# Brake Rotor Upgrade



## brownsr4 (May 19, 2010)

Upgraded my brake rotors and pads on the F350 last week. Powerslot rotors and StopTech street race pads. Not really needed in Fl, but since I'm the sales rep for this line I had to have them on my truck. They will definitely help get over the mountains on the trip to the Outback factory next summer.


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## cdnbayside (Jul 16, 2009)

brownsr4 said:


> Upgraded my brake rotors and pads on the F350 last week. Powerslot rotors and StopTech street race pads. Not really needed in Fl, but since I'm the sales rep for this line I had to have them on my truck. They will definitely help get over the mountains on the trip to the Outback factory next summer.


I have Powerslot Cryo Rotors and Hawk LTS brake pads on my truck. They are a huge improvement over the stock rotors and pads. Much improved braking and very minimal brake dust.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Looks nice. Street race pads? Not sure if you'd be competitive in the parking lot events, but maybe in the Rallycross circuts?!


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## brownsr4 (May 19, 2010)

cdnbayside said:


> Upgraded my brake rotors and pads on the F350 last week. Powerslot rotors and StopTech street race pads. Not really needed in Fl, but since I'm the sales rep for this line I had to have them on my truck. They will definitely help get over the mountains on the trip to the Outback factory next summer.


I have Powerslot Cryo Rotors and Hawk LTS brake pads on my truck. They are a huge improvement over the stock rotors and pads. Much improved braking and very minimal brake dust.
[/quote]

Did you buy those rotors online or locally?

I did not go with the Cryo as my driving on the FL flat lands did not warrant it.

The new StopTech pads I put on are very similar to the Hawk LTS pads. The Stoptech pads just came available a few months ago.

Nathan, I95 down here is a racetrack, 10 MPH over the speed limit is slow.


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## cdnbayside (Jul 16, 2009)

I bought the rotors and pads online from TireRack.com. All were in stock. They shipped UPS Ground from Indiana to our house and were here in two days. I had a local mechanic do the install. I went with the cryo to help prevent warping and winter salt covered road corrosion. We recently completed a 2400 mile vacation towing our Outback through the PA and WV mountains to the Outer Banks in NC. The brakes performed very well. No fade, no shaking, no dust and very powerful braking. I also have a Prodigy brake controller and the brakes on the Outback are very good.


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## brownsr4 (May 19, 2010)

cdnbayside said:


> I bought the rotors and pads online from TireRack.com. All were in stock. They shipped UPS Ground from Indiana to our house and were here in two days. I had a local mechanic do the install. I went with the cryo to help prevent warping and winter salt covered road corrosion. We recently completed a 2400 mile vacation towing our Outback through the PA and WV mountains to the Outer Banks in NC. The brakes performed very well. No fade, no shaking, no dust and very powerful braking. I also have a Prodigy brake controller and the brakes on the Outback are very good.


Those rotors will last the life of the truck.

Although it would take extreme conditions to warp them it is possible.

Keep this in mind, if you ever have to brake really hard to a complete stop and then have to sit in that spot for more than 10 seconds, put the truck in nuetral and take your foot off the brake pedal.

What happens most of the time is when you heat the pads up really hot and stay on them at a stop a little extra pad material deposits itself on the rotor causing the pedal pulsation. You don't actually warp the rotor itself just the surface of the rotor, thats why cutting the rotors removes the pulsation everytime.

If you need brake parts again for any other vehicle just PM me and I will get you taken care of.

Shane


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

brownsr4 said:


> If you need brake parts again for any other vehicle just PM me and I will get you taken care of.
> 
> Shane


Are you in the business?


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## newbie_outbacker (Aug 24, 2004)

brownsr4 said:


> I bought the rotors and pads online from TireRack.com. All were in stock. They shipped UPS Ground from Indiana to our house and were here in two days. I had a local mechanic do the install. I went with the cryo to help prevent warping and winter salt covered road corrosion. We recently completed a 2400 mile vacation towing our Outback through the PA and WV mountains to the Outer Banks in NC. The brakes performed very well. No fade, no shaking, no dust and very powerful braking. I also have a Prodigy brake controller and the brakes on the Outback are very good.


Those rotors will last the life of the truck.

Although it would take extreme conditions to warp them it is possible.

Keep this in mind, if you ever have to brake really hard to a complete stop and then have to sit in that spot for more than 10 seconds, put the truck in nuetral and take your foot off the brake pedal.

What happens most of the time is when you heat the pads up really hot and stay on them at a stop a little extra pad material deposits itself on the rotor causing the pedal pulsation. You don't actually warp the rotor itself just the surface of the rotor, thats why cutting the rotors removes the pulsation everytime.

If you need brake parts again for any other vehicle just PM me and I will get you taken care of.

