xcelir8TL

All -

I thought I'd share with you the result of my install in regards to EBC Sport Rotors and Red Stuff Pads:

Acura Cake

looks good, i always liked the looks of drilled rotors

i need new brakes and rotors since mine are warped

ABP_04TL

iTrader: (2)

r u slots hiden behind the rim?? or am i really just seein one line slotted???

btw, nice!

iloveTL

you painted your calipers right? are the red stuff pads actually red? im thinking of getting the rotors and pads but if they are red then idk...

LaCostaRacer

I put the EBC rotors on my wife's Pilot and they're great. Our rotors look just like what you have. We tow a tent trailer and I wanted better brakes and these rotors perform well.

We had an issue with the Hawk pads (hissing at low speeds) that caused us to go back to OEM pads with these rotors. Of coarse the mechanic recommended going back to the stock rotors as well and I couldn't do that.

I imagine using EBC for rotors and pads will work just fine. I will go to EBC for my TL's rotors when the the time comes for replacing them.

AcPimpin

iTrader: (2)

for how long did you have the brakes, did u wear them in at all to get rid of the hissing.?

01tl4tl

pad bedding is critical with performance pads and rotors

01tl4tl

yes the other side slots are hidden by the rim, my car does it too

xcelir8TL

I've driven so far about 100 miles and am very happy with the rotors and "yes, they are painted red" brake pads. Yes, I did paint the calipers too.

The funny thing is that due to the 3 slots (hidden in picture) and half/drilled holes, on acceleration and just plain driving you hear the air going over them and it's a high-pitched "ticking" sound. When braking (not lightly, but a little more) you hear a groaning sound like a turbo boosting.

I'm very pleased. Now, I need to save some $ and to the rear of my car!

Oh, for those that want part numbers, go to perfectbrakes.com or buybrakes.com and look up the make/model of your car and the part numbers are there!

LaCostaRacer

We put about 6K on the Hawk pads before replacing them with OEM pads. I bedded the pads properly based on feedback on this forum regarding the 6 hard stops on a isolated road at 40mph. I also used the brake quiet goop from the beginning and even tried re-applying to goop one more time. I personally thought the brakes were fine but my Wife was upset about the brakes squeeking at low speed stops (like picking the kids up at school in a queue of cars).

I like the Hawk pads and bought some for my TL when the time comes for replacement. I had the LTS pads for the pilot and bought the Hawk Performance Ceramic for my car.

01tl4tl

6 hard stops is the old basic method and not the best way- you can actually cause a noise doing that!
Warming the pads- the superheating- then transfer material layer to rotor and cooling off is critical to peak performance
this way works really good on performance parts to bed in or remove glaze and fix noises.
http://heeltoeauto.com/httech/YaBB.pl?num=1184261899

The slots and dimples will make a little noise but goes mostly away

LaCostaRacer

Thanks for the info. I like the blurb about brakes being made for controlling speed and not actually stopping the car.

My Wife likes to drag the brakes and that coupled with a couple of panic stops must have messed up the pads since they were fine a month or two after replacement. Guess i could have rebedded the pads possibly in retrospect.

In looking at the new method, I did most of the steps except the 80-40mph stops. I don't know where I could do that in a safe manner. It's funny how the EBC, and Hawk have different bedding procedures. The Racing brake procedure looks like a good method minus the 80mph - 40 bit so I'll do that next time.

JwongTLS

I was recommended the Red stuff as an alternative to the OEM brembos..

I cannnot tell u how dissappointed I am wit the red stuff. I was looking for something with oem if not better bite,less dust, and something quiet. The service dude at placesforbrakes.com recommended these pads..

After installing them with my resurfaced OEM rotors, they squeek like shit and dust like the OEM pads. The bite was not as good as the OEM when hot. I regret not getting the OEM now. and I have had these on for a good 500 miles..Now I dont know how they bite with matching rotors, but if u are only changing out pads. STAY AWAY FROM THE RED STUFF!!

I say go OEM or go hawk HPS..I have tried the HPS on my old car and I was very satisfied with it..very little dust and good bite when hot or cold

RC51Ryder

I like those. Where did you get them? Have you noticed a lot of dusting/squealing? How is the performance compared to OEM? I think I'm going with the dimpled rotors instead of cross drilled.

