Nova_Dust

My car is in Honda for service (to check water leakage) and since I have a free oil change coupon, I might as well use it.

So as the routine check up, they told me you need to change this and that and blah blah blah….. last time they told me my break pads have 50% or less life on them, this time, they told me the pads have only 15% left. They told me the break fluid is dirty and needs to be flushed. I was contemplating on whether I should go ahead to change or upgrade the whole thing.

My car has driven 81000km in about 38 months by the way.

My question is that as long as there are no high pitch noise sound when breaking, the rotor should be fine right? So I don’t need to change the rotors correct? But, if I wish to upgrade to better rotors, better calibre and better pads, which brand would be the most recommended? I have read some archives and some said SIR or ITR stuff. I mean, Spoon, Endless and Zeal are nice stuff, but they are probably out of my leagues… I think they cost like what, 2 to 3G?

My budget on changing the 2 rotors, 2 calibre and 2 pads are 1G, give or take. Can anyone suggest good aftermarket stuff for around that price? I visited fastbreaks.com but I just don’t understand some of the terminology…

Thanks

imported_toyman29

as for the brake pads.. u can just look at them yourself and judge how much life is left..

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

2-3Gs may get you an Endless sticker, not their brake set

LOL

Fastbrakes is nice, but only if you have big calipers already. I recommend you decide if you want eyeball popping stoppers, or just good stoppers, or maybe you think your stock ones are good?

Bear and Wilwood make nice kits, as does the Stainless Steel Brake Company. Fastbrakes basically only gives you mounting plates and redrilled rotors for $650USD. That's a rip! AEM is a sham too. I'd spend an extra $1000 and for $2000 do the entire Type R 5 lug conversion while you are at it, since you have a hatch. If you are like me, then do SiR swap to all 4 wheels in anticipation of Wilwood brakes or something of the sort. See, they don't make 12" kits for LX and DX cars, but they do for the SiR... so I figured make the move to that first, and use it for 2-3 years, then step up to the 12", 4 pot brakes.

Nova_Dust

Bruno, I guess I don't need eye popping break system. I don't really tail gate other people and I think I just want a reasonable break system. Honda OEM breaks are nice, I guess that's why they can last this long.

I know the 5 lug conversion thingy, but what parts do you need to do it? And for 2G, is that for only 2 front breaks or for all 4 breaks?

**** that means I need 4 new tires lol. I don't think I can cough up that much of money at once.

So you are suggesting 2 things here, ITR 5 lug or SIR swap? How many lugs does SIR have? 4?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

SiR swap and Type R swap are both just as involved, except one costs $600 and is the same bolt pattern, and the other is a 5 lug and $2000 gets you 4 brakes, suspension, and 4 new Type R rims in white too IMO, Type R is the way to go since you get rims included in the price for $2000. Problem is... gotta find it.

BTW, at 107K my car had original pads with like 50% meat left, and I was on my third set of rotors. For some reason my rotors love to warp, but the pads show that I'm not hard on brakes, plus I service them every 20K kms. I dont' get it I say dish out the money for the Type R. See I dished out $600 now plus I bought a new set of rims (cuz I wanted to, not cuz I had to), so that was $2000 right there. I could have had type r stuff...

Nova_Dust

So, $2000 for 4 ITR disc breaks (rotor, calibre, pad), plus suspension (all 4 springs and struts?) and 4 rims + tires? We are talking used parts right? And is labour inclulded in that 2G?

Nova_Dust

Wait, are we talking ITR or EP CTR here?

Nova_Dust

I called a local Acura for some parts information, and this is what I got:

4x 15" ITR rims with centre cap (no tires) - 2200.40
Cap assy - 225.12 (I don't know what that is)
Arm comp R RR TRA + Arm comp L RR TRA - 649.84
2x BRG Assy. RR Hub U - 414.68
2x Disk breaks - 303.92
2x Rear caliper sub. - 562.36
2x Front break disk (15") - 220.80
2x Hub assy - 369.04
2x Caliper sub-assy - 433.82
2x Set RR break hose - 79.52

Total is $5459.50. Not including labour, tires, some other misc. parts, GST and PST.

