Brembo Blanks??

[n00b240]

Hello all,

Im coming back to America next week, and Im beginning to piece together a z32 brake upgrade for my car. Havent driven it in 2 years...hope its not dead when I get to it. Im missing the Caribbean already, and I havent even left.

Im looking heavy into brembo blank rotors. However, there seems to be a dearth of info regarding these rotors. Things like why brembo blanks? What makes them special? Why do autocrossers enjoy blanks with the hawk pads? Some talk of the blanks warping is floating around out there...Talk of treating them with cryotreatment so they last longer.

Any help with such questions would be great. I plan to get back into autocrossing and road racing at the first chance I get. Thanks in advance, and maybe someday soon, I'll meet ya'll at the track.

[n00b240]

Found what I was looking for by switching to post bodies, instead of topic titles only. Sorry bout that fellas. Will give the review once im all done. I'll post what I found in a few days for the next noobs search to help them. Gonna pool it all together into one post.

What I found:Brembo Blanks, rotor of choice for heavy duty auto-x or road racing. The slotted and or drilled rotors, just act as a cheese grater on the pads.Cryotreat, If not treated the brembo blanks will rust just like OEM. Works the same, just looks like ****

Lots say to just stick with the stock calipers and upgrade the pads. I believe my stock brakes arent enough, realized that at my last auto-x before leaving the US. Will upgrade the brake fluid, ss lines, z32 mc. Big up to sr20goofus, hannibal, red coupe

Best overall thread:zerothread?id=217536
Modified by n00b240 at 7:18 AM 5/5/2007

[RedSVTFlareside]

brembo rotor blanks are nothing more than factory replacement rotors. Which...are fine. Getting slotted or drilled rotors has benefits and drawbacks. Drilled rotors have a higher tendency to crack as the holes are stress risers. They have less pad surface to grip against, but they do have more surface area due to the holes so they will cool better. Slotted rotors aren't as susceptible to cracking. Both designs help keep the pad surface clean and free of gases or debris.

Cryogenically treated rotors are great though. Cryogenically treating brake rotors is believed to reduce the internal residual stresses caused in the casting process. It can align grain structures and change remaining austenite structures into martensite. Cryogenically treating or tempering can dramatically change the material's resistance to abrasion, wear and deformation caused by residual stresses when material is removed.

Get the factory replacements or cryotreated. If you really want the drilled rotors then get rotors with holes that have been cast into the rotor instead of drilled. They will withstand stresscracking much better.

[crackler]

If you think your brakes arn't good enough, you probably haven't ran a high grip track pad.I had the stock brakes on my 240 with Carbotech XP-9's(panther Plus) and motul RBF600. I was about the only person that could drive it w/o severe lock up under threshold breaking. They were WAAAAAY to much pad. But they loved heat!

Get some good break flui, motul RBF600 or True blue(I forget who makes it) and get some good pads. I had hawk HPS, I didn't care for them much. The Carbotech brakes are awsome, and everyone whom I've talked to that use's them swear by them. Hawk blue's and HP+ are both supposed to be good pads.

The one thing you have to watch with some of the higher end pads are there cold stopping power and tendency to chew rotors up. I have heard mixed things about the blue's, the HP+ are supposed to be rotor friendly, but they are corrosive. Depending on which carbotech you get, they go from normal street pads to full on track pads. I had the XP9's, LOUD as hell, super high intiall bite and dusty as hell, but they STOPPED, even cold. They also didn't seem to be too hard on rotor's either. their XP-10's, from what I hear chew up rotors fast, and the Bobcats(XP-8, I think) are a street/autoX pad . but the carbotechs are non-corrosive. I THINK they are ceramic pads but I can't remember 100% for sure.

I just put a set of Brembo blanks on my miata. I have 100% faith in Brembo's products, just depends on what you plan to do with them. If you track a lot and get a track pad, you might want to look into doing some brake ducting. If you just street / AutoX, it probably won't be necessary.

I have no experience with cryotreating. From what I have heard it is half a doze to one 12 to the other.

Just my .02


Modified by cracker at 8:20 PM 5/8/2007

[RedSVTFlareside]

I prefer EBC green stuff or Hawk HPS for the street or autoX. For the track, its going to be nothing but hawk HT-10 or equalivant from now on. I am overheating the HPS and HP+ pads.

Fluid is also important. I am still cheap and use the discount auto store's generic DOT 4 fluid. I need to start using the super blue or motul or something with a higher dry boiling point and flush more often.

[crackler]

I prefer EBC green stuff or Hawk HPS for the street or autoX. For the track, its going to be nothing but hawk HT-10 or equalivant from now on. I am overheating the HPS and HP+ pads.

Fluid is also important. I am still cheap and use the discount auto store's generic DOT 4 fluid. I need to start using the super blue or motul or something with a higher dry boiling point and flush more often.

I have a few racer friends that won't touch anything made by EBC with a 10' pole, not sure why, but I never hear any one speak highly of their products.



I didn't care for the Hawk HPS, I didn't notice much difference over stock with them. But I know lots of people that speak highly of the HP+, and Blues, their only complaints are corrosive dust (and rotor life on the blues). BTW, HPS aren't meant for track use, I almost found that one out the hard way. Nothing like a little pad fade to make ye' olde butt pucker up. I'm kind of surprised you are over heating the HP+'s I though they're a track pad? I know of at least one mustang owner that runs them on his car for track days, but he also runs brake ducting. Maybe you could see some benefits from some as well.

