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Best bang for the buck pads + rotors?


tdaz250

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Looking to spend under 200 bucks...

 

Just bought this car...threw a new clutch in now that i've driven it the rotors are definitely warped...

 

I was thinking just napa rotors(i think i can get all 4 for 120ish) then the next bump up from the lowest for pads that napa has(safety stops)...

 

Never bought brake components before so hopefully people can chime in about which brands are better and last longer...etc.

 

I have heard that cheap pads eat rotors....i'm basically looking for longevity. If its 160ish for the cheapest stuff but i will be changing everything in a year vs spending an extra hundred bucks and they will last like 3 years then i will spend the extra money.

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If you want on the cheap, look at ebay rotors and pads by powerstop (IIRC). Rao, a notoriously wise curmudgeon, ran them with great results in Chicago.

 

I ran them on my fronts for ~15k miles and they started to leave some deposits on the pads I couldn't get off. But the rotors themselves at least worked fine.

 

This looks like it's a slightly different model, so who knows now, but this is what i mean: http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRONT-REAR-Premium-Callahan-OE-High-Quality-Brake-Rotors-and-Quiet-Ceramic-Pads-/300660464636?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ASubaru%7CModel%3ALegacy&vxp=mtr&hash=item4600c29bfc

 

FYI, I wound up replacing mine with more expensive parts that have made me happier. But I've also run cheap brakes on many family & friends cars with no problems either. Just don't expect them to be autocross capable.

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You should try rebedding the brakes first before you spend your money.

 

Or just have these rotors turned for like $40.00 and throw on good Hawk pads from http://www.AZPinstalls.com

 

It typically the fronts that build up deposits that rebedding cleans off for a while.

 

With Hawk pads or other good pads the problem goes away.

 

Don't go cheap in the brakes on these cars.

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and do the brake work yourself, christ its so easily. people just piss their money on labor for stuff like this.

 

Apparently more easily than spelling even!:p;)

 

I dunno, personally I think a lot of these so called "easy" jobs are badly muked up by DIYers. No greasing pins, no stop squeal, no torque wrench + the idea that everything should be as tight as possible, no ability or desire to bleed brakes, etc.

 

If you own a torque wench, know enough to take care of it and how to look up torque specs, sure. If you stand on your tire iron to retighten bolts, maybe not so much.

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Rebed your brakes first and see if they're still giving you problems. If they are, I suggest Hawk HPS pads with Centric rotors from AZPinstalls.com and do a full brake fluid flush. If you're in the area (Northern NJ), you can have them do the install as well.

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Apparently more easily than spelling even!:p;)

 

I dunno, personally I think a lot of these so called "easy" jobs are badly muked up by DIYers. No greasing pins, no stop squeal, no torque wrench + the idea that everything should be as tight as possible, no ability or desire to bleed brakes, etc.

 

If you own a torque wench, know enough to take care of it and how to look up torque specs, sure. If you stand on your tire iron to retighten bolts, maybe not so much.

 

LOL. funny you mentioned this. my first brake job w/o a torque wrench i stripped the caliper bolt. Learned real quick after that one.

 

used to stand on the tire iron too!:lol: Could never figure out why the car was shaking so bad on the highway:lol:

 

learned from my lessons and have saved a lot of money long term

"Remember Danny - Two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left."
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resurface and get new pads and put them in yourself.

 

the amount that shops charge to do brakes are insane, i changed pads in 15 mins w/air tools and a racing jack, when my brother in law got a quote for 250 to have them done.

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FYI is you get the standard auto parts store rotors they are going to rust on hub that doesnt get touched by the pads and are a eye sore, I put rear rotors on from O'reily's and they piss me off every time I look at them. Got the fronts from Import Image Racing, Centric premium cryo rotors, the hub is treated and black = no rust and they preform great ($130 for the front set) IIR gave me a killer deal and its always nice to support our forum vendors
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I saw a movie about Callahan brake parts back in the 90s. They were all set to open a new brake pad division when the owner had a heart attack (at his wedding reception :( ). His baboon of a son took over the business and went across the midwest selling their products and they were able to save the company. It was quite comical. I thought it was a farce, but apparently it was a historical account!

callahan.thumb.jpg.9fe806a93a18432d090196eba6c6259c.jpg

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If you just need basic transportation, go for whatever NAPA has. Especially on a 1991 Legacy. We use generic rotors and akebono pads for a situation like yours where it is a dd.

 

As a basic replacement oem if you will for our LGT and WRX clients, we suggest Centric Premium and Hawk HPS. We have had great luck with them for 10+ years.

 

Also support folks who are on these boards every day giving advice like us, KNS Brakes, Mach V, Racecomp, instead of the parts slingers who may give money to be vendors but are not involved with supporting folks on here with knowledge and more importantly actual experience.

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

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If you just need basic transportation, go for whatever NAPA has. Especially on a 1991 Legacy. We use generic rotors and akebono pads for a situation like yours where it is a dd.

 

As a basic replacement oem if you will for our LGT and WRX clients, we suggest Centric Premium and Hawk HPS. We have had great luck with them for 10+ years.

 

Also support folks who are on these boards every day giving advice like us, KNS Brakes, Mach V, Racecomp, instead of the parts slingers who may give money to be vendors but are not involved with supporting folks on here with knowledge and more importantly actual experience.

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

 

Thanks for the info. I was thinking of getting the hps pads and napa rotors but I might just go for the napa safety stop pads just to review them. There's no info about napa's regular performance brake parts it seems like on the net. Even doing a google search for the safety stops I got pretty much nothing back as far as opinions

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