DBA 4000 Series Rotors and Hawk Ceramic pads fitted

[gmc]

Here are pics of the DBA 4000 series rotors and Hawk Ceramic pads fitted.

Fitment took approximately 20mins a side. The only special tool needed was a torx bit to remove and refit the rotor retaining bolt that secures it to the hub while the wheel is off.

The Hawk pads come with pad wear sensors on both sides. Because the GTI has a sensor only on the passenger side, I cut off the cable for the driver's side pad to keep it nice and tidy.

The new stock rotors and pads were removed 2 days after they were fitted and bedded in by the local VW dealer, so this was a really good back to back test. Due to the hardness of the pads, they needed around 200kms of driving to really bed in 100%. The initial bite and feel is on par with the OEM setup, but the moderate to heavy braking, especially from higher freeway speeds is a big improvement on stock.

 

[gmc]

Last picture with the connector for the passenger side pad level sensor shown.

 

[SevenW]

Nice!:thumbup:

I was close on buying a set of DBA for my Golf, I use to run a set of Gold series on my old Pug. Good discs, what did you pay for them.

7

 

[mrx]

When you say no special tools required, apart from the torx bit, did you have any issues with pushing the piston back into the calipers - particulalry the rear (as I believe they screw in/out on the rear)?

 

[ApexTwin]

Nice Gerard. Got any pics of how the rotors look behind the wheels...

 

[MarioR32]

Nice work.... how do they feel?

mario

 

[gmc]

Nice!:thumbup:

I was close on buying a set of DBA for my Golf, I use to run a set of Gold series on my old Pug. Good discs, what did you pay for them.

7

We stock and sell them. Here's the link.

When you say no special tools required, apart from the torx bit, did you have any issues with pushing the piston back into the calipers - particulalry the rear (as I believe they screw in/out on the rear)?

Only done the front so far. I'm waiting for the 14mm Triple Square bit which is needed to take the calipers off the rear spindles.

Nice Gerard. Got any pics of how the rotors look behind the wheels...

I'll take some pics tonight and post them up.

 

[gmc]

Nice work.... how do they feel?

mario

The initial bite and feel is on par with the OEM setup, but the moderate to heavy braking, especially from higher freeway speeds is a big improvement on stock.

I'm expecting it to feel even better once I've fitted the matching rear rotors and pads.

 

[DRMAT]

200kms isn't really a bedded in, they might have knocked the very top layer off but they won't be bedded. Have a read of this link then go and bed them in properly and see how much better they come up. (Just check that ceramic pads are safe for same bedding procedure, i'd assume they would be?).

Bedding in Theory
Bedding in Procedure for high performance discs and pads

 

[gmc]

200kms isn't really a bedded in, they might have knocked the very top layer off but they won't be bedded. Have a read of this link then go and bed them in properly and see how much better they come up. (Just check that ceramic pads are safe for same bedding procedure, i'd assume they would be?).

Bedding in Theory
Bedding in Procedure for high performance discs and pads

I'm fully aware of all the theory...

There was a total of around 50 stops performed with a moderate to hard pedal application from 60~70m/h down to 10km/h as the initial bed in procedure over a 2 day period.

I've bedded in brakes on many different vehicles and a variety of pads and can say from experience that they're now fully bedded in. For the first 180kms or so, they didn't stop as good as the factory setup. The rotor surface will also visibly tell you that they're not bedded in.

Until the pads bed in fully, they will overheat very quickly and provide a low friction coefficient. This was exactly the case initially, a couple of hard stops from freeway speeds would have them smoking with visible heat stress marks small parts of the rotor. They now cope with multiple stops from 100km/h without any drama with the full face of the rotor being visibly swept by the pads.

 

[gmc]

Here's some really good information from Bendix as well with diagrams which explain it very well.

http://www.bendix.com.au/TitaniumStripe.aspx

 

[funny]

Noice....
I know what i'll be getting when i use up my pads...

 

[funny]

The system should then be allowed to cool, by driving the vehicle at the highest safe speed for the circumstances, without bringing it to a complete stop with the brakes still applied.

Does this mean you have to keep the brakes on lightly whilst driving? Or means don't use the brake to stop?
I'm confused...

 

[mrx]

It means don't keep the brakes on once you're stopped, just roll up for the last little bit, or you're likely to undo all your good work - or worst case end up with the pads stuck to the rotors.

 

[gmc]

When bedding the pads and rotors in, they will get really hot. The general rule is to brake heavily over and over from around 70km/h down to nearly 10km/h. It's best not to come to a complete stop because the heat produced may prematurely warp the rotors. By continually moving, you're pumping air through the rotors and not allowing any particular part of the rotor to become overly hot which tends to happen when you come to a dead stop. You also have to be careful to not over do it and cook the rotor/pads when bedding them in.

That's the main reason why at track days, you never, ever pull up after a session and reef the hand brake, even after the cool down lap. The residual/excess heat in the rear rotors and pads can cause the rotors to warp and pads to even bind as they cool down.