Zivman

iTrader: (19)

detonate is used in reference to a motor, not a turbo. a turbo can cause a motor to detonate if not properly setup/tuned. as far as your motor goes, generally speaking, boost is boost. so the placement of his turbo doesn't mean a whole lot when talking detonation.

sounds like your buddy with the "expertise" knew enough to be dangerous, and not much more; which would explain why he needed a new motor and him passing off limited information to you.

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

What an awesome day! Took Devin to basketball practice this morning. I helped out. Then came home to start working on the yard, again. This year is my most ambitious yet. I really want the trees, bushes, and flowers to be really healthy for next year. So today, I trimmed back some bushes, cleaned out the garden some more, and watered all my trees. I'll probably end up doing more work tomorrow when my neighbor lets me get some of his black dirt.

Is it me, or is the aftermarket exhaust market trying to gouge us? Damn, the prices are ridonkulous!

The winter mod bug has bit...

silverbullet_Z

iTrader: (3)

Well just did a much needed detail on the truck. Hasn't been through a car wash since last spring, so after a wash and using a buffer for a hour and a half and a quarter of a bottle of Meguirs gold wax she's all nice and glossy again. Detailed the wheels as well with the Mothers aluminum polish and mothers triangle buffer.










OH yea saw a hideous G35 with the GTR front bumper today heading west on 42 past Gardenview

Zivman

iTrader: (19)

I am trying to figure out what to do with the brakes on my evo. they flat out suck.. they shimmy fairly bad, have crappy initial bite and don't have the linear modulation I like - you have to slam them. they stop hard, but have a crappy feel. The shimmy, I am fairly certain it is from letting the car sit for 3-4 weeks at a time over the summer. when I first got the car, I put on new racing brake rings (basically new rotors) and pads. brakes were decent for a while, but never quite like driving my Z... but my Z has a 355 brembo kit with ferodo pads. not really apples to apples, but the evo brakes never really felt great.

so I am looking at my options. I know the front calipers need a rebuild and would like to have them refinished... cough... brownbos... cough. the dust seals are toast and with the shimmy, I will be getting new rotors.

so if I go a two piece rotor, like I have, a full rebuild with refinish, and new pads, I am looking at 1300-1500 bucks!
ferodo pads = 245
rebuild/refinish calipers with new SS pistons = 650
girodisc two piece rotors = 700
+ shipping
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based on that, I feel like I should just get a new BBK, but now it becomes tricky because I want to be able to run 17" wheels. My options

Alcon 343mm BBK - basically the best of the best, but costs ~3000 bucks (which is actually a very good price based msrp of ~4200) this is just for the fronts, and I would need at least new rotors and pads for the rear.. so add about 350 at a minimum. down the road I could get a rear kit for another 2600.... !!!!
- replacement rings and pads are not cheap. pads are same price as current setup (~250), but rings are at least 500/each. but again, this is alcon, so we are talking premium goods



Essex AP 325mm front setup. This is a piece together kit that essex put together for evo owners. Calipers are a common setup they use in a few setups they put together for other applications. has good reviews from the handful of guys running them. Kit wil run me about $2500. kind of pisses me off because they have run a few specials on them for about 300 bucks less, but will only work with my a little bit on the pricing right now... I probably would have bought this kit already if they would have offered me the discounted pricing they have ran a number of times on the forums. replacement parts are cheap. like 1/2 the price of alcon stuff. the calipers are just a goofy black/greyish anodizing. they almost look burnt. No matching rear kit.


My third option is wilwood. I can do front and rears for about 3000 bucks complete. Very good pricing, but almost no evo guys run them. replacement parts are cheap. the rear caliper kind of looks cheap, but they include a 2 piece rear rotor with iron hat, which is good for use with oem hand brake. I am hesitant with this kit based on the limited pads they have available. I can't find the ferodo pads I want to run, and due to the narrow calipers, are limited to 16mm pads, where as both other kits, I can get the pads I want. this is not to say the available pads are bad, just that I can't get much feedback from the evo guys on this kit and the pads.



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if money is no option, I am buying the alcons.... but that's just it, I don't have the money like I used to- lost my baller status. that's not to say I am not willing to spend the money if it's better in the long run. I am in for at least ~1500-2000 bucks no matter what I choose, so it's not like I have a "cheap" option. I think all the kits will likely be more than enough, but most say the stock brakes are great and I am thoroughly disappointed (oem brembo are not equal to their high performance aftermarket stuff). I have ran 3 different pads on the stock brakes and I have what many consider good rotors, so I have given them a good shot. I'd just hate to buy the wilwoods and have them be not better than stock. and I would hate to buy the alcons, and have them be no better than the wilwoods or ap setup would have been. the ap setup pisses me off, because they have been as cheap as 1700, and usually around 2100 with pads... and they will only work with me to about 2400 when I waited them out on a fall discount like they offered in the past... may be petty, but this is kind of what has kept me from buying them

any advise is appreciated

SR71

iTrader: (1)

Yay I finally got a new phone today, oh how I hate learning a new phone though.

