RE: Brake rotors

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.. Aluminum wheels are known to loosen off and needs a retorque ...

Made me think of this old autocross video. Wrong lug nuts. Ouch!

 
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I had a 1990 Chevy Lumina that would go through front brakes every 15,000 miles like clockwork. I got real good at changing them.
 
I need to put new rotors on my wife's Legacy. Any certain brands considered better than others. I'm pretty sure I'm going with the coated type as she doesn't drive the Subaru as often as she should.

Go to Rockauto.com it will give a huge selection, and I've not had anyone beat their prices.
 
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Why would you have to replace the rotors every time you do the pads?

I don't know this for a fact, but i do know that automakers are under constant pressure in increase fuel efficiency. Making rotors a throw away item saves a little weight which helps with mileage. Every little bit counts.
 
I don't know this for a fact, but i do know that automakers are under constant pressure in increase fuel efficiency. Making rotors a throw away item saves a little weight which helps with mileage. Every little bit counts.
We are talking here to one of the most important parts/areas of a vehicle. Brakes is not something to take so lightly and think that manufactures gain anything with cheap brake parts. We have contracts, with APD, State Police, and many government agencies around town. They used to use slatted rotors and special police pads Bla bla bla from wherever company..... Now we are doing their brakes and installing OEM parts and they are happy again. They don't come from factory with slatted rotors and they are built to be pursuing vehicles.
 
We are talking here to one of the most important parts/areas of a vehicle. Brakes is not something to take so lightly and think that manufactures gain anything with cheap brake parts. We have contracts, with APD, State Police, and many government agencies around town. They used to use slatted rotors and special police pads Bla bla bla from wherever company..... Now we are doing their brakes and installing OEM parts and they are happy again. They don't come from factory with slatted rotors and they are built to be pursuing vehicles.
Yeah I have never been happy with wearever performance parts quality. I always use baer rotors yes they cost more but they last way longer than anything else I have tried. The only vehicles I don't put high quality slotted rotors on are off road stuff.


Everything I have seen about police package vehicles says they come direct from the factory with specialized brake systems. Are you saying you take out the upgrades and go back to regular civilian parts or you use oem police package stuff?
 
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Yeah I have never been happy with wearever performance parts quality. I always use baer rotors yes they cost more but they last way longer than anything else I have tried. The only vehicles I don't put high quality slotted rotors on are off road stuff.


Everything I have seen about police package vehicles says they come direct from the factory with specialized brake systems. Are you saying you take out the upgrades and go back to regular civilian parts or you use oem police package stuff?
Police package OEM. The thing is that for years they used to do their own brakes at their shop and using some police aftermarket rotors and pads and were made for cop cars. But due to how hard they are always on the brakes, they used to have lots of problems too. Going back to OEM solved many issues with it.
 
Police package OEM. The thing is that for years they used to do their own brakes at their shop and using some police aftermarket rotors and pads and were made for cop cars. But due to how hard they are always on the brakes, they used to have lots of problems too. Going back to OEM solved many issues with it.
Yes but their oem is already upgraded not what we get on the same car for civilian market. The parts are still made for cop cars specifically.
 
Yes but their oem is already upgraded not what we get on the same car for civilian market. The parts are still made for cop cars specifically.
Upgrade is more about the size of the rotors, bigger calipers, wider pads but not the quality of the rotors and pads. Are the same for normal consumer quality wise just different shape/sizes etc.
 
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Upgrade is more about the size of the rotors, bigger calipers, wider pads but not the quality of the rotors and pads. Are the same for normal consumer quality wise just different shape/sizes etc.
According to Ford and Dodge both redesigned the venting on police package rotors as well to increase cooling ability. Of course I would prefer to go with bigger rotors and calipers over slotted rotors but big brake kits aren't available for most of the vehicles I work on and if they were it would also mean bigger wheels. So even if they were available it would cost upwards of $5000 to switch over. When for around $1000 I can get a set of high quality performance slotted rotors that do a good job of dissipating heat. I agree most cheap after market stuff is worse than oem. But there is allot of really good stuff out there that work allot better than the original stuff.
 
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According to Ford and Dodge both redesigned the venting on police package rotors as well to increase cooling ability.
I don't doubt it but that is something that every manufacturer do, they improve performance of different components/parts for latest/newer models. That is not just on brakes. Can be engine hp, torque, better software, cooling system etc. Previous models sometimes take advantage of those changes. It doesn't mean they have problems. It is just the evolution of everything. If it is a problem and more about something like brakes I am almost sure they will do a recall or something about it.
 
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Since we're discussing police cars … what type of pads and rotors are used on mail trucks? Or are they still using drums? What is used on a vehicle that drives a short distance and stops all day every day?
 
Since we're discussing police cars … what type of pads and rotors are used on mail trucks? Or are they still using drums? What is used on a vehicle that drives a short distance and stops all day every day?

UPS p7 and p10 use brake pads and rotors, others models I don't know. They always make noise and I heard that is the cheap brake pads and rotors they install on their vehicle.
Now, normal mail trucks sometimes they stop alot but they drive real low speed into neighborhood. I don't know what they use to be honest.
 
Yeah I have never been happy with wearever performance parts quality. I always use baer rotors yes they cost more but they last way longer than anything else I have tried. The only vehicles I don't put high quality slotted rotors on are off road stuff.


Everything I have seen about police package vehicles says they come direct from the factory with specialized brake systems. Are you saying you take out the upgrades and go back to regular civilian parts or you use oem police package stuff?

A friend of mine has been using a heavily modded mustang with Baer brakes (calipers, pads, and rotors) and he hates them. Maybe their products are better for trucks? My friend broke a few rotors, but they were drilled.
 
A friend of mine has been using a heavily modded mustang with Baer brakes (calipers, pads, and rotors) and he hates them. Maybe their products are better for trucks? My friend broke a few rotors, but they were drilled.
That is the first complaint I have heard about Baer.
 
Yes but their oem is already upgraded not what we get on the same car for civilian market. The parts are still made for cop cars specifically.

It's got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant. It's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas.
Blues-Brothers-driving-601551.jpg
 
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Go to Rockauto.com it will give a huge selection, and I've not had anyone beat their prices.

You're a few days late . . . ordered them early last week . . . but you are right. Even with shipping Rock Auto was quite a bit cheaper than every other place I looked.
 
They're be other stuff that breaks, never fails.