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Just upgraded my brakes - Alon's Review on Stoptech Rotors
For the past few years I have been pulling trailers on average of once a month, sometimes more. The usual load is a few hundred pounds of firewood, buggy, tools, ~25 gallons of gas, ~25 gallons of water, gear...etc. I found myself upgrading performance to deal with the extra load, adding an intake, exhaust, programmer along with 4.56 gears (upgraded from stock 3.55). These all helped out tremendously, and with little effort, my ranger did everything I could ask of it, and then some. My only complaint of the little tow truck was braking performance, or the lack thereof. Running with no trailer brakes, the stock brakes were just not up to the challenge ahead.
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC05302.jpg ~1000 lbs of fire wood, buggy, quad, 30 gallons of gas and 30 gallons of water +gear....heavy load! So I sat down and did some research on brakes, figured out how I would be using them and settled down on a set of Stoptech slotted rotors and Axxis Pads. (I went with axxis because I needed them for a trip in 2 days, and they were in stock. I highly recommend the Centric Posi-quiets with the stoptech rotors). So I came into work on thursday afternoon to find some nice big boxes with my name on them. Here is what I found.... http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC04524.jpg stoptech brakes, axxis pads, new drums and shoes http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC04518.jpg The lineup of stoptech brakes and axxis pads, drums and shoes http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC04510.jpg |
Just the pads/rotors
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC04517.jpg Closeup of Ranger StopTech rotors http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC04513.jpg One more closeup of Ranger stoptech rotors http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC04514.jpg Boy was I excited. I was taking the truck into the shop on Friday morning, then hooking up to the trailer later in the afternoon to drive up to pismo beach in central california. I took my truck to the shop at 8:00 AM.... At the shop....And I waited patiently until they finished http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC05700.jpg |
Rotors/pads installed
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC05694.jpg Another view of the slotted rotors http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC05697.jpg One more just for good measure. http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC05695.jpg I jumped back in at 11:00 and proceeded with the bed in (break in) procedure of heaving prolonged stopping and the heating/cooling cycles. Had some lunch and did another round of the bed in process. By that time I was anxious to get on the road with my new and improved brakes. By 12:00 I was on the road http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...i-DSC05657.jpg The brakes worked PERFECTLY and were a HUGE improvement over stock. I was about to order a brake controller for the truck and trailer brakes, but there is really no need with this setup. I ended up coming down highway 154 from the 101 (for those who know the area) and climbed close to 3k feet. The trip down the mountain I would have been sweating normally, but not with the StopTechs and the knowledge of my increased braking performance. If you could not tell by any of my post, I LOVE MY NEW BRAKES! You can find the stoptech rotors right here... http://www.modbargains.com/product.a...Stop_Rotors_KY Centric Pads http://www.modbargains.com/product.a...0_24WD_0407_DC Stage 2 kit for 04-08 F150 http://www.modbargains.com/product.a...Tech_Stage2_MW |
:thumbsup:
How much did the install run, or did you have a special break on that? I'm still debating between installing them myself or having the dealership do it. I don't really have access to a shop, so it'd be kinda of a PITA to do it myself. - NCSU Edited to Add: I was just looking at the Stage 2 upgrade and I see a price of $599.95 for 4x4, but at the bottom of the page it says "Recently Viewed Items" and it shows the Stage 2 Brake Upgrade at $574.95 :confused: |
Originally Posted by NCSU_05_FX4
(Post 3176079)
:thumbsup:
How much did the install run, or did you have a special break on that? I'm still debating between installing them myself or having the dealership do it. I don't really have access to a shop, so it'd be kinda of a PITA to do it myself. - NCSU I would have done it myself, but I got the brakes on thursday, and left for pismo on friday. I was finishing loading the trailer while it was in the shop, so logistically it worked out well. |
Originally Posted by Alon@ModBargains
(Post 3176092)
Was $220 ish (need to check the invoice) and that was for a new spring kit for the drums and swapping the front brake lines/bleeding the brakes.
I would have done it myself, but I got the brakes on thursday, and left for pismo on friday. I was finishing loading the trailer while it was in the shop, so logistically it worked out well. - NCSU |
Originally Posted by NCSU_05_FX4
(Post 3176104)
That's not too bad. Where did you get it done? I'm thinking someplace like Midas might have a better price on installation than the dealers around here.
- NCSU |
Originally Posted by Alon@ModBargains
(Post 3176251)
A local place that I really trust, the owner and my grandpa go waaaaaayback. If you take it to midas, watch them very carefully. Its hard to find a shop that is reputable and trustworthy these days.
- NCSU |
Looks damn good but you should have invested in some new dust caps......:eek:
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Originally Posted by Screw-Me-05
(Post 3176284)
Looks damn good but you should have invested in some new dust caps......:eek:
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to notice! That was the result of a trailside fix and i just never got around to getting new ones. I'll go pickup a pair and swap them out one of these days. :D |
What was in the Black Centric Box? The Rotors or Drums?
If it was the rotors that means Stoptech is outsourcing through Centric and then sticking their name on stuff. No big deal I know a few companies that do this with the Centric Brand of rotors. |
Originally Posted by Richard D
(Post 3176385)
What was in the Black Centric Box? The Rotors or Drums?
If it was the rotors that means Stoptech is outsourcing through Centric and then sticking their name on stuff. No big deal I know a few companies that do this with the Centric Brand of rotors. Centric is the parent company for stoptech, and now powerslot. |
Well if the Powerslot rotors are now going to be the Centric Brand then that is a huge improvement for that brand as the Powerslots SUCK!
The pictures in the other thread for Mark looks like Powerslot brand, NOT Centric. |
Originally Posted by Richard D
(Post 3176418)
Well if the Powerslot rotors are now going to be the Centric Brand then that is a huge improvement for that brand as the Powerslots SUCK!
The pictures in the other thread for Mark looks like Powerslot brand, NOT Centric. Basically, Centric is the parent company, who just bought powerslot in october. Stoptech is the "StopTech is the performance engineering and manufacturing division of Centric Parts." |
Hmm so it looks like they plan on keeping the Powerslot brand as they are and have no plans to improve them or simply swap their lineup and sell them as Powerslots. O well no big deal since the Centric Brand is still present.
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