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

Aaron, since you're in the market for new brakes and are doing the research, can you please see if they make high performance slotted rotors for Dodge Grand Caravans? I also have that shimmy when braking, and I know that at least one of my pads is low because every now and then I can hear/feel the slight grinding. I was also thinking of using ATE Super Blue brake fluid when I 'upgrade' the van's brakes.

As for advice, I think you should go with your first option.

If you're not going to drive the car that much (like I do with my van), then spending up to $3k on brakes is crazy, IMHO. I'd hate to see anyone spend that much money and have the car sit for long periods of time only to open up the flood gates for future problems, if there are any.

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

What kind of phone did you get, Ryan? And will you be needing all our contact info again? lol

Zivman

iTrader: (19)

for oem stuff, I like akebono pads and the higher end napa rotors... if you are willing, brembo rotors. sometimes they aren't that much more.

as far as my choices... you think rebuilding my oem stuff is better than buying a set of wilwoods? the fronts would cost the same as rebuilding. after doing research, the oem brembo stuff isn't equal to aftermarket brembo.

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

According to your research, the Wilwood market isn't that big or good or lacking reviews for your car. Don't know if I'd want to spend that kind of money if there's limited info on it.

Maybe I read your post incorrectly.

Greg and I installed front rotors on the van a couple of summers ago. Maybe it's time I did the rears or the whole system and go with something that lasts longer and has better pads. I'm tired of the brake dust, though. Are Akebono pads known for that?

Zivman

iTrader: (19)

all pads are going to dust. I ran the akebono pads on our last tundra. I was happy with them. didn't notice any more dust than the oem pads, but they had better feel to them. not even sure if they have a pad for your application. If you are getting vibration in the wheel it is coming from the fronts. if you get a jerking in the whole car, that can be coming from the rear

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

That would be funny if I ran 4 pot calipers with slotted rotors on the van. I'd have to drop the van on lowered springs.

SR71

iTrader: (1)

I just got done switching everyone's info over so Im good. I picked up a Motorola ATRIX HD, its quite the upgrade from my old phone.
http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers...,en_US,pd.html

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

So you'll be able to take photos next year during the rally!

silverbullet_Z

iTrader: (3)

I to will be getting a new phone/service next week. Dropping Tmobile and going to Verizon

sportbiketed

iTrader: (11)

Galaxy S3 will be free on black Friday

SR71

iTrader: (1)

Just remember not to throw the new phone around.

silverbullet_Z

iTrader: (3)

That's what I'm waiting for

Zivman

iTrader: (19)

that will be a HUGE leap in pricing... unless you are able to get a discount.

I would like to go to verizon, but it would equate to 200+/month for my two lines and be limited in terms of talk/data...

I just jumped ship from ATT and went to straight talk. I get the same coverage as I had with ATT, but unlimited talk, text, data* (they do throttle apparently so more like 2-3 gb of data) for 45/month per line. seeing speeds of 1.5 - 5mps.. mainly around 2.5-3.5mps. plenty fast enough for my needs. I had enough of contracts and subsidized phones. 70/month savings over 2 yrs goes a long way to buying phones outright.

with ATT I was paying about 80/line for a 700 minute family share plan with unlimited text, and 2gb data.

silverbullet_Z

iTrader: (3)

Yea I'm well aware of the pricing difference, but in the end it will be worth it. I had ATT which then went to Cingular which then went back to ATT, hated their customer service/coverage, jumped ship to T-mobile great customer service but once again coverage still sucks. Verizon is more expensive but they have by far better coverage and friends and family that I know who have Verizon who also jumped ship said that Verizon is worth it. Right now it's only going to cost me $20 extra a month so I'm game.


BTW Aaron, Wilwood FTMFW. They have got to be the best bang for the buck BBK out there. I'm definetly getting those this spring. 14" front and 13" rear rotors 6/4 setup.

Zivman

iTrader: (19)

verizon does have coverage, but I am not willing to pay such a premium for it. ATT coverage has been good for me.. and now with straight talk I get 2 lines of service for under a 100/month no way will I go back to ATT or to verizon.


as far as the brakes go, I tried to send payment on the alcons last night. CC company declined the payment due to exchange of funds to british lbs and time of day... kind of felt like it was the universe telling me not to buy them. Now you say get the wilwoods..... ah! conflicted.

my plan was to get the alcon fronts, and just new rotors and pads in the rear, or maybe get the rear wilwoods.... all I know is I hate driving the car because of the brakes and want to get it resolved asap