I know someone who knows this guy who works at that Acura and can get good deal on parts, like we are talking big time saving. Bruno, where can you find all these things you mentioned for $2000? Like in classified and stuff?

imported_My Blue Si

Yea your nuts even asking for a quote at an Acura dealer.
Look around for someone selling a complete type r suspension kit but it's hard to find a setup like this for sale. I haven't seen one for sale in months. If you wan't in a couple of weeks I may be able to get you a complete 2000 GSR suspension setup, front and back.

imported_Cablerat

Lol $5000+ for brake parts.. that's what you get for calling the dealer..

Just get stock honda stuff.. Really invest the money in something else. New Stock brakes are pretty damn good..

First of all check if you need to replace your rotors.. are they rough? if their nice and smooth then no need to change them.. Check their thickness, less than 8mm per disc means they gotta go bigtime. If their thick, get them machined.. $25 per rotor i think at most places. Otherwise get stock rotors, $80 I think for both.

Check calipers for condition.. Is the piston seized? are the slider pins seized? If the piston is seized then your better off changing the calipre.. If the slider pins are seized just get them pulled out and re-grease them. They'll be good for a long time after that.

Get OEM honda pads and your done..

I understand brakes are important but you really won't notice much difference with what I told u to do above.. For like $200 you'd have mint LIKE NEW brakes.. use the other 1800 or Rims..

What car do you have anywayz..?

Nova_Dust

The reason why I called Acura because I know the parts Bruno mention sounds too cheap to be new parts. So I just want to get a ball park figure as to how much we are talking here. And I know those are marked up prices and I am pretty sure I can get the factory price (the employee price).

I drive a 2000 H/B.

As for break wears and pistons and rotors and this and that, I am clueless. I don't want a super duper breaking system cause it is not like I am driving Formula 1 here, but when you gotta replace the pads, you gotta replace the pads. And I am just wondering if it would be worth the effort to spend a few more bucks and upgrade the system, or just leave it the way it is.

Another thing is, why do you need suspension when upgrade break system? Are we talking springs and struts or what?

imported_Cablerat

Then don't bother with all that other crap.. just do normal brake job and your set.. to upgrade brakes properly is more than a few bucks as you've already learnt!

Bigger brakes, rims, are heavier so your suspension may feel a little worse.. but i don't think it's necessary. I may be completely off on this, I don't do suspension work much.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

All I do 90% of the time is susp work. Used setups come up every once in a while. Like every 3 months or so. Worth the wait. There was one with white wheels I wanted to buy, but white rims on my silver car would have looked pure ***. It was $2000 complete. Even GSR from MBSi would be great for you. No, this does not include labour... I do it myself, so I have not a clue what they charge for that kind of work. It's a lot of work too!

And yes, these are used parts.

Nova_Dust

I guess for now, I will just get new pads and new break fluid. As long as the car stops, that's all I care.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

I doubt that you need new pads... dude, a brake job is something you can totally do yourself. It is SO easy.... Even the brake fluid flush... that's fun too, but you need an extra person.

imported_Torrey

Just use a turkey baster (sp?).

I do that when I'm too lazy to purge the line manually.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

that works, but you wanna flush the lines too... and get all the air out

Nova_Dust

Bruno, Honda service told me my pads are down to 15%... I don't know but I haven't changed break system for 81000. I am planning on doing it myself, just read the Hynes book and buy the OEM pads from Honda.

As for break fluid, should I buy the fluid they use at Honda? Or from Can Tire? or?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

Yes, use Honda's fluid... I use Honda everything. well, that's a lie... I use Ford SVT fluid cuz it has a higher boiling pt... but for you Honda everything would be great. Remember, you need: Permatex anti-seize, Permatex disc brake quiet (both from Walmart or C/T), and Honda pads (inspect your guide pins and release springs for damage)... Lube those clips where the pad tabs (the ones on the outer edge) slide into... you'll see.... they are separate from the caliper. Just apply anit-seize to that in moderate quantity. This makes sure the pad does not drag on the brake. Remember you will need a little bit of arm strength to push to piston back into the caliper so you can slide the new pads over the rotor. Then, follow the bleeding procedure for the brakes as described in the Chilton/Haynes manual. Remember the brake fluid is supposed to be like a light **** color (like after a night of drinking), not a brownish murky color.

Nova_Dust

mmm.... that scares me already.... that sounds like tons of work lol.

God I am going nuts.... I think what I will do is buy the Honda break fluid and break pads, take them to the garage that I know of, watch him do everything once so next time I know how to do it myself.

But before I do that, I will read the Haynes book once again and take out the wheels and try it first.