Need a mild rotor upgrade

[w261w261]

I've read through most of the brake-related threads here, and there certainly is some exotic stuff (at least by Accord standards). Lots of good effort.

But my needs are much less intense. I have an '89 Se-i for the past 3 years, and have put about 70k on it in that time. I don't think I've ever had to slam on the brakes, and I don't drive in a fashion where fade is an issue for me. But, my experience with the stock rotors on the car is that they're very susceptible to a mechanic over-torquing the lug nuts, which leads to an aggravating shimmy on high speed braking, then at best a session with a torque wrench and at worst a trip to the brake place to have the rotors trued up. The comments I've gotten from a couple of good brake guys is that the stock rotors are "thin" or "delicate," and that you have to be relatively more careful around them. Certainly I've had that be an issue probably 3 times in 3 years.

So, I can see a solution being to get a stronger rotor. If I do that, I assume it would be thicker. And if I get a thicker rotor, do I then have to get new calipers?

Unless the additional cost would be negligible, I don't really see the need to get real fancy, as in slotted or drilled rotors. I'd just like something a little less sensitive to the vagaries of mechanics. You can't really see the calipers behind the Se-i wheels anyway, so a nice color does nothing for me either.

Anyone have a recommendation? Specific is good, something I can just tell my brake guy to buy and put on. Thanks and happy holidays.

Hal

[Oldblueaccord]

Well I have tried them all from the dealer rotors to the cheap Chinese ones. They all warp. I just bite the bullit and change them every year along with the pads. I dont think I have tried the Brembos.

Im pretty happy with slotted rotors and EBC green pads overall .I buy the cheap rotors and slot them myself on a mill. I change my brake fluid out every couple on months also keep my rear drums adjusted up.

Your right about the lug nuts use a torque wrench. I also dont tighten those little screws that hold the rotors on very much. I think the rotors are just thin casting but all new cars suffer from this problem.


wp

[Vanilla Sky]

get brembo rotors... IMO, they are the best made for our cars, hands down... you can get them as blanks, slotted, and if i'm not mistaken, drilled and slotted... my choice would be for the slotted, but price might be a good deal different... i mean, if it's only like $10 a rotor different, it would be a little cheap to not spend it on slotted rotors...

if the price difference is much more than that, just get blanks...

Derick

[w261w261]

OK, if I got Brembo rotors, would I have to get different calipers?

Thx

[Busted_Blue]

Brembo Blanks are fairly cheap and one of the best stock aftermarket rotors out there on the market.
Cheapest I've found on the net is here

Click here

Not sure if the slotted rotors are worth the 135 bucks. I would definitely reccomend the blanks for everyday use. It would cost me 112bucks to get all four corners if I went with blanks. Its almost impossible to get a better deal than that for brembo blanks.



as far as pads goes, Stock pads are the best for everday use. They last the longest and should go well with the brembo blanks. I use stock pads and they work quite well and I hadn't had to change my rotors for quite some time now.

And to answer your question about the calipers. No. Unless your caliper not working properly, there is no need to upgrade the calipers for new rotors.

[Oldblueaccord]

I like my slotted rotors but I cant say there that much better than stock. I do slot mine with the slots going fowards its just my preferance. They do make a big differance in the rain. No need to ride your brakes and clean off the water you have brakes right away since the slots shead the water off.

If your running stock pads I'd use the Raybestos brand. Like i have said I have tried a bunch and there number 2 to the EBC greens. The worse ones to date I have tried were Hawks. The were really rotten. I think they were the HP I used them like a month and chucked them.


wp

[shepherd79]

you don't have to get new calipers unless the ones your have now are sticking, but since you said that the rotors are warping every year, i would recomend changing them. when i had my first 3g, i had the same problem. i was changing rotors every year, because they would get warped. so one year i changed rotors, calipers, and new brake lines. i never had to change them again.
when caliper is sticking, it will apply less pressure to one side of the rotor, so you will have push the pedal harder to get the same braking power, thus overheating the rotor and warping it.
get the new calipers changed, put the brand new rotors and you should be fine.


PS. you are not supposed to turn rotors more than ones anyway. they get very thing.