01tl4tl

the dimples are pure bling-
side slots have a purpose for racer types and cool street drivers,
drilled are for serious mountains, autox racers and wet weather conditions

NOTE only rotors factory designed for drilling should be used - aftermarket drilling can be very dangerous and prone to cracking stress failure at the holes

Pad bedding--in MrHeelToes instructions (not from RB but based on many sources and experience) the 80-40 mph is an extreme example
You can do a few 60-30s and it does nearly the same thing

80-40 will bed the RB pads right now!! and thats only for RB with RB setups- not other brands

Go ahead and do it, just stay safe and legal- you may need to do the entire procedure a few times- thats normal
Many pads need to cook off the excess resins with a few solid heat cycles of use-THEN they will accept a transfer layer on bedding

Most new pads will take 100 to 500 miles to get to full braking force
You cant say how they work until well after then

rebedding will clean off the glaze and restore silent solid braking in most cases.
My car needs it after the wife has been driving it most of the time- with the dragging the brakes type slowdown stops-
10 minutes of fun and its good as new!~
Again- stay within the speed limit

trancemission

You must be joking. I noticed an immediate difference with the red stuff.

I will never go back to OEM

RC51Ryder

Tire Rack has some Brembo cross drilled rotors for the 3G TL that I was taking a serious look at but was unsure since I keep hearing about cracking. I guess my question is if cracking really is an issue, why do a lot of high end sports cars (Mercedes AMG's, Porsche, BMW M3/M5) have cross drilled rotors from the factory. There has to be some benefit to them. These are the ones I'm looking at:

01tl4tl

on the cars you listed- they are trying to save weight and put on massive thick brakes at the same time- very heavy cars going twice the speed of most usa drivers!
On those rotors - they computer design them to be drilled- all the structural considerations are made as to where each hole is located and the supporting vanes between the two rotor faces.
They use very dense heavy metallurgy for the rotors
Even then, cracking can occur at the drill hole edges when pushed too hard, especially if not cooled properly afterwards--result is a shattered rotor and a terrible grinding noise as the nose dives into the pavement and the car pivots on the axle

Cheap or even good Brembo blank rotors are often taken and slotted and/or drilled by someone with a rented CNC machine- with no thought to maintaning strength under pressure,,like places that offer several choices of hole pattern--all bling

The ones that Brembo make themself are ok
BUT
the fact that side slots are of actual benefit in use while holes are not-- for most drivers,,why not stay with a good brembo blank face or their slotted rotor and not worry about rotor failure or warpage

google cracked brake rotor-drilled and see some pics that will disturb you

JwongTLS

I felt an immediate diffrence during the first like 100 miles...after they are broken in, I feel like they dont bite nearly hard as the oem. my

at least the dust could have been less..

georgegiorgio

Well, I just did... google cracked brake rotor-drilled and only 1 picture from the search result shows a cracked rotor and states stoptech rotor...

And says that was result of track driving...

Apparently slotted rotors are better for track, while drilled are for street....

So, I was wondering, Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborgini, and so on, they all use drilled rather than slotted... and why is that? besides of visual....

RC51Ryder

Ah, I see your point. I don't push my brakes hard but do what them there in case I need to stop suddenly for a kid chasing a ball in the street or for the idiot that just jumped in my lane without looking to see if I'm there. With my driving, I didn't think the Brembos would crack since I'm not a racer. Do the high end cars have problems with their rotors cracking? Not sure if I will stick with those or get a pair of slotted ones instead.

JwongTLS

heard alot of good things about slotted rotors. plan to switch out to those for my next brake job.

If you don't drive your car hard and like the look of the drilled rotors, thats fine..u can have whatever u likeee...

trancemission

I agree with you on that J. The dust is just as bad as OEM

I remember as soon as I put mine on, when I first hit the brake I couldnt believe it.

I have fronts and backs ready to be installed, oh and some D/S rotoras as well.

To be honest, I would have to put some OEMs back on to make a informed opinion on whether or not they are better. To date Ive done some really spirited driving and they never seemed to fade on me at all.

JwongTLS

They're holding up quite well.. I just hate the squeek and dust.

01tl4tl

there are plenty of pics of failed drilled rotors- maybe a different search? I have seen them! some even on here~
and I am a Licensed racer- brakes are pretty important for me to know about

RC51Ryder

So in your professional racing opinion, do you think that the Brembo cross drilled rotors are ok for normal street use?

firstpickrick

i wonder if you could install the brembo slotted rotors on an automatic?

gerzand

iTrader: (3)

Nope, different diameter. Rotora sells them for Auto's tho as well.