TLP_TLS

so im running some power slot slotted front discs paired with some hawk performance ceramic pads. i think ive had them on there for about 40K now yes i lose track of when i put mods on ha. i recently had the rotors machined and they still got life in them, but pads are bout done. so i was thinking, should i just get some cheapo ceramic pads from autozone ($39.99) or replace both the rotors and pads (slotted rotoras and hawks?)

juanclopez2786

iTrader: (3)

IMO id do rotors and pads because cheap pads are just going to mess up the rotors you got now so might as well just do it right the first time. besides its your brakes you dont want to be cheap with that.

'03TL-S

iTrader: (10)

If your rotors still has life to them, just get new pads, preferably the one you have now if you like them.

nayaab88

I have the autozone pads and they're going great for me. They also come with a lifetime warranty so every time they're done just take em in for a new set.

harminder247

iTrader: (1)

Autozone pads might sound nice with the lifetime warranty at a cheap price but they are crap. I tried those on my dads trucks and they made so much damn noise after 7 months you'd think it's metal to metal and hardly stopped the truck. Took them off and they STOL had more then half. I swapped them with oem pads last month and I can feel a BIG difference. I use oem on my tl to. It simply comes out you get what you pay for. With brakes being a major part of saftey, I'd rather spend the extra and be safe.

nayaab88

Like I said they're working fine for me. No noise or anything of that sort. Trucks need more stopping power than sedans so maybe the Duralast (Autozone) ones won't cut it for them. Just sharing my personal experience.

01tl4tl

If the rotors are still in spec after machining- they are good as new,,, for now
Make sure to flush the brake fluid too

Look at RacingBrake brand pads from MrHeelToe, tech info www.racingbrake.com
Many here like the ET300 for average casual driver who also takes it to the backroads and has some fun with the brakes~

The ET500 are a bit more aggressive bite on application and have solid stopping power.
Reasonable dust for the amount of brake torque they generate--
wax your rims to cut down on dust!

20k miles on my ET300s on RB slotted rotors and 5.7mm pad thickness remaining.
Min is 2mm, I would replace at 3-4 mm because pads dont shed heat as well when they get lower

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

I haven't changed my TL pads since my current ones have plenty of life left, but I also use the Duralast GOLD pads on my other cars, and they do just fine. No brake noise and low brake dust. They have the bits of copper in them.

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

Yes, let's get cheap on one of the main safety components of the car

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

eh...as long as he doesn't get the CHEAPEST pads, he'll be good for daily driving.

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

^ Cheap pads are cheap pads, and daily driving makes it worse. You're risking your life everyday

Can't cheap out on brakes, IMO

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

I disagree. If the pads were that bad, i.e. causing deaths and/or failing, they'd be off the market. I've daily driven on the Duralast Golds for YEARS and I haven't had a pair fail on me. Again, I would NOT get the cheapest pads. Autozone also has PFC pads...

Of course OEM or performance pads are at least equal or better, but more than likely you aren't gonna die because you didn't buy $100 brake pads.

totaledTL

Sounds reasonable. You're far more likely to crash because of something else, like driver error.

nayaab88

It's not like the Duralast ones will just give up on you out of nowhere. They ARE good pads, just dont drive like a maniac and tailgate ppl like 3 inches off their bumper. If you drive like a normal human being then these should do it, but if you think you're on the track everytime you drive then you should go with the other ones.

harminder247

iTrader: (1)

Well imo i dont belive they are good pads. I tried them once and didnt like them. My cousin also had them on his accord and he said teh same thing. The car wasnt as responsive. Maybe the pads were low since you had the car and ran nothing but duralast. Ive tried duralast, oem and another brand. Oem so far is my fav. There was some carbon pads i tried but they made the pedal too mushy and soft to push. Duralast is a big no for me now. Just try oem next time and save your duralast til next time. Chances are you will be able to tell the difference.

