Refresh Your Brakes With Stoptech's Sport Kit
By Mike Kojima
Usually at MotoIQ we evaluate brake systems that make a big difference on our project cars, bigger rotors, calipers and pads are the norm. These are brake systems that are great for big power cars, with big sticky tires or cars that often see track use.
These brake mods are not for everyone. If you have a car that sees sporting driving but not necessarily track use, have mild mods or perhaps you don't do braking intensive driving events like drifting or autocross and don't want to have the expense of a big brake system but could still stand to upgrade your brakes, a simple solution exists.
Perhaps you need to go through your brake system and replace worn rotors and pads and simply want a heavier duty replacement. If this sounds like you, then Stoptech's Sport kit is a great choice for a brake upgrade.
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The car we decided to upgrade with Stoptech's Sport kit is a Hyundai Genesis 3.8R Spec which already has excellent Brembo brakes direct from the factory. Cars that have good OEM brake systems are ideal candidates for a Sport kit upgrade. The Stoptech Sport kit comes with a set of Powerslot or Sportstop rotors. The rotors can be had in drilled, slotted and drilled and slotted configurations. The car's owner wanted to get the drilled and slotted option as this looks pretty cool and the car will not see the track much if at all. For track driving we prefer slotted rotors as they are less likely to crack. Drilled holes and slots help braking because they help evacuate vaporized pad material that is created under hard braking. This can help initial bite. The slots and drilling can also help evacuate water under wet conditions and reduce the chances of the brake pads glazing. Drilling can also slightly enhance cooling as it can promote air circulation through the rotor.
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The drilled holes are small in diameter and heavily chamfered. This greatly reduces the chances of cracking. If you are going to get a drilled rotor, this is the way to do it. Like we mentioned before, if you are going to do some track work, we recommend getting the Powerslot, slotted rotor option. The rotor surface finish has been chosen to help break in new pads without glazing. The rotor's metallurgy is also carefully controlled with a high molybdenum and carbon content for long wear and a constant coefficient of friction over a wide range of temperatures.
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The rotors are machined to close tolerances for minimal run out and better balance. The drilling pattern is such that the holes do not come near the rotor's internal cooling vanes or pillars. The rotors are also e-coated. This is like an underwater powdercoating process that draws a rust resisting coating into the deep inner recesses of the rotor's internals. This prevents rusty crap from dripping out of the rotors and staining your wheels. All of the non friction surfaces of the rotors are covered with e-coat to resist corrosion. Many high performance rotors are treated with yellow zinc chromate for corrosion resistance. The drawback is this surface must be burnished off for the brakes to work well and it sometimes glazes the pads.
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Stoptech braided steel brake lines improve brake pedal feel and make the ABS system work better by reducing swelling under pressure. The stock rubber lines expand when you step on the brakes and reduce brake feel. The black plastic sleeves near the line's end are reinforcements that allow the lines to pass the dreaded DOT whip test. They keep the hose from fatiguing when it is spun for many cycles during the test.
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| The Stoptech Sport kit comes with Stoptech's street performance brake pads. These pads feature an asbestos free, semi metallic, aramid fiber reinforced compound. The pads are heat treated after molding to speed the bedding process. The Street Performance pads have high fade resistance, low dust and are fairly rotor friendly. The pads come with OEM like anti squeal shims. Although they are not a race pad, the Street Performance pads can serve double duty as a track day pad. |
