earlyapex
04-06-2005, 12:55 PM
Ok, as promised, here is my review of the RRE / Performance Friction 2-piece floating rotors and RRE / Performance Friction brake pads "95.7" compound:
The car:
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR
I wanted to test out these rotors and pads since one of my track buddies had basically gone through 3 sets of rotors because of heat related issues at the track. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to deal with this same issue when I got my Evo. Coming from a open-track prepped 04 WRX sedan with the Stoptech BBK and Carbotech Panther Plus pads you can understand my need for outstanding brakes when switching to the Evo.
I worked with Ty of RRE and he was nothing but helpful in suggesting I try this system out and see what I thought.
Right out of the box these things are beauties. The floating design is quite a different design than my Stoptechs where. Instead of using a floating pin and bolt system like the Stoptechs did, the PF rotors used a "bridged" approach to the floating design. Essentialy the outer rotor ring isn't actually bolted down to the inner aluminum hat at all, but "floats" in a bridge system that has anti-rattle and movement "springs". By just looking at the design I figured they could make more noise than the Stoptech system did.
The shipping label on the box if I recall correctly, was 38lbs. Included in that weight was a set of stainless steel brake lines and a bottle of Motul 600c. I'm not sure what the pair of stock 1-peice rotors weigh but from holding the stock rotor in my hands and the PF rotor in my hands, there is quite an obvious reduction in weight.
Install was straightforward. This is a true "take your old rotors off, bolt the new PF rotors on". Same with the PF pads of course.
After install I went to bed in the new brakes. I did approx 8 70mph to 10mph braking events. While I was doing this, the rotors made a pretty loud whirl noise on hard braking. In retrospect I contribute this to the plating and bedding in process. After they where bed in they where not loud at all. This is not to say this system is as quiet as the stock system. This is a setup that is more slated to track use than street use and you have to understand that any setup that works worth a damn will make SOME noise.
I was coming from Carbotech Panther plus pads that basically squeeled like a freaking stuck pig every time you got on the brakes. Very annoying even for a track junkie like me while running them on the street but I figured that was the trade off for having the hand of god stop your car.
At first, this setup did make some squeeling noises, but much more faint than the carbotechs and stoptech BBK. The other noise this system makes is a very faint "whirling" sound when you drive next to things that bounce the sound back to you like highway dividers, walls ,etc. It's not loud but its a different sound than you hear stock. I think this is from the combo of dimples and floating system. It isn't annoying to me or loud at all but it's there.
Ok, this is getting long so lets just get to the real meat, how the hell these things perform on track.
I took the Evo to a track event at Thunderhill on 3/30/05. I drove seven 30min sessions where the only cool down lap I took in each session was the last lap. I logged slightly over 200 on-track miles. I purposely beat the crap out of this system by being on the brakes longer than I usually am to build more heat. On the front straight I would reach speeds of approx 125mph before having to get on the brakes very hard. Thunderhill is not kind on brakes at all and it will show weak spots of any cars braking system.
This system performed on par with the Stoptech BBK system I had on my WRX. I basically did not have to worry about my brakes what so ever at this event. The PF pads have great modulation and great progression, which means I could easily trail brake without any on/off engagement that some pads have. They did not fade at any point during the day.
At one point in the day I had to deal with a pesky orange bondurant-prepped Mustang that would not let me pass for a whole lap even though I was glued to his bumper, so I had to take drastic measures and out-brake him at the end of the front straight. No problems what so ever and no pucker moment.
The pads dust less than my Carbotechs did, they have the same performance as them and they are MUCH quieter. In fact, the whole system is MUCH more quiet AFTER the track event. I might not have bed them in 100% before or something but they are quieter. No squeels, some slight whine under light braking but only sometimes and not annoying at all.
Now, some concerns I do have after this event is that the rotors did get grooved much more after one event than my stoptechs ever did, even after I put the stoptechs through approx 6 events. I also noticed a tiny bit of chunking on the outer edge of the PF pads as well. Perhaps I just got these things too hot from purposely over braking, but again they never faded at all.
I will give more feedback after the next couple events I do. My next event is at buttonwillow on the 25th of April. I really want to get a couple events done with this system to give a 100% complete review.
Overall, for the price, I think this is a great system espically when compared to the price / performance ratio of bigger full-brake system upgrades. They WILL MAKE MORE NOISE than the stock Evo setup. If you are a person who TRUELY needs this type of system than the small amounts of extra noise they add to the car will not annoy you espically for the added performance you get in return.
For Evo owners who see one or two track events a year and drives mostly on the street, I would probably recommend just a pad and fluid upgrade. For track junkies like me on a budget, I would recommend this system so far.
