Thread: Brake question

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I am not satisfied with the way my Studebaker is stopping. I have disk brakes on the front that came from an 88 Monte Carlo. As far as I know they are the stock units. I ordered a set of semi-metallic pads and cross drilled and slotted rotors. I have the pads but unfortunately the rotors are back ordered. I have my Hot August Nights trip coming next week and was really hoping to have new brakes up front before going. Now, here is my question. I am thinking of having my existing rotors turned and installing the new pads so I have them for the roughly 400 mile trip. Will it be reasonable after doing that, to install the new rotors when they come? Will I have an adverse impact from the pads getting 400 miles of use on the old rotors, some of it mountain driving?

thanks for your thoughts

Pat

What size brake line are you utilizing for the front?
Disc brakes get slow to stop even with high grade pads and discs if the lines are over sized.

Thanks for the response. I am not there to measure them, but the lines to the front are smaller than the ones to the rear. I believe that is configured correctly.

Pat

should be 3/16 what pads are you using now

I am not sure what the current pads are. They were on the car when I got it. They are riveted and appear somewhat glazed. They have quite a few miles on them, but I am not typically hard on brakes. My Silverado has 75k miles on it still with original brakes. I tend to drive way ahead of myself.

Pat

if they are not cut in just glazed i would wash them good, da the old rotors with 80 grit if bad them get them turned wash them good and put a set of perfomance friction carbon pads till you get your new stuff. i like the carbon pads on my chevy .i drive hard

I find that factory type pads stop better & smoother than the harder pads(Thats why the factory uses them), which are made to work for harder than normal driving and need more heat to work as good as stock type pads. as with drilled & sloted rotors are for looks, unless you drive them harder, as in road course, or Nascar driving. You won't get them hot enough for their intended use.

Pat

True! But the harder the pad material the easier to glaze, and many people drag their brakes.

Pat

Thanks everyone. I just canceled the order from the people who were taking so long to deliver the rotors. While I am up at Hot August Nights I will talk to various vendors and maybe go directly to the Summit Racing store up there and pick up a chosen solution. Your advice will help me with that decision. In the mean time ultimate defensive driving and leaving plenty of interval space will get me through. Just hope there is no need for a panic stop!

Pat

Originally Posted by Stu Cool

Thanks everyone. I just canceled the order from the people who were taking so long to deliver the rotors. While I am up at Hot August Nights I will talk to various vendors and maybe go directly to the Summit Racing store up there and pick up a chosen solution. Your advice will help me with that decision. In the mean time ultimate defensive driving and leaving plenty of interval space will get me through. Just hope there is no need for a panic stop!

Pat

well sand all your old stuff to get the glaze off and buy some pads .my gto had about the same stuff for brakes as you do as my 50 chevy as well and would stop just fine and i have abit of power .i like to stop .i have the mopar truck master on both cars .your going to have a hard time stoping with glazed stuff .sounds like you need a softer pads .i would keep a way from a full metalic pad the cheep ones have hard spots in them

I HAVE BRAKES!! Following advice and suggestions here, I pulled my rotors and took them down to the parts house where they turned them for $25 for the pair. Then, at the counter I got a set of new pads, semi-metallic, but not the hard lifetime warranty ones, just $23. As suggested I got the softer ones. I just got back from "bedding" them as described in this article I found on the Summit Racing site:

http://www.summitracing.com/expertad...1-6cf3310af986

They stop the car quite well. So for less than $50, now I have time to figure out what I want to do in the longer term, without worrying about rear ending someone.

Thanks for the help

Pat

it is nice to stop when you want to

Great thread!!!! I always choose the semi-metallic (mid grade). You are right the hard pads leave dust and are rough on rotors.