Car Question - aftermarket brake pads, rotors, etc...

[KDOG]

Its about time to change my brake pads on my 2000 Elantra and I was considering going with some good quality aftermarket high performance brake pads and rotors. I was looking around tirerack.com but I wanted to ask around and see if there were any car guyz that would like to share their 2 cents... I want to improve braking performance, obviously. Please no jokes about Hyundais' , we both know that doesn't mean squat. Thanks.

 

[jonMEGA]

I don't think that they make much for a Elantra. You might have a good results with just upgrading to some better pads like from AutoZone or PepBoys.

 

[zixxer]

haha

 

[JulesMaximus]

You probably aren't going to be able to improve the braking performance much just by "upgrading" pads and rotors. You would need to change to bigger calipers, rotors, braided lines and better tires to really improve the brakes. Still, what would be the point. You have a cheap economy car. It's not worth the money IMO.

 

[Colt45]

You drive an elantra. I wouldnt worry about it. It goes and stops doesnt it? That's it's purpose

 

[KDOG]

Uh, ok. I've been searching online and found some good pads at tirerack, Hawks, maybe I'll just stick to just getting brake pads, and worry about better stuff when I get my Subaru Outback Sport...

 

[BHeemsoth]

Originally posted by: KDOG
Uh, ok. I've been searching online and found some good pads at tirerack, Hawks, maybe I'll just stick to just getting brake pads, and worry about better stuff when I get my Subaru Outback Sport...

Oh man a subaru outback sport! There is an exotic for ya.

 

[amgkid]

Originally posted by: rpbri2886

Originally posted by: KDOG
Uh, ok. I've been searching online and found some good pads at tirerack, Hawks, maybe I'll just stick to just getting brake pads, and worry about better stuff when I get my Subaru Outback Sport...

Oh man a subaru outback sport! There is an exotic for ya.

ouch, that's harsh man. give the guy a break!

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You probably aren't going to be able to improve the braking performance much just by "upgrading" pads and rotors. You would need to change to bigger calipers, rotors, braided lines and better tires to really improve the brakes. Still, what would be the point. You have a cheap economy car. It's not worth the money IMO.

One of the first things you can do to upgrade your braking is to get stickier tires. If you have crappy tires, you will have bad braking.

Second thing would be to change the pad compound. Compound has a lot to do with braking ability. If the pads cannot take heat, they'd be unsuitable for racing conditions, although, the line between road course/track racing is a lot different than street pads. Usually race compounds have much higher heat ratings, however, they do not modulate and bite well untill they are heated up; cold-feel on race compounds can be quite bad. Many autocrossers upgrade just the pads and have great results, a lot less pad fade.

As far as rotors, I would not reccomend drilled rotors. The more heatsink there is to a rotor, the more heat it can take before distorting. Also, things like slots and drilled reduce the amount of surface area on the faces of the rotors.

Good and contaminent free brake fluid has a lot to do with how the pedal feel will be. I'm taking an advanced braking/suspension/steering course at my school, and my instructor of 35years suggests 2yr/24k miles for brake fluid. I prefer Valvoline Synpower, though there are better fluids out there like ATE super, valvoline is well priced at $5 a litre at autozone.

My advice to the OP, get new brembo blank rotors, and either Hawk HPS pads, Porterfield R4-S, or PBR/Axxis ultimates or metal masters. If you want almost noise free braking, then I'd suggest sticking with OEM pads, as the ones I've mentioned tend to make more noise than OEM, though using the right shims can have a lot to do with noise. If you want pretty much dust free, then get the PBR/Axxis Deluxe.

 

[KDOG]

Yeah, I was looking at the Brembo rotors at tirerack.com as well. So as it stands now I'm looking at Brembo rotors and Hawk pads. Thanks all.

 

[StageLeft]

Waste of money. The greatest myth in modern times is the one about people upgrading their brakes for better braking performance, all the while forgetting that a car's braking is limited by traction of the tires to the road. If your little 10" rotors are enough to lock the wheels up then all 19" rotors will do is lock them up quicker. If you can't increase traction between the tires and the road all you've done is waste money, unless you need to avoid fading with your brakes, and that's only a problem if you're racing or get your kicks out of flooring it, then gunning the brakes on, flooring, brakes, over and over to because you've got nothing better to do.