I think most HPDE's recommend a new fluid every year. True blue is about half the pice of Motul, and is less Hydroscopic (or so I've been told), but it has a lower dry boiling point. You should also replace the fluid if you boil it.

You might also check out Carbotech brake Pad/s a lot of Spec Miata as well as track junkies in general run Carbotech pads I loved the ones I had on my 240, every one else thought they induced too much front brake bias, but I was used to it, and drove around it. When I upgrade the pads on my miata, thats what I am going to. They are expensive (I paid 110 for a set of front track pads), but IMO they are worth it. http://www.ctbrakes.com/about.html
Modified by cracker at 9:01 PM 5/9/2007

[n00b240]

Hell yeah, thanks for all of this great info guys. I think that running those carbotech XP-8's will do me good for street/auto-x for now, gonna talk to a few of my auto-x friends I havent talked to seriously in a coupla years

Its great to be back in texas, although now im in dallas, id definitely prefer to be in austin. I definitely appreciate all the info yall provided. After trying this setup, Im sure I'll be happy not to have wasted any cash on z32 calipers/blanks etc

Good reviews Ive read on the carbotechs, I'll be looking to pick up some fronts. Will I need rears? Just lookin for more info on the bobcats vs the xp8's its a 20 dollar difference on the fronts. True Blue brake fluid to couple that.

Thanks again for the replies. Good info

[crackler]

I ran the panther plus on the front, with Hawk HPS on the rear. I had WAY to much front brake. A few people drove my car and said the bias was way off(one was an EVO instructor). Assuming there was nothing wrong with my braking system (I am pretty sure it was fine), you might try running a slightly higher friction compound in the rear to balance the brakes out. I never had a chance to try this. I have seen a lot of Miata drivers that do this. They will run high grip pads in the rear, and POS parts store pads in front to keep the fronts form locking up faster than the rear (They would drive to the line with the parking brake on to get some heat in the rears built up). I haven't seen anyone mention doing this on an S-chassis, but it might be worth a try. Unless you are tracking it, then I would get some full track pads for at least the fronts.I would think Bobcats all the way around would probably be fine. I'm not familiar with the other ones you mentioned, but just keep the brake balance in mind if you go supper aggressive on the fronts.Just my .02 Glad to help and share some knowledge.

EDIT: one person ran the car with Hawks all the way around on it and said it was still too front biased. FYI (He was the evo instructor, te other guy ran it on the panthers, and thought I had ABS, Woops, did I forget to mention it didn't have ABS???)
Modified by cracker at 11:06 PM 5/11/2007

[hannibal]

RedSVT, youre the first person Ive ever heard say something positive about EBC pads.

Does cyrotreating really prevent rust? I thought zinc coating (or some other coating) was the best way to prevent rust.

NopiOnline.com has great prices on Brembo blanks. And theyre now a NICO sponsor...

n00b, I dont have much experience with brake setups. I just put together a bunch of info I found on NICO. BTW, are you in Jamaica??

[crackler]

Does cyrotreating really prevent rust? I thought zinc coating (or some other coating) was the best way to prevent rust.

The was I understand it, Cyrotreating to help the rotors last longer under harsh conditions while Zinc coating is to help with rust issues.

AHH HAH!!! PROOF!

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes...ode=S

Long Lasting, Warp Resistant Brake Rotors

Power Slot has teamed up with Frozen Rotors to develop Power Slot Cryo cryogenically treated slotted rotors. Although not apparent to the naked eye, rotors treated cryogenically show significant improvements. Deep cryogenic processing creates dramatic increases in abrasive wear resistance and durability while also reducing residual stresses for an extra level of protection against warping

Serious drivers -- those who tend to cross the finish line first -- take their edge where they can find it. And a growing number of them have embraced the edge that they've found in cryogenically treated brake rotors. Here's why:

* Rotors resist cracking, warping and fading. * Rotors last 2-3 times longer. Fewer pads and rotors are needed. * Rotors stop consistently and predictably, lap after lap.

[n00b240]

Thanks for the heads up there. Dont think I'll be cryotreating just yet, Id like to see the difference first once I get these pads. And learn to appreciate the differences. I havent gotten a chance to see the condition of my rotors. But nopi online has great prices.

Nope Im not in jamaica but I was in St. Kitts for 2 years, Ive just come back this week. Funny you ask if Im in Jamaica, I know a guy who is in Jamaica right now who was in Atlanta for a bit

what made you ask if Im in Jamaica?

[hannibal]

Nope Im not in jamaica but I was in St. Kitts for 2 years, Ive just come back this week. Funny you ask if Im in Jamaica, I know a guy who is in Jamaica right now who was in Atlanta for a bit

what made you ask if Im in Jamaica?

Just cause you said 'big up'. haha

Anyway, welcome home. I dont think I coud leave St Kitts though...

cracker, thanks for the link about zinc coating!

[nismoautoxr]

I daily drive my car and do 6 or so track days a year and hawk hp+ pads have been great for me .Ive got 4 track days and 9 autoxs on this set Im running and I cant say enough good things about them.The way they are lasting I will probably get 4 more track days and the remainder of the autox season out of them.I use BG dot 4 fluid and most clubs that put on hpde events recomend fluid changes before every event .I flush before every 2 day event ,but ,thats just me ...Mr safer than sorry.