Good time to swap out brakes?

[gwizlo]

Well I bought some cheapo pads and rotors from autozone about 5 months ago.. Well after feeling a little bit of rubbing in the front brakes for a few days I got curious. Looked at them and they seemed to be fine. Then next day my caliper piston blew and fluid shot out everywhere. I mean petal to the floor. No stopping whatsoever. I had to utialize the parking brake the whole way home. Now that Stripped everything down i took some pics of the damage. I was shocked. Now what i need is some opinions on what to do next cause I want to upgrade or should i just stick with the cheap alternatives again

 

[Bio248]

if you destroyed the parking brake youre going to have to replace the whole assembly.

as far as brake upgrades, you might want to check out the newer GM 12" upgrade. you just need new rotors and the correct caliper brackets, all of which you can get at the junk yard.

 

[gwizlo]

no the parking brake assy works perfectly. i double checked that. plus it was the only way to stop the car. Could you tell me more about the 12 in upgrade?

 

[TheOtherNick]

You need the rotors and caliper brakets for a IIRC 2004+ impala or some other newer gm cars. You use your stock caliper and pads.

 

[cerick08GP]

Well, first off, wow, you must be really hard on your brakes. You should be getting 10x the life out of them. I find it hard to believe you don’t have an underlining damaged component issue. And sure, upgrading to F-body brakes will give you nearly bullet proof breaking. But be warned, it may be a little more involved them some would lead you to believe.

I would fix what you got; the stock brakes on a GP do a great job. Since I recent upgraded my brakes (basically just for fun) I’ll tell you what I did. And I’ll add in some extra steps I believe you should take.:th_winking:

Get new stuff, but not cheap stuff because you obviously push your car. Like I said, this is what I did. I’m not saying this is the “best”. Also, I have no idea what GP you have! Hint hint

Buy:
1) PowerSlot Rotors ( or really anything with slots and/or drilled )
2) Hawk Ceramic pads
3) Big bottle of new DOT3 (don't use the old stuff in your garage)
4) High temp grease
5) Brake caliper rebuild kits

Then: Rebuild both front calipers; make sure to check for obvious damage. Install all the new components. Ensure the guide bolts and lock bolts are well greased. Bleed all your brakes. Then bleed them again.

Good luck

Suspension and Brakes - 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix 04 Accessories Store - PFYC

http://www.discountbrakes.com/shop/...ategory:Brake)&Ntt=brake+caliper+rebuild+kits

 

[gwizlo]

What is the difference really in drilled or slotted rotors? Or even drilled/slotted rotors? Thanks for the info i really wanna make this a stopping power horse but i wanna stick within a reasonable price range..

 

[Bio248]

you dont need drilled or slotted rotors for the street. its a waste of money, but it looks cool, right?

 

[Nickell]

its about this time for me to
my passanger front caliper leaks fluid and sticks shut or open, cant tell.
noisey as a MFer!

 

[cerick08GP]

What is the difference really in drilled or slotted rotors? Or even drilled/slotted rotors? Thanks for the info i really wanna make this a stopping power horse but i wanna stick within a reasonable price range..

To quote myself, “stock brakes on a GP do a great job” for 99% of GP owners.

Slotted rotors are like an extra 50 buck a pair more than a “good” pair of stockers. Now I'm done:th_peaceout:

 

[cerick08GP]

you dont need drilled or slotted rotors for the street. its a waste of money, but it looks cool, right?

And going to the 12" brakes isn’t a waste. Give me a break, seriously. I’d like to see your ROI study on that one.

 

[Bio248]

whats a ROI study? there is no reason to upgrade anything and the car usually stops fine, but if you want it to stop better then your first step is pads. the next step is bigger rotors. you can get the entire 12" upgrade for less than $50 if you know what youre looking for and where.