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

One of our vendors AJ Racing is offering 20% off of a full set (front and rear) of EBC pads

https://acurazine.com/forums/sponsored-sales-group-buys-10/crazy-discounts-brakes-suspension-intakes-free-shipping-719979/

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

I get what you're saying, that they aren't bad pads that will fail and cause an accident. Like you said, they'd be off the market.

But, personally, in an emergency, I'd want that better performance. If it can stop me 5 or 10 ft shorter, that can mean the difference between having and avoiding an accident.

Just my

01tl4tl

the important test for daily drivers is the `cold pad` stopping distance from whatever speed is their normal cruise, say 80 to 20 slow downs or 60 to zero stops
both done under max effort braking without engaging ABS

for spirited drivers who are looking for the hot pad fade resistance and max bite, they are very different compounds- but who looks up the test results?

01tl4tl

you probably wont die on cheaper pads,
but you may save the $500 insurance deductable with a better pad-rotor combo

TLP_TLS

hahaha, wow alot of these comments are crazy but i get what your saying. the hawk ceramic pads have been pretty good to me, i forget how the oem ones performed in comparison cause its been a while.

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

I completely agree! I'm actually about to get some aftermarket rotors/pads myself.

TLP_TLS

well i caved and picked up some EBC redstuff pads, should be on its way and ill give a review as soon as im done installing.

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

You didn't cave, you just upgraded

murky

Why the clause "without engaging ABS"?

nayaab88

Because engaging ABS is a

01tl4tl

It takes longer to stop the car in dry clean pavement conditions when the ABS is cycling a caliper or 2 on and off than pure stopping

When you apply brake to the max effort just below ABS engagement, you modulate the pressure as the car slows, using the full ability of the calipers

ABS is called Stomp and Steer by its designers
Its for unskilled drivers who slam the brake pedal full and drive straight into the crash!!
With ABS you can slam the brakes AND turn the wheels to go around the scene of the problem

As you turn and the weight shifts, the traction changes on each wheel,,the road is slippery--the ABS will cover for them~ and keep the car under control--

remember its only ON when you go full effort braking and the wheel speed sensors say something is not equal. Normal braking will not make ABS operate

Go play with it on and off in a wet area or wet part of the road and test it

The no-no part of ABS use is with brand new brake pads and/or rotors
Then you dont want to use it, as the rapid on off is not good for the new parts
Heat soak-pad material transfer yadayada

TLP_TLS

so the redstuff pads came in and i threw them on, 75 bucks well spent

01tl4tl

bed them in properly and be really impressed!

TLP_TLS

they are getting better by the day lol.

01tl4tl

right- and they need to be bedded in- go to the makers website for specific advice on their pads

DoC-JoneS

As far as AutoZone pads the PFC are actually descent pads. I used to work there and had them all around on my first car (Ford Taurus S.H.O.) and they worked pretty well to slow her down. However with the performance of our cars, i wouldn't reccommend ANYTHING less than thoes. I had Hawk HPS with Baer/Rotora on my last car (CD7 Accord) and i LOVED them. I'm probably going to go Rotora/Hawk again with some stainless lines. I couldn't recommend getting sloted (or worse slotted and drilled) rotors machined. The way i see it removing material from a finished (slotted, dimpled, or drilled) rotor only serves to reduce structural integrity and remove precious heat dissapating mass. If you wanna do it on the solid rotors of your wife's camry go ahead. But on the rotors of my TL-S i'm replacing the rotors and pads together, using a proper bed in and bleeding the brakes. With the performance of my car and my driving style i NEED them to operate 100% every day, and every stop. A friend of mine once totalled his SRT-4 at a HPDE because of brake failure. So i take my brakes pretty seriously. I can't afford a totaled car or worse, a totalled me or girlfriend soon to be fiance'. that's just my .02

gold2003tl (90)

i will need new brakes soon, and new rotors because i am getting a little bit of thumping on highway speed braking. don't fell like getting them resurfaced because the will start thumping again soon so ill be looking for some slotted rotors.