need brake and rotor help!!!!

[r3dbullz90]

Alright guys... this is the first time ive had issues with my brakes and or rotors in my car... im an aggressive driver... i speed up fast and brake hard lol... but when i put on the brakes i get a bad shake in my steering wheel... been told i need new rotors and if i change the rotors then i should go ahead and change the pads as well... what do you guys reccomend? no i dont wanna do a brake upgrade for a grand but i want something on a budget... not saying im cheap but i dont wanna spend over a grand for the brake upgrade from stillen or anywhere else... any help would be appreciated...

[AZhitman]

I'm a big fan of replacing the rotors and pads all at once as well. This way, you can do a REAL brake job, which will include cleaning and re-lubricating the calipers, and making sure your pads are installed perfectly, with anti-squeal and with a properly-prepared chamfered leading edge.

So, here's what I'd recommend - this is a BIG upgrade from stock, without breaking the bank:

You can get SP Performance slotted rotors (stay away from drilled) for about $150 (F) and $150 (R). I'm a HUGE fan of Ferodo DS2500 pads, which will run you about $250 for all four corners. All told, that's about $600 shipped (I have a distributor account).

You can go bare-bones as well, which will basically be the same as your stock stuff:

OE-style and weight standard replacement rotors will run you about $50 (F) and $40 (R). A set of OE-quality replacement semi-metallic pads will run about $40 for all four corners. All told, you'd be looking at around $200 shipped (same deal, through my account).

Sounds like a huge difference, but the first setup will really be a distinct improvement over stock.

[r3dbullz90]

thanks very much for the info!!! Here is what a friend of mine whos big into cars told me to get. let me know what you think.

I know you said to stay away from drilled but i can get a drilled and slotted rotor(in black... matches my wheels lol) with a lifetime cracking and warping warranty from brakeperformance.com for 131 for the front and 104 for the rear. and then to get duralast gold brake pads(lifetime warranty) all around which are about 70 bucks for all 4. another friend of mine told me i should get a cheap rotor and get really good brake pads like hawk hp's or ebc green stuff... idk what to do... ive gotten different stuff from people i trust around here...

What do you think?

[Innovazn]

brakes is something you never cheap out on....

dont do the drilled warranty s***, by the time they break youre in a wall and warranty wont mean s***

cheap rotors will warp and youll be paying for replacements again ANYWAYS considering you drive like a monkey

do what AZHitman said.

[AZhitman]

Here is what a friend of mine whos big into cars told me to get. let me know what you think.

I know you said to stay away from drilled but i can get a drilled and slotted rotor(in black... matches my wheels lol) with a lifetime cracking and warping warranty from brakeperformance.com for 131 for the front and 104 for the rear. and then to get duralast gold brake pads(lifetime warranty) all around which are about 70 bucks for all 4. another friend of mine told me i should get a cheap rotor and get really good brake pads like hawk hp's or ebc green stuff... idk what to do... ive gotten different stuff from people i trust around here...

What do you think?

You asked me what I think, so here goes:

Your friend is dumb... and you can tell him I said so.

Reason #1:
Drilled rotors are a waste of money and have universally been proven to do diddly-squat for a street car. I don't care how "hardcore" you think you drive, you will never, ever, ever see enough benefit from a drilled rotor (which WILL crack prematurely) to make it worth the money (or the additional maintenance).

Reason #2:
"Black rotors"? You realize metal is silver and shiny, right? Any company selling "black" rotors is a joke. It would have to be a coating, and that coating will be worn off the minute your pads make contact with the braking surface. If you want to paint the rotor hat, great. But no one sees it anyway.

Reason #3:
There's no "lifetime warranty against warping and cracking." Someone can't read. There's a 2-year warranty against W & C, and a lifetime warranty against "defects" (which is silly). You also only get ONE warranty return, after that you're S.O.L. You pay the return shipping (which won't be cheap - rotors are heavy). Read the fine print. By the way, that coating isn't covered, and you can't use any kind of cleaner on it, or it will remove the coating... Also silly.

Reason #4:
"duralast gold brake pads"? If you want AutoZone stuff, you'll get AutoZone performance. Better slow down though, because your brakes will be sub-standard.

Your OTHER friend who recommended a regular rotor and good pads, is a little smarter - If you'll see my post, that was what I recommended. However, if EBC or Hawk were "all that," I would have recommended them. In my personal experience, Hawks are overrated. For the same $, I prefer the Ferodo DS2500 (which is used on the Nismo 370Z, and I run on ALL my higher-hp vehicles).

You're probably overthinking it. But, it's good to get all the knowledge you can.

[SanoSuKe]

My friend, don't listen to your friends, please for your safety.

[turbocoupe]

I have got the Stillen drilled front rotors and Hawk HPS pads. I have had no issues with them other than there was a noticeable improvement in breaking with the Hawk pads. I have just got the Stillen drilled rotors for the rear. If I end up in the wall I will let you know.

[skiski329]

what's the difference between the regular slotted vs the diamond slotted? which is better?

[AZhitman]

what's the difference between the regular slotted vs the diamond slotted? which is better?

Regular slotted rotors have a long curved slot that serves two functions - It allows a channel for gases to escape (which, again, is unlikely to be an issue even on a street car that's driven very hard) and it also acts as a "cheese grater" on a VERY small scale, adding additional "bite" and subsequeny removing a miniscule amount of brake pad material on each pass if the pad is clamped with sufficient pressure.

Diamond slotted rotors simply have a dimple, rather than a slot, machined into the rotor face. These are less apt to crack, but the benefits are minimal at best. Again, not much use for a street vehicle aside from cosmetic interest.

[skiski329]

awesome. thanks. I always wanted drilled and slotted but you made some great points. when i'm due for a brake change i'm going to go with just the slotted ones.

[normmynorm]

So, here's what I'd recommend - this is a BIG upgrade from stock, without breaking the bank:

You can get SP Performance slotted rotors (stay away from drilled) for about $150 (F) and $150 (R). I'm a HUGE fan of Ferodo DS2500 pads, which will run you about $250 for all four corners. All told, that's about $600 shipped (I have a distributor account).

You can go bare-bones as well, which will basically be the same as your stock stuff:

Looking to upgrade rotors and pads when it is time to replace the OEM pads. This still a good way to go or do you have any other suggestions? Thanks!

[b.mccorm11]

Hey guys, hopefully no one minds me bringing this topic back up but I could use a little clarification.
I've looked around and found many sites selling the Ferodo DS2500 brake pads, but most say that they will not fit my 2011 Altima Coupe.

My current train of thought is that the DS2500 is a specific brake pad made by Ferodo and not a line of brake pads in which you need to find a set specific for your car. However, on Amazon for example, they have sets of DS2500 brake pads that apparently only fit the Evo 6-9 and have another set for the Evo 10.

I'm still pretty new to upgrading brakes as this is my first performance-oriented car, I've just gone AutoZone in the past, so I'm not very knowledgeable on this just yet. A link to where any of your buy your pads from would be pretty ideal.
Thanks for the help so far!