Feel free to email me with any questions you might have. Photos are coming soon!
The car:
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR
I wanted to test out these rotors and pads since one of my track buddies had basically gone through 3 sets of rotors because of heat related issues at the track. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to deal with this same issue when I got my Evo. Coming from a open-track prepped 04 WRX sedan with the Stoptech BBK and Carbotech Panther Plus pads you can understand my need for outstanding brakes when switching to the Evo.
I worked with Ty of RRE and he was nothing but helpful in suggesting I try this system out and see what I thought.
Right out of the box these things are beauties. The floating design is quite a different design than my Stoptechs where. Instead of using a floating pin and bolt system like the Stoptechs did, the PF rotors used a "bridged" approach to the floating design. Essentialy the outer rotor ring isn't actually bolted down to the inner aluminum hat at all, but "floats" in a bridge system that has anti-rattle and movement "springs". By just looking at the design I figured they could make more noise than the Stoptech system did.
The shipping label on the box if I recall correctly, was 38lbs. Included in that weight was a set of stainless steel brake lines and a bottle of Motul 600c. I'm not sure what the pair of stock 1-peice rotors weigh but from holding the stock rotor in my hands and the PF rotor in my hands, there is quite an obvious reduction in weight.
Install was straightforward. This is a true "take your old rotors off, bolt the new PF rotors on". Same with the PF pads of course.
After install I went to bed in the new brakes. I did approx 8 70mph to 10mph braking events. While I was doing this, the rotors made a pretty loud whirl noise on hard braking. In retrospect I contribute this to the plating and bedding in process. After they where bed in they where not loud at all. This is not to say this system is as quiet as the stock system. This is a setup that is more slated to track use than street use and you have to understand that any setup that works worth a damn will make SOME noise.
I was coming from Carbotech Panther plus pads that basically squeeled like a freaking stuck pig every time you got on the brakes. Very annoying even for a track junkie like me while running them on the street but I figured that was the trade off for having the hand of god stop your car.
At first, this setup did make some squeeling noises, but much more faint than the carbotechs and stoptech BBK. The other noise this system makes is a very faint "whirling" sound when you drive next to things that bounce the sound back to you like highway dividers, walls ,etc. It's not loud but its a different sound than you hear stock. I think this is from the combo of dimples and floating system. It isn't annoying to me or loud at all but it's there.
Ok, this is getting long so lets just get to the real meat, how the hell these things perform on track.
I took the Evo to a track event at Thunderhill on 3/30/05. I drove seven 30min sessions where the only cool down lap I took in each session was the last lap. I logged slightly over 200 on-track miles. I purposely beat the crap out of this system by being on the brakes longer than I usually am to build more heat. On the front straight I would reach speeds of approx 125mph before having to get on the brakes very hard. Thunderhill is not kind on brakes at all and it will show weak spots of any cars braking system.
This system performed on par with the Stoptech BBK system I had on my WRX. I basically did not have to worry about my brakes what so ever at this event. The PF pads have great modulation and great progression, which means I could easily trail brake without any on/off engagement that some pads have. They did not fade at any point during the day.
At one point in the day I had to deal with a pesky orange bondurant-prepped Mustang that would not let me pass for a whole lap even though I was glued to his bumper, so I had to take drastic measures and out-brake him at the end of the front straight. No problems what so ever and no pucker moment.
The pads dust less than my Carbotechs did, they have the same performance as them and they are MUCH quieter. In fact, the whole system is MUCH more quiet AFTER the track event. I might not have bed them in 100% before or something but they are quieter. No squeels, some slight whine under light braking but only sometimes and not annoying at all.
Now, some concerns I do have after this event is that the rotors did get grooved much more after one event than my stoptechs ever did, even after I put the stoptechs through approx 6 events. I also noticed a tiny bit of chunking on the outer edge of the PF pads as well. Perhaps I just got these things too hot from purposely over braking, but again they never faded at all.
I will give more feedback after the next couple events I do. My next event is at buttonwillow on the 25th of April. I really want to get a couple events done with this system to give a 100% complete review.
Overall, for the price, I think this is a great system espically when compared to the price / performance ratio of bigger full-brake system upgrades. They WILL MAKE MORE NOISE than the stock Evo setup. If you are a person who TRUELY needs this type of system than the small amounts of extra noise they add to the car will not annoy you espically for the added performance you get in return.
For Evo owners who see one or two track events a year and drives mostly on the street, I would probably recommend just a pad and fluid upgrade. For track junkies like me on a budget, I would recommend this system so far.
Feel free to email me with any questions you might have. Photos are coming soon!