Howdy all!

I thought I might seperate this discussion from the other thread I've got going on as I might get more responses here.

One of the major questions I have about a BBK is just how long I can expect it to last before parts need replacing compared to the standard OEM stuff.

Also, is it worth it to pay the price for Brembos? Or will cheaper alternatives be just as good on our cars?

Finally, how much stopping power will the BBK give compared to the stock stuff? For example a few weeks ago I got to drive a new 5 series BMW that a friend had on loan and its brakes were EXTREMELY responsive. According to my friend the BBK should give our cars even more stopping power, but I wanted to get confirmation on that.


Thanks!

 

the thing with bbk is that finding wheels to clear them becomes a pain in the ass. granted ours is a pretty heavy car, but the need for that much stopping power is just not enough of a reason, for me anyway.

a lot of members have done the Legend 2 caliper swap combined with upgraded pads, rotors and SS brake lines with amazing results. and as anyone will agree, you can put wooden blocks in place of our pads and it might even stop better than the OEMs.

but if you got money to spare, yeah it's definitely awesome. i saw 2 BBKs go on sale in the black market hear for hookup prices

 

Thanks for the reply. I won't be doing this anytime soon, and not on the car I have right now. I'm just researching it to see how much sense it makes to get 'em installed on our cars.

I've been told by some people that the components on the BBK will last a little longer than the standard OEM stuff. If that's the case, I might not be too interested in going with 'em only because the cost would far outweigh the benefit of getting them to me.

 

They are far better suited to those that drive hard. They dont fade nearly as much, take more abuse offer better feel. As for life expectancy (pad wise) probably just as long as any performance pad designed to fit oem applications. As for getting them to fit they will fit the stock 17" rim with a 5mm spacer. Brembo , Rotora both make BBK for the TL that are great.

 

I highly Disagree. The stock pads hold up very well when being beat on. Ive used Axiss Ultimate's that were far worse (but supposed to be way better)

 

Thanks for the response

So compared to much cheaper alternatives you wouldn't think the BBK pads would last significantly longer? That's too bad... I was hoping they'd have a far longer lifespan so that I could justify the cost in some way.

 

Why would they last longer? Just because they are bigger??? They add more friction which wears more

 

Nah, I was hoping they might be made of different materials that might last longer, or... something...

Ah well. At least I have an idea of what to expect now if I should go for 'em

 

My Rotora BBK pads last about a year on average. That is with spirited driving.

Always expect to pay more and expect shorter life expectancy when swapping out parts. Why? Because OEM parts are built with durability and longevity in mind, not performance first. You are taking away durability and longevity for performance, so of course they won't last as long, and will typically be more expensive to maintain and replace.

Expect to pay a tick under $200 for a set of pads for Rotora BBK and just about every year. A set of rotors at $500 or so every two years or so.

Compare that with Meineke for $150 (pads and turning rotors) with lifetime warranty against wear (yes, even normal wear).

That should give you a pretty good idea on the finances.

 

 

Indeed... well y'all have given me some great info and a lot to think about here

I know 100% that I don't NEED the stopping power of a BBK, but I would LIKE it. The only way I could reasonably justify the expense in my mind would be if the components lasted longer than other cheaper solutions, but since the difference in longevity isn't all that high, I don't think I could reasonably justify the additional cost to myself.

It's all good though, that extra $$$ that I'd put towards the BBK could always go into other mods if anything...


Thanks!

 

throw a couple stacks together and air suspension. you'll be ridin so low and slow you wont need good brakes

 

From what I have seen with the ROTORA rotors (but again this depends on the driver and driving conditions) the pads last about 20-25k and the rotors about 40-50k. It can be more or less but it depends on how aggressively you brake. I have one local customer who was an absolute animal with his brakes (every day he would go to 150mph and slow down to 60 mph) and his pads I think lasted about 8-10k.

Pads are about $160 or so for the H2 pads for the ROTORA kits and the discs are about $350/pair.

As noted above, Pure Adrenaline can also give you a good idea on the life of the pads/rotors costs.

 

go big or go home...

 

Guess I'm going home then


... unless I either come into some extra cash or I can find a damned good reason to spend the extra money to get the BBK that is