Wrinkledpants

I'm looking to upgrade my brakes as my front rotors are warped to hell. I need something that is street drivable in all weather conditions, including cold and crappy winters. Is this a good brake setup for that? I've looked into just better rotors, but for the price, it seems you could get a bigger/better brake setup.

iznogoud

...and I will buy one setup too.

I am running Zimermann rotors and Miltek pads and I am
a very happy camper, but I have experienced a StopTech
BBK (335mm) and the 993 BBK and they stop very well on
dry weather. A friend had some complaints with the ST in
wet weather, but I could not tell you.

If you STFA you will find lots of threads discussing
BBKs and the 993 in particular, but it seems to me that
a lot is up to interpretation. Overall, if you track
the car and want a constant and good breaking power
you cannot go wrong with the 993 BBK.

I am doubtful about the price compared to a simple
rotor upgrade.

Wrinkledpants

considering the cost of rotors, pads, fluid, etc, you could spend another 800 or so and get the 993 kit. Yes it's an additional 800 which is a lot of money, but that's kind of what I was asking. Are upgraded rotors fine for aggressive street use?

nashbar

got the front rotor hats and pads "used" from BigBen.

i don't remember the total price for my brake overhaul, ~$600. i posted about on mnaudi.

i'm really happy with them so far.

haven't gotten them to fade driving in WI.

the initial bite in the rain is poor, a little heat in the rotors/pads helps.

B5QShip

BBK and replacement rotors are not even close to comparable in price

Wrinkledpants

I am not saying they are comparable, but considering what a 2-piece floating rotor costs ($6-700), and what you get when purchasing the 993 kit, it seems like it might be a worthwhile investment. It's like some say get a 3- chip and some say put that money towards a stg 3 kit. <shurg> Are the 993 calipers worth the added money?

I'm more worried about the times when I'm coming out of a mountain pass carrying 4 passengers and a **** load of heavy gear. In this case, would what would be the weak link in the brake system? Would excellent rotors and pads be enough? My stock rotors are less than 5 months old and are already completely warped.

iznogoud

It is beating on the car on a track that would require
you to get a BBK. The BBK is great for the street as well,
but it is not good for the wallet. If you have an indy
shop put them on, add $500 to the tally.

If you keep the stock rotor size you will probably
have better performance in the wet, because you get to
keep the original splash-guard/shroud that covers the
rear of the rotor.

If I were you I would go with upgraded but single piece
rotors and better pads, then do an A8/S8 rear brake upgrade
which involves chaning the carrier, rotors and pads. Your
braking on the street will be fine and you could even do
light track use.

If you are loaded with equipment and four passengers
going downhill at the mountains, go slower.

Wrinkledpants

I like your suggestions. What are you thoughts on 2-piece rotors? Wouldn't the S8 upgrade change the bias? I found a used Stoptech 332 kit but have read a lot about corrosion leading to cracks. Hmmmmmm..........

iznogoud

But I know about the corrosion problems of the StopTech
and I think it is just another problem that goes with
seeking increased performance.

Again, for your purposes, I would go with something closer
to a stock rotor and better pads. If you really want to
take the next step, a "stage 1" upgrade, which includes
the two-piece rotors, is the way to go. I do not have any
experience with running just a two piece rotor upgrade,
only stock size and full BBK StopTech brakes. I cannot
say if the two-piece rotors are anywhere in between,
but I would guess that you get the same performance
as stock for a single braking stunt (what you want)
but less fade on track use due to better heat dissipation
by the rotors.

The rear brake upgrade will change the bias a bit.
If you have a stiffer suspenssion it will work better,
while stock suspenssion may lead to problematic braking
because of the bias change. See what Nashbar has to say
because he runs that kind of setup with stock suspenssion
if I recall correctly.

And I have to say that with a BBK in the front and
stock suspenssion you will get better braking for sure,
but the price is high. I hate the "noise-dive" of the
B5 so much and I am considering a suspenssion upgrade,
but then it is a whole different territory for deciding
on what brakes to get. Wait for more responses.

Small Town Terrorist

Replace rotors.