Hey guys, quick question. Last week, i had my Slotted rotors, ceramic brake pads, and stainless steel braided brake lines installed.

The high end shop that installed them said to break them in for the first 200 miles, it's been 300 miles and it stills feel really rough when stopping. And at times, it really feels like it won't stop in time.

Is that normal?

Other than the Mercedes Benz Brake Fluid. What "BETTER" or "High Performance" brake fluids are there? Where can i buy them?

 

I'm running Ate Super Blue, with stock lines, pads and rotors. No problems at all.

What type/brand rotors and pads did you install?

 

Here's my setup...

- PowerSlot Slotted Rotors all around
- Hawk Performance Ceramic Brake Pads in front
- Posi Quiet Performance Ceramic Brake Pads in the rear
- Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided Brake lines all around
- Brake fluid was flushed and replaced with Mercedes Benz Brake Fluid

And the problem...

- The high end shop that installed my parts told me... "for the first 200 miles, go easy on the brakes, don't make any sudden stops, don't slam on the brakes, just brake gently and stuff."

- as of today, i've been following everything they said. it's been 425 miles exactly, and EVERY SINGLE TIME when i slow down below 10mph, there's a grinding/crunchy feel to it. it's not literally grinding, but that's how it feels like.

- What's the deal with that? is there anything that might cause this type of problem? And the thing is... that "grinding/crunchy" feel is ONLY coming from the front, which is weird, because i have the same exact setup in the rear.

- Did i make a bad choice buying Ceramic Brake Pads? Should i have bought Carbon Kevlar Brake Pads instead? The reason i bought Ceramic Pads wasn't only for performance purposes, but to intensely reduce brake dust. Cause i mean... it's been 425 miles since i had them installed, and my wheels are clean. you can swipe your finger anywhere, and you're finger will actually for once stay clean.

- Let me know what you're opinion is. its so frustrating at EVERY stop light. I'm not even pressing on the brakes as hard.

 

Hawk is known for good pads, but their ceramic pads have the least stopping ability of all their street pads. That's the downside to ceramic pads, reduced bite.

Are you just hearing noise, or are you feeling any vibration through the brake pedal?

 

Is that a proven fact? Cause i mean, the reason i bought them is cause the dude at SuperAutoBacs (www.autobacsusa.com) here in Southern Cali said that ceramics are the best pads to go with. he mentioned.... "Ceramics are the best out there because when your rotors get hot and you brake, the ceramic material grips on to the rotors better than other types of pads."

That statement right there is what led me to buying ceramics all around.

I do hear downsides though, such as... they're sometimes noisy, they sometimes squeak, etc.

but in my situation, it's not about the noisy, it's that odd crunchy/grinding/vibration feel when the car is slowing down below 10mph.

Should i just invest in CARBON KEVLAR pads? Most Big Brake Kits have those as their stock pads. They should be good right?

With my previous car, i had ceramic pads and slotted rotors ever since i started modding, which was about 5 or 6 yrs ago. and i never had problems with them at all. this one day... i had new tires, worn out rotors, pads that were LITERALLY thinner than a dime, and i was able to sudden stop like no other. That's where i felt really comfortable with that type of setup. Unluckily, i was able to stop so fast and so short that i got rear ended. and that's how i lost THAT car and bought what i have now. The CLK.


oh, one more thing... how are the DUST LEVELS with carbon kevlar brake pads?

 

Using Tire Rack as a neutral party, here are the ratings for the Hawk street pads. Each pad has a ratung for stopping power, noise, and dust rating. The ceramics are last.

These are the Hawk Ceramics:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brake...e+Ceramic+Pads

HP Plus:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brake...ace+brake+pads

HPS:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brake...eet+brake+pads

You can see for yourself that the cost for a lack of dust is reduced stopping power. The Akebono ceramic pads have even lower ratings.

The other Hawk pads at Tire Rack are either for trucks (LTS and Super duty) or track pads. Track pads dust like crazy and typically have poor grip until they reach operating temperature.

 

I am running Hawk HPS on all 4 corners of my CLK55 - BEST PAD I have ever
used. I got them from Tire Rack. I have tried many other pads on many of my cars. Yes i have tracked my CLK55 that is why the HPS compound and they hardly soot at all.

I have slotted rotors on my 911 and I can get a very slight vibration.
Why did you slot your rotors? The new pads on the market realy dont off gas much any more. My slotted rotors are 10 years old and I was tracking my 911 at the time so it was for goo dreason to have slotted rotors.

If you are just driving on the street you certainly do not need slotted rotors other than to look cool.

 

What about drilled rotors, they do look cool but are they worth getting?