Kit’s Thoughts: 

Enough with all the facts and test between steel braided brake lines and rubber hose brake lines. If you never gota a chance to use stainless steel braided lines, it’s a must that you switch out your old rubber brake hose and try it. I can tell you one thing from my personal experience, you can feel a night a day difference. It’s no gimmick, I can say you can feel at least a %15 increase on your braking performance in any kind of weather or terrain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 411 on Brake Judders

Many of the people I talk to on a daily basis complained that their brakes are vibrating, pulsating, and that their rotors are warped. This little guide will help you somewhat understand why you are getting that annoying shaking every time you step on the brakes and what you can do to help prevent it.

Brake Rotors warp for several reasons: Friction materials from the brake pads transferring to the surface of the rotors causing heat spots. Heat spots are basically tiny little bumps on the surface of the rotor. When your rotors get too hot, materials from the pads will dissolve and glaze at different areas on the rotor surface. The pads will rub on these isolated glazed areas over and over until they form heat spots. The heat spots are elevated above the rotor surface and this is why you to get brake pulsation.

The calipers can also cause your rotors to warp. Some people have experience sticky calipers. This is when the calipers restrict the pads from releasing after you take your foot off the brakes. When this happen, the pads will stay in contact with the rotor, causing the rotor to overheat and will eventually lead to a warp rotor if not fix.

Another common cause of warped or pulsating rotors is the over tightening of lug nuts. Over tightened lug nuts is easily avoidable if people are aware of the stress it can put on the rotors. Even mechanics make this mistake. For example, the air wrenches they use in their shops are usually preset to the strongest settings. They use the wrench at this preset setting to tighten everything on your vehicle. This is bad because not only can it damage and strip your bolts it can also cause your rotors to warp prematurely.

Here are some things to consider that will help prevent warped rotors.

1) Upgrade to cross drilled rotors. Cross drilled rotors will provide better heat ventilation. It will bring the temperature of the rotor down to a point where heat spots are least likely to form. Cross drilled rotors will prevent the glazed effect from brake pads.

2) When you change new brake pads make sure to take the time to do the proper break in. Here is the recommended break in procedure for new pads taken from Hawk, a leading maker of performance brake pads.

1. After installing new brake pads, make 6 to 10 stops from approximately 30-35 mph applying moderate pressure
2. Make an additional 2 to 3 hard stops from approximately 40-45 mph
3. DO NOT DRAG BRAKES
4. Allow 15 minutes for brake system to cool down
5. After step 4 your new pads are ready for use

3) Use proper lug nut tightening procedures. Lug nut torque is very important when it comes to the integrity of your rotors. Varying torque from one lug nut to another can cause your rotors to warp over time. Always use a torque wrench when tightening lug nuts. It is good practice to tighten the lug nut in a criss-cross pattern. You do not need to jump on the wrench to tighten the lug nuts. Simply use your body weight on the torque wrench until it stops turning. If you do this evenly to all the lug nuts on each wheel in a criss-cross pattern you are on the path to maximum rotor life.

Not only are your rotors vital to your car’s performance it is vital for your safety. So go now and check your lug nuts!

This post was provided by Long D. One of R1 Concepts Inc. Sales Representatives.

Come check out R1 Concepts’ booth at the Extreme Auto Fest show located in San Diego at the Qualcomm Stadium on June 1, 2008. Baby Bash along with other DJs and performers will be live on stage. There will be bikini contests and models at the event as well. This EAF San Diego will feature rides from all type of levels: classics, to lowriders, muscles, SUVs, trucks, domestic, and imports. Attendees will get to taste a bit of everything. Be sure to come check out our booth and take a pictures with the ladies of R1. We will be displaying our Premium Series rotors, E-line rotors, other performance parts and newly feature products, so be sure to check out our performance brake parts. We will also be raffling free sets of brake rotors and many other prizes. It will be a great event! Some fun under the SUN. Hope to see you all there!!!

Nissan has redesign the soon to come, this summer, the all new 2009 Nissan Maxima. Nissan has shorten the wheel base but the new Maxima looks bigger then the previous Maxima. How can that be? Nissan calls this “Liquid Motion,” NIssan states that they butched up styling which gives it a aggressive stance. The headlights are far apart from each other as well as the tail lights and the muscular fenders which also helps gives it the wide stance. (Pictures below).

 

The engine will have the standard 3.5 liter DOHC 24 valve VQ series V6 which is the same engine as the previous models. It is rated at 290 HP and 261 lb-ft of torque. Previous Maxima is 255 HP with 252 lb-ft of torque. There will be two trim levels to choose from: 3.5 S and 3.5 SV.

 

The 2009 Maxima will be equipped with a revised version of the Xtronic CVT with manual mode and available paddle shifters. It will have 4 disc brakes with four channel ABS. The suspension has aluminum intensive MacPherson front strut and multilink setup for the rears. There is a premium audio and navigation system, rearview camera, voice recognition, and a 9.3 GB hard drive for audio files.

 

Price will be $28,000-$32,000. 0-60 mph is 6.2 seconds and it weighs in at 3600 lb. Gas mileage is 20 city and 27 highway.

 

Martins Reviews:
I’m not a big fan of the headlights. Think it will take some time for me to get used to. But I do love the body lines, taillights, and its wide stance. I’ve seen this car in person at a auto show in Ontario and it does look big by the way it was design. I’m glad Nissan is aiming the 2009 Maxima to be a 4 door sports car (4DSC). The interior really gives the driver full and easy control of the cockpit. But you will have to drive it and see if its truley a 4DSC. I’m also hoping a manual transmission will be available.

 

R1 Concepts will provide performance brake rotors and pads for the 2009 Maxima by the end of this year. So stay tuned!

Over the weekend, I was searching on Youtube and found a pretty good video install on Honda Accord brake pads. So, I’ve embedded the video below, hoping that it’ll help you install brake pads for your Honda Accord.

The presenter in this video installed 2003-2004 Honda Accord Coupe brake pads.

NOTE: On the Accord you can’t use the C-clamp. You have to screw the caliper back in. Notice the video at 1:20. There is a special tool that looks like a + to do it, or you can use some needle nose pliers spread about 1″ and place in the + shape on caliper and turn it several turns until it’s flush with the flange.