 

[rhino56]

i would say stick with the stock quality rotors and slightly higher quality pad. just dont buy the super expensive ones and dont buy the 19.99 ones.

 

[0roo0roo]

remember to wear breathing protection. asbestos

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You probably aren't going to be able to improve the braking performance much just by "upgrading" pads and rotors. You would need to change to bigger calipers, rotors, braided lines and better tires to really improve the brakes. Still, what would be the point. You have a cheap economy car. It's not worth the money IMO.

One of the first things you can do to upgrade your braking is to get stickier tires. If you have crappy tires, you will have bad braking.

Second thing would be to change the pad compound. Compound has a lot to do with braking ability. If the pads cannot take heat, they'd be unsuitable for racing conditions, although, the line between road course/track racing is a lot different than street pads. Usually race compounds have much higher heat ratings, however, they do not modulate and bite well untill they are heated up; cold-feel on race compounds can be quite bad. Many autocrossers upgrade just the pads and have great results, a lot less pad fade.

As far as rotors, I would not reccomend drilled rotors. The more heatsink there is to a rotor, the more heat it can take before distorting. Also, things like slots and drilled reduce the amount of surface area on the faces of the rotors.

Good and contaminent free brake fluid has a lot to do with how the pedal feel will be. I'm taking an advanced braking/suspension/steering course at my school, and my instructor of 35years suggests 2yr/24k miles for brake fluid. I prefer Valvoline Synpower, though there are better fluids out there like ATE super, valvoline is well priced at $5 a litre at autozone.

My advice to the OP, get new brembo blank rotors, and either Hawk HPS pads, Porterfield R4-S, or PBR/Axxis ultimates or metal masters. If you want almost noise free braking, then I'd suggest sticking with OEM pads, as the ones I've mentioned tend to make more noise than OEM, though using the right shims can have a lot to do with noise. If you want pretty much dust free, then get the PBR/Axxis Deluxe.

No, a Hyundai Elantra is unsuitable for racing conditions.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Waste of money. The greatest myth in modern times is the one about people upgrading their brakes for better braking performance, all the while forgetting that a car's braking is limited by traction of the tires to the road. If your little 10" rotors are enough to lock the wheels up then all 19" rotors will do is lock them up quicker. If you can't increase traction between the tires and the road all you've done is waste money, unless you need to avoid fading with your brakes, and that's only a problem if you're racing or get your kicks out of flooring it, then gunning the brakes on, flooring, brakes, over and over to because you've got nothing better to do.

I'd disagree, the brembos on my car are fabulous.

It has nothing to do with stopping sooner, just better feel.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: TechnoKid

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You probably aren't going to be able to improve the braking performance much just by "upgrading" pads and rotors. You would need to change to bigger calipers, rotors, braided lines and better tires to really improve the brakes. Still, what would be the point. You have a cheap economy car. It's not worth the money IMO.

One of the first things you can do to upgrade your braking is to get stickier tires. If you have crappy tires, you will have bad braking.

Second thing would be to change the pad compound. Compound has a lot to do with braking ability. If the pads cannot take heat, they'd be unsuitable for racing conditions, although, the line between road course/track racing is a lot different than street pads. Usually race compounds have much higher heat ratings, however, they do not modulate and bite well untill they are heated up; cold-feel on race compounds can be quite bad. Many autocrossers upgrade just the pads and have great results, a lot less pad fade.

As far as rotors, I would not reccomend drilled rotors. The more heatsink there is to a rotor, the more heat it can take before distorting. Also, things like slots and drilled reduce the amount of surface area on the faces of the rotors.

Good and contaminent free brake fluid has a lot to do with how the pedal feel will be. I'm taking an advanced braking/suspension/steering course at my school, and my instructor of 35years suggests 2yr/24k miles for brake fluid. I prefer Valvoline Synpower, though there are better fluids out there like ATE super, valvoline is well priced at $5 a litre at autozone.

My advice to the OP, get new brembo blank rotors, and either Hawk HPS pads, Porterfield R4-S, or PBR/Axxis ultimates or metal masters. If you want almost noise free braking, then I'd suggest sticking with OEM pads, as the ones I've mentioned tend to make more noise than OEM, though using the right shims can have a lot to do with noise. If you want pretty much dust free, then get the PBR/Axxis Deluxe.

No, a Hyundai Elantra is unsuitable for racing conditions.

Agreed