Brake Upgrades

Brake Upgrades

Stopping fast is more important than going fast!

For the basic upgrade, I've put together a few parts that will improve the car's stopping power. For a street driver, the Porterfield Carbon/Kevlar R-4S brake pads will bite much harder than OEM while not creating as much dust or going through as many rotors as their race bred big brothers, the R-4E's. The Technafit Stainless Steel Brake Lines will help keep firm peddle feel under braking while the Valvoline SynPower Brake Fluid will better resist boiling under repeated hard braking.

First, I put the car on stands and took the tires off. I used an oil pan to catch the brake fluid as I removed the lines. Be sure to wear gloves as the fluid is nasty on skin. Keeping the cap on your master cylinder will prevent a rush of fluid from pouring out. Normally you wouldn't need to remove the lines, but as I am replacing them it will make it easier for me to deal with the calipers.

The Technafit Stainless Steel Brake Lines took a bit of time getting in. The clips needed to be pounded flatter in order to hold them to the body of the car. Once in though, they fit securely. No worries about these boys.

The front lines have three points of contact. One in the middle causes the line to snake up over then down through the clip on the strut housing. Make sure you have things lined up right before clipping the line in at the top.

Once the lines are in, finish taking off all the rotors and calipers. The rear rotors were a pain as the rust had them welded on. To get them off I used a bolt that fit in that threaded hole used for the very purpose. Tighten the bolt and it forces the rotor off. Make sure you keep track of where everything goes...

Some say that you don't have to turn your rotors with new pads, but I am a firm believer in getting them turned. Fresh pads need a fresh rotor surface. $12 a piece at the local car shop. Not too much money to insure a good fit.

Here are the new Porterfield Carbon/Kevlar R-4S brake pads on the right with the stock pads on the left. Simply move the clips over to the new pad and they are ready for install!

Notice how much meat there is left on the old pads. I put over 35k miles on them and could have gotten another 30k easy. Ah well, the new pads stop much better.

The front rotors finished with new lines, pads, and a fresh turn on the rotors.

The rear brakes turned out great too. The drum, used for the emergency brake, didn't need new shoes or to be resurfaced. After a couple of stops forward and back to set the new pads, we are finally ready to STOP!
NOTE: The Porterfield brake pads were replaced with ceramic pads and fresh rotors up front at 96,500 miles. The stainless steel brake lines remain as they are still in great shape. Stock lines will also be sold with the car. (9/23/2009)

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K r o n d o r

Copyright (c) 2005 Krondor's World. All rights reserved.
All other trademarks shown are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
Revised: Wednesday, September 23, 2009.

Brake Upgrades

Stopping fast is more important than going fast!

	For the basic upgrade, I've put together a few parts that will improve the car's stopping power. For a street driver, the Porterfield Carbon/Kevlar R-4S brake pads will bite much harder than OEM while not creating as much dust or going through as many rotors as their race bred big brothers, the R-4E's. The Technafit Stainless Steel Brake Lines will help keep firm peddle feel under braking while the Valvoline SynPower Brake Fluid will better resist boiling under repeated hard braking.

	First, I put the car on stands and took the tires off. I used an oil pan to catch the brake fluid as I removed the lines. Be sure to wear gloves as the fluid is nasty on skin. Keeping the cap on your master cylinder will prevent a rush of fluid from pouring out. Normally you wouldn't need to remove the lines, but as I am replacing them it will make it easier for me to deal with the calipers.

	The Technafit Stainless Steel Brake Lines took a bit of time getting in. The clips needed to be pounded flatter in order to hold them to the body of the car. Once in though, they fit securely. No worries about these boys.

	The front lines have three points of contact. One in the middle causes the line to snake up over then down through the clip on the strut housing. Make sure you have things lined up right before clipping the line in at the top.

	Once the lines are in, finish taking off all the rotors and calipers. The rear rotors were a pain as the rust had them welded on. To get them off I used a bolt that fit in that threaded hole used for the very purpose. Tighten the bolt and it forces the rotor off. Make sure you keep track of where everything goes...

	Some say that you don't have to turn your rotors with new pads, but I am a firm believer in getting them turned. Fresh pads need a fresh rotor surface. $12 a piece at the local car shop. Not too much money to insure a good fit.

	Here are the new Porterfield Carbon/Kevlar R-4S brake pads on the right with the stock pads on the left. Simply move the clips over to the new pad and they are ready for install! Notice how much meat there is left on the old pads. I put over 35k miles on them and could have gotten another 30k easy. Ah well, the new pads stop much better.

	The front rotors finished with new lines, pads, and a fresh turn on the rotors.

	The rear brakes turned out great too. The drum, used for the emergency brake, didn't need new shoes or to be resurfaced. After a couple of stops forward and back to set the new pads, we are finally ready to STOP! NOTE: The Porterfield brake pads were replaced with ceramic pads and fresh rotors up front at 96,500 miles. The stainless steel brake lines remain as they are still in great shape. Stock lines will also be sold with the car. (9/23/2009)




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K r o n d o r Copyright (c) 2005 Krondor's World. All rights reserved. All other trademarks shown are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Revised: Wednesday, September 23, 2009.