I have an 05 roadster touring. I need new pads and rotors, and am completely lost as to which brand to buy.

I was thinking of buying these:


Thoughts? Suggestions? I searched around the forums and all I find are people arguing over brands, and no actual tests/links to reviews.

Thanks all!

 

I have never used Powerstop rotors or pads.

Another option is to get a set of Centric rotors (which have coated hats), drilled/slotted if you insist (but recommend you just go blanks), for the $165-170 range. Then you can use the difference to get a good set of pads.

I use these rotors on track (blanks) without issue.

 

May I ask why you suggest blanks over the slotted (or drilled and slotted)?

I ask as I can be pretty hard on my car, a few times a week. Hard enough where it seems the brakes heat up and seem to become "stiff" and not brake as well. they also squeak a lot, embarrassingly so.

I'd rather not spend extra money if not needed.

Thank you.

 

I recommend blanks because they are the most durable, longest lasting option you can get. And they perform just as well as their drilled/slotted counterparts for the purposes of a street (non track driven) car. I run Centric blanks on my track car with aggressive track pads. I do not have fade, warping or cracking issues. My brakes glow red-hot.

Drilled holes and slots on a rotor have nothing directly to do with stopping power. Their benefits are a function of cooling, better bite in certain conditions, dealing with outgassing, glazing or even weight savings to a small extent. All of these benefits are completely marginal considerations for a street driven vehicle. And since they come at the expense of increased wear and decreased service life, they really only makes sense for a street car if you like they way they look...which I don't, unless you are running BBK they really just make everything look more diminutive. Generally drilled rotors are to be avoided altogether, doubly so if you are "hard on your brakes," as they tend to crack and warp sooner. Slotted are OK, but at the expense of potential noise, increased pad wear, and still an increased risk of warping and cracking. Ultimately the benefits of slotted are also marginal at best.

Do some race cars use either/or/sometimes both, sure in some series and applications they do. But keep in mind these are race cars, with premium materials and very short service intervals on wear items, brake rotors being a great example. Mostly you see them on street car rotors because they are marketable.


Oh and the fading you are experiencing is most likely a function of fluid and pad compound. A fluid bleed and better pads is what you need.

 

Thank you for the thorough reply!

Now that you've mentioned it, I did have my 90k mile servicing done recently, which included a brake bleed/new fluid, and I haven't had that "stiff brake" feeling since that time.

Okay, so I'll stick with the flat/blank discs. There is so much information on the web, and as someone who isn't a mechanic/pro race/track person, it's difficult to tell what is marketing BS, BS "knowledge" from kids, and what is real.

No, I don't need holes on my rotors to look "cool", so we'll just go with the blanks and good pads. Unless someone can come up with a good argument why to get the drilled/slotted ones.

As the rotors will be blanks, I suppose OEM is fine? Or Centric? Is there a difference? I don't mind spending some money for something more premium, but don't wish to cross the "sucker threshold", haha.

Do you have suggestions for good pads? I read that carbon-ceramic seems to be the best, long-lasting, low noise.

Again, thank you very much!

 

I'd suggest looking for Centric high-carbon rotors. They are a bit more expensive, but the higher carbon content will help the rotors resist cracking and premature wear. Best price I found was on Rockauto.com.

As for pads, semi-metallic will stand up to repeated heat cycles better, but ceramic pads are fine for low stress street use and have less dust. Whatever you use, make sure to bed the pads in properly.

 

Quite happy w my StopTec drilled slotted rotors and pads from Z1. dd.

Did i miss it? Some old schoolers like econmize and turn rotors. no can do drilled/slotted.

 

Okay, I might go carbon ceramic as the squeaking was just too embarrassing. "Here's a flashy car.... SQUUUUEEEAAAKK!!!", haha.

By bed, do you mean go easy on the braking for the first 800 miles or so?


What's dd?

I think turning my current flat/plain rotors is what caused the squeaking this whole time.

 

Daily driver ; )

 

A little searching goes a long way:

https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...ur-brakes.html

 

If you didn't re-bed the rotors after turning them it could definitely lead to increased squealing. It could also be that not enough anti-squeal was used during installation, or that you just have a crappy pad compound that is noisy.

Oh and I do use the Centric High-Carbon blanks, just FYI.

 

Centric should be fine also. Save some $.