Completely Overheated my Brakes!!!! (1 Viewer)

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The pads that were on it when I bought it were almost new, and sucked real bad. Horrible cold stopping and mushy pedal. Honestly I don't know what they were, but I replaced with Hawk. I have had more than a few episodes of hard braking from 40-50mph with excellent results. I hammered them pretty hard recently from just under 50mph, early in the morning(cold brakes). I got immediate stopping action, and slowed pretty quick and smooth.
I didn't make any phone calls or analyze any data, I just read about them in a magazine and thought they have to better than what I had. I don't need a new set yet, but I just got a new pair for the next change. I have almost 10k on them now, with probably 40-50% life left. I am no expert, and I haven't tried the other brands you mention, so I can't give a comparison, just my .02 :cheers:

edit: I do get a little bit of squeal but not all the time and not bad.
 
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I finally got a meaningful answer from someone

Hey all, I just received a response from Cobaltfriction, a supplier of CF pads for many of the BMW guys. Here is their response:

Cary,

Thank you for your e-mail inquiry.

The PF Carbon Metallic Z is a good high-performance street pad for passenger cars, but is not particularly well-suited for SUV/Truck applications, especially on very heavy SUV's, due to the high energy requirements.

The Porterfield R4S, likewise, is not a viable solution, as you will see very rapid wear on an SUV application. The same applies for the Axxis Ultimate.

The above three compounds are best used only for passenger car vehicles, and not SUV's or trucks, with regards to the front fitments. They can be used in the rear fitment with an appropriate compound in the front, however.

The issue with SUV's is primarily one of high energy (weight), and under-engineered brake systems -- this is true of 95% of trucks and SUV's, IMO.

Based on the information you are providing, as well as your specific criteria (good cold performance, low dust and noise levels), I recommend you use either the Hawk Performance Ceramic or the LTS compound that you mention in your e-mail. Both will deliver much improved braking performance over OE, along with 30-40% improvement in fade resistance. The Performance Ceramic will have the lower dust and noise level, with slightly lower performance versus the LTS. In the rear, Hawk does not have a fitment, and the Axxis Ultimate will work well to match the PC or LTS compounds.

HTH... -Andie
 
Cary, clean out your mailbox! :)

When searching for the 80, I usually just type in LX450 since it is 96-97 year specific. "Land Cruiser" covers too many years. Here's one place that lists both front and rear Axxis pads. Scroll down for applications.

http://www.motorgroove.com/category.aspx?cat=35&id=35&mfrid=124

This thread has good timing since I am looking for new pads right now too. Perhaps the Hawk fronts and Axxis Rears are the way to go.
 
Thanks for the info. BTW, I cleaned out my mailbox, I have to renew my upgrade membership.
 
I'm a little hard on my rotors. What kind of rotors do you guys recommend? :doh:
rotor.jpg
 
Round, nondrilled would be a good start. What happened?
 
Actually, it was a friends car. He sold it to his 17 y/o nephew who just got his license. Spun the car on the freeway and I believe the rotor hit the strut and cracked it. New driver+Mid-engine car :frown:
 
cary said:
Round, nondrilled would be a good start.

Whats wrong with the DBA Crossdrilled?
 
Just my two cents on crossdrilled rotors. Unless you are in a situation where you are constantly getting the brakes to high temps, they serve no purpose. The reason to drill rotors is to allow the pads to continue to seat when outgassing under high temps. That is it. It doesn't provide any cooling or other benifit. The downside is that drilled rotors tend to crack unless they are properly stress relieved. Basically, outside of racing they serve no purpose.

If you notice, my posts have only discussed pads. That is because I am interested in one thing. Getting a little more reserve out of the LC brakes. Without ducting and/or larger rotors to dissapate more heat, you will not fix the underlying problem of not enough rotor area/cooling for constant braking. My idea with different pads is to continue to provide braking after the stock pads have overheated and failed. Stock pads probably become useless at 600f, while a carbon street pad will hold in until 1000f. There is no increase in thermal mass or heat dissapation, simply the ability to keep functioning at higher temps, or more reserve capacity.

Note, this was written while trying to feed an 18 month old so may ramble.
 
