PDMrotors adn pads

[CoasTek240]

ok I ordered kvr gold cadium slotted rotors and kvr kevlar pads from PDM-Racing (http://www.pdm-racing.com)They will be in this Monday! I can't wait. But I was just wondering if this is a fairly easy job.. i don't have much know-how with brakes. the only time i've ever really dealt with stuff aroudn them was when i install my struts adn springs. I will have full access to all the tools in the world, and a lift( i'm using the hobby shop on the naval base). so I figure under there it won't be quite so hard. on a scale from 1-10 how easy is it to change my pads and rotors 1 being way easy 10 being dont; try for me take it to a mechanic.
thanx

[CoasTek240]

*bump*

[CoasTek240]

ok well DSC is gonna help me with my Rotors and pads now.. but i have a simple question.. how easy is it to bleed ur brakelines.. and do i need to do that when changing my pads and rotors.. i dont know the last time it was done..
thanx
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[240 2NR]

On a scale of 1-10 it's about a 3. &nbsp;If you did your own shocks and springs, this will be a cakewalk.

As for brake fluid. &nbsp;If using the stock bleeders it's a two man job and is more tedious than difficult. &nbsp;Open, pump, close, release, open, pump, close, release, repeat until clear. repeat for all four corners (in this order for non abs S13's DR, PR, DF, PF)....
You can look into one of those pumps they sell that let you do it by yourself, but I've never tried them (so I can't comment). &nbsp;I have the Russell speed bleeders from PDM and they make it super easy. &nbsp;Worth the $25 investment to not have to bug someone to sit in the car and pump the brake pedal.

Did you pick a fluid yet? &nbsp;Get a good DOT 4 fluid. &nbsp;Castrol GTLMA always gets good reviews and I liked the valvoline syntech I used, though never on track. &nbsp;That got flushed out in favor of the ATE super blue that's in there now. &nbsp;Avoid any racing fluid that has a very low wet boiling point or that recomends frequent changes (most race fluid is designed on the premise that racers change fluid between every race so the fluid is always "dry" and therefore the only important number, so these tend to absorb moisture quickly and perform poorly when "wet"). &nbsp;Unless of course you want to change fluid on a regular basis.

[bbp]

I'm telling you...Ford brake fluid!

It's the same as Motul and other "high end" brand. &nbsp;I have had in my racecar all season and have never had to bleed them. &nbsp;It's cheap, it works!

[GamblerZ]

Found at: http://www.shotimes.com/SHO3brakefluid.html

Brake Fluids
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Thanks to Dave Zeckhausen :

Lets look at what the DOT ratings mean. The table below shows the MINIMUM wet and dry boiling points for DOT 2, 3, 4, and 5 brake fluid in degrees fahrenheit.

DOT 2 DOT 3 DOT 4 DOT 5
Dry Boiling point 374 401 446 500
Wet boiling point 284 311 356

The DOT 2 spec is for drum brakes and is obsolete. If you have any DOT 2 in your garage, throw it away! DOT 5 is for silicone brake fluid. Silicone brake fluid (DOT 5) should be avoided because it is not compatible with regular brake fluid, it is hard to pour without introducing bubbles and thus results in soft pedal feel, and moisture still gets into your system and will pool in low areas like your calipers and encourage rapid corrosion. STAY AWAY!

That leaves DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids. These fluids are compatible with each other and may be interchanged or mixed with no ill effects.

Let's look at some popular brake fluids and their boiling points:

Fluid DRY WET
Castrol LMA DOT 3/4 446 311
Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3 550 290
ATE Super Blue Racing 536 392
ATE TYP 200 536 392
Motul Racing 600 585 421
Castrol SRF 590 518
Performance Friction 550 284

Castrol LMA is very good at rejecting moisture and may be kept in your brake system for a couple years. The LMA stands for "Low Moisture Activity". This is the minimum quality stuff that I would use in my Impala. It comes in plastic containers which do not have a long shelf life. Don't buy lots of this stuff at a time because moisture can make its way through the plastic containers.

Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3 is VERY inexpensive and is popular among racers because of its excellent dry boiling point. It absorbs moisture quickly, but the racers don't care since they change their fluid frequently. Comes in metal cans so it may be stored. I would not use this in my Impala for the street.

ATE Super Blue Racing and ATE TYP 200 are the same brake fluid in two different colors (blue and amber, respectively). BMW recommends this brake fluid for their street cars because it, like Castrol LMA, absorbs moisture very slowly. The advantage over LMA is that ATE has a much better wet boiling point. You can put this stuff in your car and forget about it for a long time. An excellent choice for a weekend track car which also sees regular street duty. Comes in metal cans. This is what I use in all my street cars.

Motul Racing 600 is a very exotic and expensive synthetic fluid with high wet and dry boiling points. I use this exclusively in my race cars. Too expensive for the street and requires frequent changing due to its hygroscopic nature. Sold in plastic bottles. It is not suitable for the street because it absorbs moisture quickly.

Castrol SRF is a hyper-exotic and hyper-expensive brake fluid that is generally used by wealthy Porsche owners at track events. I've seen prices of $78 per liter for this stuff. Sold in metal cans. I can't afford this stuff!

Performance Friction High Performance DOT 3 has a good dry boiling point but a crummy wet boiling point. It comes in metal cans which is good for shelf life and sells for $7.87 per 16 ounce container. If you are even considering this fluid, I would go with the cheaper Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3. In either case, change this fluid frequently due to the poor wet boiling point.

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Thanks to Leigh Smith for the following information on the impact of moisture content in brake fluid :

The amount of moisture in brake fluid definitely affects its performance. The big problem is it is absorbs moisture quickly. Over a relatively short period of time brake fluid will absorb moisture from the air. SAE field tests have shown that the average one year old car has 2% moisture in the fluid. A random test of vehicles in the U.S. showed an average water content of 2.6% for vehicles with an average age of 8 years, and 25% of these vehicles had water content greater than 4%.

As water content in brake fluid increases over time, the boiling point decreases. Fluid with a reduced boiling point (or high water content) can create vapor by boiling in the caliper, or wheel cylinder. The result is sudden brake failure and water in the brake fluid can contribute to corrosion of parts such as steel pistons and ABS modulators.

The end result is even though DOT 3 fluid is "rated" at greater than 401F, in the typical 3 to 4 year old car with 3 to 4% moisture content, it could boil under 300F. And if it has got more than 4% moisture, you may as well be running straight water!

Moral: Flush your brake fluid every year or so, but only if you would like it to work well scarcely an inch away from those toasty 500F rotors on your [car] during a couple of hard stops! Or, would you rather have a squishy pedal?