It looks like new rotors have been pushed up on my priority list. The front left is worn to nothing and the calipers locked up hard.

So I figure since I'm going to need at least 2 new rotors and a caliper anyways, I might as well go with slotted or drilled. I've read some of the other posts on this subject and it seems that drilled rotors tend to crack??? Is this the case even under normal "spirited" driving?

Basically, i want something that will stop better (i.e. not warped) and last for a reasonably long time. Who knows of a place that offers high quality calipers and should I go with slotted or drilled?

 

Damn! $150 each?

 

I wanted to go the same route. Better brakes. However if stock brakes will lock up the wheels (They will... One contributing factor to my wreck.) then better brakes won't help.

Stick with stock brakes, upgrade to stainless steel braided lines and Hawk brake pads. That along with good sticky tires should do ya good.

My brake problem now is that I have half the hardware (Anti rattle springs, shims, etc.) because the DSPO took it to a shoddy mechanic or lost them doing brake work themselves. On top of that, the dust boots on the caliper pistons are brittle and cracking.

I wouldn't trust hydraulic components built by me as I've heard rebuld kits are NEVER as good as remanufactured or new. (But I'm gong to trust an engine built by me. ) So I can either leave them as is, buy loaded calipers, or buy hardware and calipers individually.

I'm going to go with the Hawk pads, so I'm probably going to go with seperate purchases on everything as the new pads in the loaded calipers are going to goto waste.

Can someone tell me if I am being paranoid or if I'm justified in not choosing to rebuild my calipers?

 

You must be right about rebuilt hydrolic components, because I have replaced 3 calipers on my car thus far. This next one will be the 4th.
I don't know if its original or one that I already replaced; I've lost track
Yeah, I think I will go with upgraded break pads (Hawk) for the time being and work on some SS break lines for the future

 

Replace the lines at the same time as the caliper... easier that way.. don't have to bleed twice...

Only about 100 bucks from Rotary Performance ( www.rx7.com )

 

Where can you get slotted rotors?

 

Did you try the usual online retailers(RX-7.com, racing beat, mazdatrix, power slot, summit, nopi)
You may want to look at KVR, got those for my FD...x-drilled and I think might do the same for my FC.
If you have not replaced the brake lines on an FC, you may want to do that at the same time(stainless of course)
Go with a good set of pads too!

 

Slotted or drilled rotors are not worth the money IMO. If you want them for looks then fine go with them, but the stock vented rotors work fine. I would go with soft tires, stock rotors, ss lines, and hawk pads. I read somewhere on the forum about running brake cooler hoses to the front rotors.

 

I dunno about Cincy, and even Columbus doesn't seem to get much snow at all (darn ) but it was always funny to see cross drilled rotors in Cleveland. The holes would quickly rust shut. Then the rust gets in the pads and then the rust scores the rotors and it all turns into a big ugly mess. And cross drilled rotors can't be machined on a lathe, so you pretty much throw them away after only a couple months' use.

 

I've had mine on the street, daily use for over a year now...no cracks, no rustola in th' holas. Debatable whether it was the cross-drilling or the pad change to performance materials that improved the braking BUT it did improve monstrously--the fade was gone forever. Stupid pads are eating the rotors, though. I've got about a "guesstimated" year left on the rotors before I replace 'em. Everyone's screaming about Hawk, so I'll give 'em a shot this time around.

 

What model are those rotors for and where you get em?

 

I bought them from Mazdatrix--brand new rotors--undrilled. I took them to a trusted machinist and told him what I wanted and left it up to him to determine hole size and quantity. He's 2nd generation machinist, so he knows his metallurgy. The fact that I haven't had any problems is probably directly to his wisdom.

 

Oh,yea..it's an '80 GSL-SE SD.... mebbe not...

 

Nothing beats sticky tires for stopping. Having the suspension setup right with health shocks helps too. I the tires aren't holding the road then nothing will help you out other than a paracute.

The modern pads don't create gas like the old pads used to do. So I don't see the point of holes of slots in street cars. Even with spirited driving, how ofter are you experiencing brake fade?

Refering to a GrassRoots Motorsports article, they compared how a Miata perform with stock brakes, and then after a full blown race set up. When the brakes were cold like they are on the street most of the time, the stock setup actually stopped the Miata in a shorter distance than the racing setup. After heating the brakes up on the track, the race setup was more predictable while the stock got a little squirly.

 

Brake fade came after 3 or 4 hard drag downs from 80 MPH to 2 MPH for a 90 deg corner in the old neighborhood. They still haven't finished SH360, so frontage roads are at 55 MPH leading directly into ressie neighborhoods. People always crossed the solid white line to create their own "right hand" turn lane and if they had been tormenting me by doing speeds slower than the speed limit, I would blow by them and hit the entrance that way. Any hard braking, even if only minutes before, would make that irresponsible activity downright hair-raising...