Performance Brakes, Pads, Rotors

Good brakes are a big part of what makes a car safer, beyond crumple zones and driver assistance tech. And as crucial safety components, brake parts deserve a fair amount of attention. To slow your vehicle and bring it to a halt, brake pads are pressed against the rotors, and in some cars, brake shoes are forced against the drums. The friction produced in the process helps stop the wheels from spinning. If it’s time to replace those typical wear items, or you need more powerful brakes, we’ve got you covered.

New Pads Can Make a Huge Difference

Every time you hit the brake pedal, a minuscule amount of pad friction material is shaved off. As the material becomes thinner, brake pads become less effective at creating friction and bringing your vehicle to a stop reliably. Don’t wait until severely worn friction lining puts you in danger. Replace those worn pads with a fresh set and you’ll feel your car stops like new again. We have a vast selection of replacement pads designed to restore original braking power.

If you are planning on improving your vehicle’s brakes, upgrading its pads alone can bring a noticeable increase in stopping power. Your choice depends on the application. There are different material formulations that help stop better in daily driving situations and on periodic track days, slow down a purpose-built race car on the track, or bring a heavily laden truck to a halt. Although there are variations, the compounds basically fall into three groups:

• Non-asbestos organic (NAO). Most OE pads are made from these compounds. They contain soft organic materials like carbon, fiberglass, aramid fibers, rubber, etc., which means these pads are rotor-friendly and produce low amounts of dust and noise. But they have a shorter service life than other types and aren’t generally good at handling extremely high temperatures.
• Semi-metallic. These formulations are designed for extreme use and high-temperature applications. They are great for sports cars, heavy towing, off-roading, work trucks, etc. A high metal content (up to 70 percent) improves their performance in high-temp conditions and improves fade resistance – they are good at getting rid of heat. On the flip side, semi-metallic pads are aggressive on the rotors and create more dust than other varieties.
• Ceramic. These compounds add ceramic and copper fibers to the organic material formulation. This increases heat resistance and longevity over organic linings while keeping the pads quiet and dust-free. Ceramic pads are an upgrade option for passenger cars, SUVs, and light-duty trucks that see street duty and don’t regularly encounter high brake temperature environments. More metal added to ceramic compounds, though, improves heat resistance.

The Right Rotors for Your Application

In a disc brake system, rotors serve as the friction surface for the pads to press against when brakes are applied. Brake rotors get thinner with use and should be replaced before they wear beyond minimum thickness, which is engraved on the center of the rotor or its sides. Another issue is lateral runout and disc thickness variation (DTV), which can be the reason for car brakes shaking: “When the thicker section of the disc passes between the pads, the pads will move apart and the brake pedal will raise slightly; this is pedal pulsation.” A rotor with noticeable thickness variation is often called “warped,” but the culprit behind this is commonly a layer of pad material on the disc surface. Other causes for an uneven disc surface include a steering geometry problem and the incorrect installation of rotors or other components.

Along with OEM-grade brake pads and rotors, we carry a plethora of performance-oriented options for applications where temperatures tend to increase dramatically, whether it’s because of stop-and-go city traffic, spirited driving, hauling loads, towing, or going off-road. One of the ways to increase cooling is with upsized rotors that can handle bigger amounts of heat. The best choice is to get them in our big brake kits that include perfectly matched parts. Just make sure your wheels offer enough clearance for them. When it comes to friction surfaces, discs come in different designs:

• Plain rotors are installed on most cars from the factory. They are fine for most braking scenarios including many performance applications.
• Cross drilled rotors run cooler and the holes help vent out hot pad gasses. And they look amazing behind the spokes of alloy wheels, too! The combination of show and go makes them well-suited for stunning-looking high-performance cars meant to offer improved braking power for city & highway driving. But because of the risk of stress cracking, drilled discs aren’t rated for professional motorsports use.
• Slotted rotors are the preferred choice of serious track racers. They increase stopping power through better bite: the grooves help remove unwanted gas, dust, water, and debris that prevent effective pad-to-rotor contact, without the risk of cracking.
• Drilled and slotted rotors both improve heat transfer and expel gasses and water for better pad contact. Extreme track use is not recommended due to the holes and hence the risk of stress cracking, but heavier vehicles and those used for heavy hauling and towing, where brakes tend to heat up, may benefit from this design.

Clamping Power

Brake calipers provide the mounts for the friction pads and feature internal pistons that force the pads against the rotor in response to the hydraulic pressure of brake fluid. There are two main types of calipers:

• Floating calipers are installed as original equipment on most cars. A floating caliper slides on pins and houses one piston, or sometimes two pistons located on one inward side of its body. What happens when the brake pedal is depressed? The piston moves outward and presses the inboard pad against the rotor, and at the same time, the caliper body slides inward and forces the outboard pad against the disc. This is a tried-and-true design that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which ensures reliable stopping in typical braking situations.
• Fixed calipers are mostly fitted to high-performance vehicles. The caliper housing remains stationary when brakes are engaged. Multiple pistons are located on both sides, which clamp the pads down onto the rotor with equal force applied to each side, with no hydraulic pressure wasted in the process. This provides an ample increase in braking force. It’s common for performance calipers to come with bigger pistons to distribute pressure over a greater area, with the size of pistons increasing front to back for the best contact with the disc. They are also often made from aluminum as opposed to cast iron stock units to keep unsprung mass down and improve heat dissipation.

On the Fluid Side of Things

The heart of the hydraulic brake system is a master cylinder that is responsible for converting the mechanical force created when the driver steps on the pedal into hydraulic pressure. With time and use, its internal rubber seals break down and the piston bore wears out, causing a mushy or sinking pedal. Whether you need to replace a failing part, or you’re planning an upgrade job and are looking for an appropriate master cylinder for your setup, we have a wide selection of products that will provide the necessary hydraulic power while dressing up your engine bay.

When it comes to improving braking performance, it’s not only about making your vehicle stop faster, it’s also about ensuring a quick and consistent pedal response. Changing factory rubber brake hoses with stainless steel braided ones will provide a more effective transfer of pressure. Teflon hoses with steel braid do not expand under pressure and provide a firmer, more responsive feeling to the pedal. Additionally, they are abrasion- and corrosion-resistant.