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Brake Pad upgrade for 06 WRX question

4K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  wagonracer 
#1 ·
I am upgrading my OEM brake pads to Hawk HPS pads this weekend and would like to know the best way to deglaze my rotors. The rotors only have 40k miles on them and are still smooth with no grooves so I wasn't going to have them turned. I have heard that you don't have to deglaze you rotors unless you are going to use racing brake pads. Is there any truth to that? If I do need to deglave do the clapiers come off pretty easy? I have seen video on how easy the pads are to change out but I haven't found anything with how the caliper pulls off.
 
#2 ·
#3 ·
HSPN has a nice series of videos on brake maintenance: HSPN TV - HD Videos on Demand - Powered by HSPN Networks, LLC

The STi Brembos are actually quite similar to the stock 06/07 4/2 pot brakes in terms of general maintenance. I chose to remove the calipers from the car via several large-ish (12/14 mm?) bolts on the back which were kind of hard to see (basically the same way you would remove any caliper). I decided it would be easier to clean the calipers up and press the pistons back in with my fingers to prepare them for the larger new pads. I suppose it could be done with the calipers bolted on the car like the video shows, but I found it was pretty easy to work with them off the car. The pads come out and go in best from the top of the calipers after loosening several clips and pins like the video shows even with the calipers unbolted from the car. Don't forget to bleed them properly (the bleed order is different than most cars, so check your manual for the proper bleed order) and seat them before you drive.

Also, if it makes you feel better, I didn't see the need to turn my rotors (no fluttering, no grooves, front pads still had 25% life left, rears had about 50% life left) and I had about 50k miles on my car when I upgraded to Hawk HPS pads (already had ATE Super Blue fluid and Goodridge stainless steel lines since 30k miles). I'll probably turn the rotors (or replace them) the next time I change pads, which hopefully won't be for a while.

What kind of brake fluid are you going to use?
 
#5 ·
ATE Super Blue has worked just fine for me. Honestly, I didn't really notice any difference in performance since I don't track the car or measure the temperature of the fluid or anything like that. I think the biggest benefit is mental - just knowing I'm using some of the best fluid available.

As far as deglazing the rotors, I didn't sand or bake them or anything. I did look at them and feel them through a pair of nitrile gloves, but I made sure not to touch the rotors with my bare skin to keep oil from getting on them. After I reassembled the calipers with the new pads and put them back on, I sprayed the rotors with some Brakleen to make sure they were as clean as possible (making sure not to get any Brakleen on the caliper paint - I actually rinsed those once with a spray bottle full of water and wiped them off and again after I bled the brakes to make sure no brake fluid would eat through the paint.) After bleeding the brakes, I seated the brakes as best I could by driving gently at first and then gradually picking up speed and repeatedly stopping medium to hard.
 
#6 ·
I wholeheartedly agree that turning them is the right way and shouldn't cost more than $7 per rotor. If you can feel any kind of a lip on the outer edge with your thumbnail, turn them. If not...

Deglaze them with course a 3M coarse scotchbrite pad or very fine wet/dry sandpaper. clean the surface thoroughly with brake cleaner before reassembling. The purpose of deglazing is that brake pads are designed to leave a very thin residue of the friction material on the rotor, so the pad isn't just grabbing bare metal. Each time you brake that gets rubbed off and a new layer left behind.

I've never used Hawk HPS, but would highly recommend checking their website for bedding instructions for those pads. This is your very first breaking in process so to speak. It's extremely important with race compound pads, and I'd be surprised if Hawk doesn't have a procedure for those. The bedding process is specifically to create that first layer of friction material on the rotor.

With all that said, being a DD it may not really matter that much, but I recommend doing things correctly for the peace of mind it provides. manshow is correct re the Superblue, however if you do decide to track the car, you've already got a fluid that has a very high boiling point so you won't experience fade.

BTW, ATE makes super yellow too, so when you purge your old brake fluid for new, you'll know that you've gotten all the old (blue) fluid out just by the color. I'm running yellow currently ;)
 
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