Rotor and Brake Pad DIY Updated!

[Grey]

Now with pictures! Check it out: DIY: Rotor and Brake Pad Install

To remove this ad, register today for free or log in if already registered!

[slikor]

that DIY rocks, Grey! you da man

are you ever planning to put rear disks on? i wish i could but i want a DIY first[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]

[Grey]

Yep, I'm planning to. I think I'll take some off of an Acura EL. Then again, I think all I need is the hubs and the calipers. Then if an aftermarket company comes out with a cross-drilled/slotted rotor for the Acura EL I could buy that instead. I wonder if there will be any aftermarket brake pads for the Acura EL? If the only choice I have is of upgrading to the whole Acura EL rear brake setup, then I might pass. That is unless I can get it really cheap. If I could get a rear brake setup off of an Acura EL for around $150 then I would do the mod. If not, then rear brake conversion I guess?

[slikor]

yeah, i thought like AEM or someone made a rear disc brake conversion for our cars..? could you just adapt the front disc assembly from our cars to attach to the rear?

[Grey]

<< yeah, i thought like AEM or someone made a rear disc brake conversion for our cars..? >>



Yeah, they do. They're pretty expensive kits though. I'm going for budget mods so far.



<< could you just adapt the front disc assembly from our cars to attach to the rear? >>



Yeah, I thought about that, I don't think so though. If you look at the DIY then you'l notice that the hub has the mounting bolts for the caliper. The front suspension is completely different than the back, so you'de have to do some major modification to get that to work.

I noticed that European Civics have rear disc brakes. I wonder if these are the same ones that the Acura EL has? In any case, that's what I'm going for I think. It'll be tough putting all the parts together though. Oh well, I like a challenge.

[slikor]

where did you get the Brembo front rotors, Grey? and how much were they?

[Grey]

I got them from a group buy. I think this is the one: Cross Drilled Slotted Brake Rotors Upgrade Free Shipping They're made by Brembo and then cross-drilled and slotted and zinc plated by another company. They were $119 shipped.

[slikor]

so they fit on perfectly then? did you notice much of an increase in braking performance just by replacing the front rotors with these?

[Grey]

Yep, they fit just like OEM. I'm not sure if it's my imagination or what, but I think the rotors are thicker. Especially in back. That's a good thing though since they'll be able to soak up much more heat. I haven't tested them out fully yet since they're still in the breaking-in period. I've heat cycled them once, but I need to do it a couple more times while braking harder each time. This basically tempers the rotor and makes it harder. At first I rode around with little braking power since the zinc coating was still on there. After a while the zinc coating wore off and the process of braking in the rotors started. I think I'l heat-cycle them again today. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]

[slikor]

hmmm...sounds cool so, you can't just install the rotors and use them right away? they have to be broken in or something?

[Grey]

Yeah, it's called seasoning them: Final Steps of Brake Installation

This is just a quick little article. There are many more articles on the web that explain this process better.

[slikor]

cool...that doesn't sound too hard to do thanks, Grey, i'm seriously considering gettin these babies...[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/IMG]

[Daniel420]

when you got the brake pads form optauto. did you order one or two? i mean they're sold in pairs right? i jsut didn't know what to put in fot the Qty on the site

[Grey]

No no, just one. For $45 you get four brake pads. Two for each side of the car.

[Daniel420]

awesome... better than I thought! I'll order some today!