like that, it is obviously necessary. In addition to running MUCH bigger pads, they also run much bigger rotors.

This obviously does nothing for you either way because CL rotors warp mainly because of heat. Do what you will though.

 

Yah, just go on the long trip and do the change when you come back. Because you know the brake works now, and you don't know if you will do anything wrong with the new brake set up.
if your brake does fade, just engine brake it!!! You have 6-spd, unlike me with auto

 

I don't think there's much danger of them going out. Just a lil steering wheel shake and only when braking hard at highway speeds. Pads are still good. Just a little annoying more then anything right now.

 

Sorry for the slight tangent, however is there any significant consequence to using warped rotors other than the inconvenience of a "shaking" steering wheel?

 

I was considering the swap but after reading on my own I feel it really doesn't do much good. As stated you need to increase rotor size to really make a big difference.
My rotora setup with SS lines & ceramic pads is fine. I didn't see changing the caliper worth it.

Also I've mentioned it in other threads but with brake swaps I've done before you had to change out the master cylinder to provide the proper line pressure for the new brakes. How much this is really needed on the CL I'm not sure.

 

The brake pad isn't making as much contact with the rotor and therefore decreasing the braking ability. The shaking can also cause more strain on things like your suspension and wear on the tires. Definitely not something you should let go for too long.

 

You might want to try and re-bed the brake pads before you try replacing rotors and calipers. There may just be an uneven build-up of pad material on the rotor which can cause the rotor to shake lightly. I swapped out for the Legend calipers at the same time I replaced rotors/pads/ss lines. Honestly, spending $175 on the Rotora rotors, $70 on pads, $100 ss lines, and $130 on the calipers, your looking at almost $500. A set of used Rotora BBK is not too far out of reach on that budget, and will give you far greater results.

 

i don't know the math, but the dual pistons provide a higher clamping force than the single piston. the higher clamping force requires less actual braking which reduces heat. and whether you like it or not, physics tells you, less pressure = less heat.

 

i looked in the BM and i only found 2 examples of front BBK's going for <$800.. within the last year, so i don't think that's a reasonable option. but i agree, if you can find a set even <$1000, go for those. my total expenditure was: Rotora slotted rotors ($520), H2 Ceramic Pads (~$100), 1993-1995 Legend LS Coupe front calipers ($277), G2 Black caliper paint ($80), parking brake shoes 43154-S47-N01 ($10.62x4)

and check out the price I paid for those damn calipers! i should've got them without the bracket..

 

if your pads and rotors aren't worn down to the minimum, a 900+ mile drive is no problem. as for the warped rotors, you'll most likely spend most of your drive time on the highways so you won't be braking much for the entire trip. just brake earlier to minimize the strength of the shaking.

if you really have to replace brake parts, just replace the pads and rotors with stronger aftermarket units. imo, a caliper change is not essential.

 

After reading through this thread and hearing 12 different opinions, I returned to your initial post in here.

Just get new rotors and pads and call it a day. It's the cheapest way to do it, it's proper, and will work fine for many thousand more miles.

Since you said you're not racing or have no need for performance, don't spend more money than you need to.

 

Agreed.....Rotors warp because of the high heat. I drive daily over the mountains and my drilled/slotted rotors are starting to warp because of more than normal braking application vs all hiway runs. The front rotors just can't get rid of the heat fast enough. Kinda like the heat sinks of a power amp. If that amp was designed w/small heat sinks, and you run that amp at full power, it'll overheat. Now, you take that same amp and design it with large heat sinks, it'll probably not overheat and run cooler. The front rotors are just too small for the weight of our cars! Why do you think large trucks and high performance cars have extra large diameter front rotors?

 

Higher clamping force or not, the pad is what ultimately makes contact with the rotor. You aren't braking with your caliper's pistons.

Look at it this way: when you stop, you convert your car's kinetic energy of motion into potential energy of heat in the rotors. It doesn't matter what clamping pressure youre exerting, to achieve the same amount of braking, you need to transfer the same amount of energy from motion into heat. This is ultimately why people go with bigger rotors (to absorb more heat) and bigger pads (higher swept area for more braking torque).

This should make it very clear as to why upgraded calipers don't accomplish anything because you are running same size rotors and pads.