Cary,

I had the EXACT same experience on the EXACT same grade a couple of years ago. it's the grade coming from Groveland to Moccason. I was very careful and used low gears and stayed off the brakes as much as possible. Got to the bottom, no brakes- had to run the same stop sign as you. Got out-brakes were smoking. I have since upgraded to DBA. I might be going back up that way this summer. I'll let you know if there is any improvement.
 
cary said:
The downside is that drilled rotors tend to crack unless they are properly stress relieved. Basically, outside of racing they serve no purpose.

Note, this was written while trying to feed an 18 month old so may ramble.

Thanks Cary, Multitasking Huh? Sounds fun :D

Anyway, I think the cheapy brands of crossdrilled that autozone sells for $20 that crack upon any pressure have given the real ones a bad rap. ALL newer higher end german autos have crossdrilled. Even the Mercedes sedans and SUV's, they spend MILLIONS in R&D so there must be some reason.

I spoke with the DBA tech guy at length before i bought their rotors and he swore he has NEVER seen one of their rotors crack at the drill holes.

Anyway, its either here nor there, I think they help improve gas dissipation quite a bit and help during heavy braking!

My 80's brakes are completely toast, and i will be adding the new DBA 4000's on them when the time comes. I was VERY happy with them on my 60

Thats my .02
 
trouser_trout said:
Cary,
I have since upgraded to DBA. .

I am curious, which ones you went with? My 80 needs brakes BAD and i am getting DBA's for sure, but unsure of which ones. I was thinking of the new 4000 XS but i dont know anyone that has tried them. Whoch ones did you go with? Did you notice any immediate improvement?

Thanks
 
Boston Mangler said:
I am curious, which ones you went with? My 80 needs brakes BAD and i am getting DBA's for sure, but unsure of which ones. I was thinking of the new 4000 XS but i dont know anyone that has tried them. Whoch ones did you go with? Did you notice any immediate improvement?

I got the drilled/slotted at Christo's suggestion. I do notice a difference. I no longer have that feeling that I might not stop in time under hard braking. I also got syn fluid, new OEM 80 series pads and SS lines.
 
Cary, I used the Ultimate pads on my Miata, after a lot of research. They were great for that car. Don't know how they would be on a Cruiser, but I would expect they would be pretty good. It's my next pad to try. . . . . . . . . . As far as DBA rotors are concerned, can you get them just slotted with out the drilled holes? Would be less of a problem of them picking up little rocks in the holes, and I have been told that slotted doesn't wear the pads as fast as drilled. DBA's seem to be manufactured very well with the extra cooling vanes inside. MAF had them on sale a short while ago.
 
Not reading anywhere the year of your truck and the mileage on it I'll just make a broad comment.

The rotors are a vented type on our trucks. However now that these beasts are getting older and if by chance there rotors are still the original I'd suspect that they have filled quite abit with rust. Rust in the webbing not only restricts air flow but will act as an isulator. I wouldn't be suprised if quite a few changed out both the rotors and pads and realized an improvement and automatically assume it's the pads when it could easily be a clean rotor.
 
trouser_trout said:
Boston Mangler said:
I got the drilled/slotted at Christo's suggestion. .

Do you happen to know which ones? There are 2 versions

Any pics?

Glad ya like em!
 
I have the Gold Long Life rotors.
 
trouser_trout said:
Cary,

I had the EXACT same experience on the EXACT same grade a couple of years ago. it's the grade coming from Groveland to Moccason. I was very careful and used low gears and stayed off the brakes as much as possible. Got to the bottom, no brakes- had to run the same stop sign as you. Got out-brakes were smoking. I have since upgraded to DBA. I might be going back up that way this summer. I'll let you know if there is any improvement.

Well at least is lets me know that I am not the only one. I am going to try the Hawk LTS front pads to have a little more capacity and see how they work out.
 
Bryan E said:
As far as DBA rotors are concerned, can you get them just slotted with out the drilled holes?

DBA does make slotted only rotors, and I think I even saw that they recommended the slotted or the drilled and slotted rotors for track use. I could be wrong about the recommendation.
 

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