Shane
[/quote]

Shane,
I've got a 2005 Yukon XL 2500 4X4 with the 8.1L engine. I've had the brakes checked a couple of times in it's 55K miles and have been told that all is good and I'm at about 10% usage up front. But if I get in some heavy braking (mountain grades) that front end just shakes like hell (and scares the hell out of me). My last trip (2500 round trip up into Yellowstone) I babied the brakes the whole trip by using lower gears for the descents. I would much rather use up the brakes than the tranny..... any ideas for me? It happens both towing and with no load... Thanks.

Alan


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

newbie_outbacker said:


> I would much rather use up the brakes than the tranny


For what it's worth, I think a lot of semi drivers would tell you your thinking is exactly backwards.

And I've been told that even the stock rotors on these trucks would be nearly impossible to warp. That doesn't rule out a messed up caliper or some kind of deposit like was mentioned above. Have you ever had them turned? (If the 3/4 ton trucks still require a major operation to remove the rotors, there are shops that can turn them on the vehicle.)


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

BoaterDan said:


> I would much rather use up the brakes than the tranny


For what it's worth, I think a lot of semi drivers would tell you your thinking is exactly backwards.

.....
[/quote]
x2 there









Getting the tranny to downshift and riding the gears down shouldn't hurt anything anyway. Frequent shifts are the real killer for a trans. I'm not familiar with the Burb trans, but if you downshift into 3rd or 2nd, won't it hold there and let you use engine compression to limit speed? Save the brakes for when you really need them.


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## newbie_outbacker (Aug 24, 2004)

Nathan said:


> I would much rather use up the brakes than the tranny


For what it's worth, I think a lot of semi drivers would tell you your thinking is exactly backwards.

.....
[/quote]
x2 there









Getting the tranny to downshift and riding the gears down shouldn't hurt anything anyway. Frequent shifts are the real killer for a trans. I'm not familiar with the Burb trans, but if you downshift into 3rd or 2nd, won't it hold there and let you use engine compression to limit speed? Save the brakes for when you really need them.








[/quote]

I understand what you guys are saying. Yes the tranny will hold, but it's my understanding that this type of usage is unhealthy for an automatic transmission and will severely shorten it's life. And I follow 50K tranny fluid changes. Perhaps I should up that to 25K. I'll also look into having the rotors turned, but wouldn't the warpage be evident in a visual inspection? Please keep the input coming. THANKS!!!


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

newbie_outbacker said:


> I understand what you guys are saying. Yes the tranny will hold, but it's my understanding that this type of usage is unhealthy for an automatic transmission and will severely shorten it's life. And I follow 50K tranny fluid changes. Perhaps I should up that to 25K. I'll also look into having the rotors turned, but wouldn't the warpage be evident in a visual inspection? Please keep the input coming. THANKS!!!


Hmm, I think I need to make some inquiries next week......


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

Nathan said:


> I understand what you guys are saying. Yes the tranny will hold, but it's my understanding that this type of usage is unhealthy for an automatic transmission and will severely shorten it's life. And I follow 50K tranny fluid changes. Perhaps I should up that to 25K. I'll also look into having the rotors turned, but wouldn't the warpage be evident in a visual inspection? Please keep the input coming. THANKS!!!


Hmm, I think I need to make some inquiries next week......
[/quote]

Wasn't it Gary that used to always preach using the tranny? Where's he been lately?


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## brownsr4 (May 19, 2010)

BoaterDan said:


> If you need brake parts again for any other vehicle just PM me and I will get you taken care of.
> 
> Shane


Are you in the business?
[/quote]

Yes I have been in the business for 15 years.

Covering mostly s. Florida. I host brake training clinics for mechanics as part of my job.


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## brownsr4 (May 19, 2010)

Alan, you cannot see warpage via a visual inspection, regardless that pulsation tells everything. I suggest getting those rotors inspected by a trusted shop. They should be well within specs and a cut will get rid of the pulsation. You will need new pads only.

If the pulsation returns sooner then you think it should then u should upgrade the rotors. Unless the upgraded rotor are in your budget now.

I can get you some prices later this week as I'm on vacation in the Florida keys with the OB.

Hope this helps. Shane


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## newbie_outbacker (Aug 24, 2004)

brownsr4 said:


> Alan, you cannot see warpage via a visual inspection, regardless that pulsation tells everything. I suggest getting those rotors inspected by a trusted shop. They should be well within specs and a cut will get rid of the pulsation. You will need new pads only.
> 
> If the pulsation returns sooner then you think it should then u should upgrade the rotors. Unless the upgraded rotor are in your budget now.
> 
> ...


Thanks Shane. I appreciate the input. I have no heavy driving to do anytime soon, so I'll wait to hear what you think my pricing should be. While I wait, I'll look intop finding a Trusted shop.... Ha Ha Ha. Enjoy the vacation.
Alan


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

newbie_outbacker said:


> Thanks Shane. I appreciate the input. I have no heavy driving to do anytime soon, so I'll wait to hear what you think my pricing should be. While I wait, I'll look intop finding a Trusted shop.... Ha Ha Ha. Enjoy the vacation.
> Alan


Good luck. Most brake shops seem to all run on the same philosophy in my experience...

any problem requires new rotors and calipers at a minimum.


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