How hard is it to install new brake pads? I'm pretty sure mine are shot because the car vibrates kinda rough when on the brakes hard, and pulls a little.

How hard is it to install new brake pads? I'm pretty sure mine are shot because the car vibrates kinda rough when on the brakes hard, and pulls a little.

You need to turn your rotors if your getting vibration and pull from your brakes. From what i understand the brakes are like any other brakes except instead of pushing the pistons back in you need to buy a $10 tool to turn them in.

Yep - it's not too hard - but like any four wheel disc car - the integrated parking brake uses the rear pistons - so you have to 'spin' the piston into the caliper to give more room for the wider 'new' pads. The first time they will be pretty stiff.

While we're on the subject of brakes and brake pads I have a question. Have any of you had any success using pads that produce any less dust than the OE ones. I swear I wash my car and the very next day the wheels look like :q I would replace the pads now even though I don't need to if I could get some pads that were less "dusty" And there's no way I'm using those McCleen shields or whatever they're called. Oh well just curious.

I'm currently running the Porterfield R4-S Pads. (http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/pads.html) They are virtually dustless. However, it is a metallic street racing pad that requires heat to make it have friction. It takes about 500 degrees for these pads to perform at their optimal range. I've had these on for over a year and they are fantastic. You can buy them directly from Porterfield.

However, I'm switching my entire brake system over to the Stoptech Big Brake system this spring but I would still recommend the Porterfield pads.

While we're on the subject of brakes and brake pads I have a question. Have any of you had any success using pads that produce any less dust than the OE ones. I swear I wash my car and the very next day the wheels look like :q I would replace the pads now even though I don't need to if I could get some pads that were less "dusty" And there's no way I'm using those McCleen shields or whatever they're called. Oh well just curious.


:gr_hail: PorterField (http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/pads.html)

I will be installing a 3rd set of R4S soon. Confident and clean... Porterfield

Thanks ya'll. As long as I've been around I've never heard of the company Porterfield. Are they that pricey compared to other brands and will the high heat requirements still work for my strictly street driving?

ditto - 2nd set of Porterfields.... chrome wheels - no dust.

Thanks ya'll. As long as I've been around I've never heard of the company Porterfield. Are they that pricey compared to other brands and will the high heat requirements still work for my strictly street driving?
How much and do any of the national part stores carry them?

hit the hyper link In my prev post... it has been a while and I do not recall what I paid. They are premium brake pads so expect some sticker shock. I think you get a discount if you are an llsoc member at least I did back in the day when I was a member there. I don't think they distribute to retailers but you can check there website.

I have used the OEM, EBC and porterfield on my LS6 Sport and have yet to find a cleaner pad and in my unscientific opinion non have provided more stopping power. I drive hwy most of the time but I do have my city commute time. I have had to do some serious last second braking and even on a well worn set of porterfiled brakes I stopped with the greatest of ease.

I do intend to install them on my wifes 03 3.5 SE Altima if they carry pads that will fit.

I checked the site but didn't see anything for a LS and their database was down. Prices ranged from 65 to over 120 (for a pair I guess) and it seemed like you had to order them.

I checked the site but didn't see anything for a LS and their database was down. Prices ranged from 65 to over 120 (for a pair I guess) and it seemed like you had to order them.

Call them. I had to call them when I ordered the pads for the LS. I can't remember how much since it's been over a year but I thought it was around $70/set.

I've always used the Porterfield R4S pads on my Mustangs. They are great!

Porterfield R4-S Pads
Front part#805. $89.95
Rear part#399. $69.95
Their rotors are f*ckin expensive!
Cross Drilled
Fronts = $110.88 each rotor.
Rear = $95.68 each rotor.
If you don't want drilled rotors minus $30 bucks a rotor.

instead of pushing the pistons back in you need to buy a $10 tool to turn them in.

Here's the tool I purchased....


http://www.discbrakesrus.com/make/lincoln/pistontoolrear.jpg

Cross Drilled
Fronts = $110.88 each rotor.
Rear = $95.68 each rotor.
If you don't want drilled rotors minus $30 bucks a rotor.

That's cheap compared to StopTech. Theirs run $249 EACH!

aren't the poterfiled rotors brembo's rebadged for resell. IIRC that as the inside iggy back in the day could have changed by now.

anyone have any tips for treating the rotors so they wont rust?

Why would you want cross-drilled rotors???!!! Although I run slotted Brembo rotors on my race car, I would never use cross-drilled rotors. Nor do any of the people I race against. The "bling-bling" effect is all they are good for. Tire Rack has great prices on Brembo rotors on their website.

Why would you want cross-drilled rotors???!!! Although I run slotted Brembo rotors on my race car, I would never use cross-drilled rotors. Nor do any of the people I race against. The "bling-bling" effect is all they are good for. Tire Rack has great prices on Brembo rotors on their website.

Cross-Drilled & slotted rotors provide an easy escape route for rainwater and any gas build-up that might occur under extreme braking, In Portland Oregon it rains big time and the rotors on my old WRX were cross drilled, slotted and oversized, I noticed a big difference in breaking in the rain.

Racing Pads on the other hand tend to wear the rotor down much faster at cool operating temps, sure they are cleaner but you will be turning your rotors more often.

How hard is it to install new brake pads? I'm pretty sure mine are shot because the car vibrates kinda rough when on the brakes hard, and pulls a little.

Check the rotors are clean, grease and oil will cause grabbing. If they have grease or oil on them find out where it's coming from!

Worn seals in the calipers can cause vibration too. Pressure to the pistons can leak past worn seals causing them to back off, tighten, back off, etc., as the pressure builds and eases.

Cross-Drilled & slotted rotors provide an easy escape route for rainwater and any gas build-up that might occur under extreme braking, In Portland Oregon it rains big time and the rotors on my old WRX were cross drilled, slotted and oversized, I noticed a big difference in breaking in the rain.

Racing Pads on the other hand tend to wear the rotor down much faster at cool operating temps, sure they are cleaner but you will be turning your rotors more often.

You don't turn rotors on a race car, you replace them. My point is that cross-drilled rotors do not improve braking performance, they just increase the possibility of warping your rotors.

You don't turn rotors on a race car, you replace them. My point is that cross-drilled rotors do not improve braking performance, they just increase the possibility of warping your rotors.
Whever they look nice, Anyone with a sporty aftermarket rim might want them, like me :)

I have the cross drilled/slotted rotors and I got them for looks only. It's been widely touted that cross drilled rotors only add to cracking and warping. I've read where all race car teams use only slotted rotors and not cross drilled because it is prone to cracking and warping. When I install my new StopTech brake system I'll only be adding them in the slotted version.

Make 'em out of stainless....

I can't see paint sticking around too long because of the heat, and as they wear, it will chew the ends down and allow moisture to get in there. I do assume you mean the fins and the face wherer they go against the hub and the wheel, right? I use permatex copper antiseize on the facing surfaces so they don't stick, and it works quite well.