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stoptech brakes faq



➜ ABOUT STOPTECH

StopTech is the high performance and racing brand from Centric Parts - a leading innovator of world class brake components and systems for production-based race cars and high performance vehicles on the street and track. StopTech was the first to offer balanced brake upgrades for production cars and remains the worldwide leader with over 700 platform offerings that dramatically improve overall braking performance.

StopTech was founded in 1999 with the singular mission of becoming the leading aftermarket manufacturer and supplier of high performance brake components and systems. The company founders sought to challenge the status quo in known brake technology, and set new paradigms for brake system upgrades. United by their passion for racing and high performance vehicles, the company quickly earned a reputation for quality and performance both on and off the track.

StopTech’s industry-leading technologies and materials - from rock solid calipers to ingeniously efficient heat handling rotors - have earned the company five patents and numerous industry honors over the years. In 2013, StopTech earned full ISO/TS 16949:2009 Quality Management System certification for the design and manufacture of automotive brake systems and components, allowing the company to supply OEM vehicle assembly plants directly in a Tier 1 relationship.

StopTech® has been awarded the highly coveted TÜV approval on several big brake kits. StopTech® kits successfully passed TÜV’s demanding series of tests that range from performance and durability, to proper fitment and ease of installation. Although TÜV certification is not required in all countries, TÜV approval demonstrates that StopTech’s® Balanced Brake Upgrades® meet the rigorous standards set by this respected German Agency. StopTech® Big Brake Kits have been awarded a Teilgutachten. The complete kit is certified to run on a particular application, so customers do not need to pay for further testing with the TÜV agency.

➜ FAQ

1. How do you clean the shipping oil off of new rotors?

Stoptech uses several different protective coatings. They can all be removed using warm soapy water or brake cleaner (or similar solvent that leaves no residue) if needed. (close)

2. What is the bed-in procedure for new brake pads and rotors?

Stoptech brake pads are scorched at the factory, and will bed-in during a normal post service road test. No special procedure is necessary. (close)

3. I feel a strange pulsation under braking. Are my rotors warped?

Your rotors are not warped. The term “warped rotors” is frequently incorrectly used to explain the judder sometimes felt under braking, however, the iron used in rotors is almost impossible to physically warp because of its hardness and stability. Instead, the vibration is typically due to either an uneven transfer layer of friction material on the rotor face, corrosion resulting in an uneven surface condition, or by a prior unsuccessful machining of the rotor by a technician. A proper bed-in (see above) is essential to minimize the occurrence of this phenomenon.

A re-machining of the rotor surface might solve the problem temporarily, but it will likely return if there has been a conversion of the iron makeup below the deposit to cementite (also known as “hot spots”) - an iron-carbide. Cementite is harder than the base iron so when turned on a brake lathe, the harder deposit area will deflect the nose radius on the cutting tool and the high spot will still be present to a degree and the process of increasing deposit of new pad material over the high spot will re-start. Surface grinding of the rotor will produce a suitable result if the two friction surfaces are flat and parallel but there will still be areas of greater hardness. (close)

4. Do I need to replace the rotors when I replace the pads?

Rotors only need to be replaced if they are thinner than the allowable minimum thickness, if they are cracked, or if damage exists that cannot be repaired by properly resurfacing the brake rotor. (close)

5. Do I need to machine the rotors when I replace the pads?

If you are experiencing no brake vibrations/judder and there is no excessive grooving/wear in the brake rotors, they do not need to be machined. If a pulsation/judder condition is present, or if excessive grooving exists in the brake rotor, it may have to be either machined or replaced. Always make sure that after machining a brake rotor the rotor is safely above its minimum thickness specification. (close)

6. My brake pads make noise under braking, what can I do?

The annoying high-pitched noise known as brake squeal is usually associated with some incorrect or inferior combination of friction materials. This type of brake noise can be reduced by the use of anti squeal plates. It can also be improved by the use of a different pad material, but also made worse if the former and current pad materials are incompatible. Other common causes of brake noise include worn pad and/or caliper hardware, surface contamination of the brake pads or brake rotors, and poor rotor surface condition. (close)

7. Do I need to bleed my brakes every time I change the pads and rotors?

While not absolutely necessary, properly bleeding the brakes after changing pads almost always results in a firmer, more responsive brake pedal and better performance. Always follow manufacturer recommendations regarding brake fluid changes. (close)

8. I can't get my brakes to bleed. What am I doing wrong?

Refer to your service manual. Different makes and models require different specific bleeding procedures. Some models require a scan tool to carry out this procedure. Additionally, if the calipers were replaced, make sure they were installed on the correct sides of the vehicle so that the bleeder valves are towards the top of the caliper. (close)

9. Why do my pads wear unevenly?

Uneven pad wear can occur for a variety of reasons. Minor cases of uneven or tapered wear can be normal, but more severe cases can be caused by:

• Worn or sticking caliper slide pins
• Worn caliper or pad hardware
• Corrosion of the caliper/caliper bracket (close)

10. Why do my new/machined rotors have measurable runout when installed on the hub?

OEM maximum lateral runout specifications generally range anywhere from 0.0012” to 0.0025” measured ¼” in from the outer diameter of the brake rotor. Obviously, ZERO is the ideal number, so regardless of the OEM maximum allowance for runout, the closer to ZERO, the better.

It is very rare to see a new rotor with more than .001” of runout out of the box. Most excessive runout conditions on floating or behind-the-hub rotor applications are due to either damaged or worn hubs, lack of cleanliness of the hub and rotor mating surfaces, or uneven/improper wheel fastener torque. (close)

11. Why can't I use an impact wrench to tighten spindle nuts and lug nuts?

Uneven wheel torque can cause the rotor to distort, resulting in a brake judder or pulsation.

Spindle nut torque, where specified, is critical to preload and set the internal wheel bearing lube clearance. Undertorque will result in excessive lube clearance and overtorque can distort the bearing. Both cases will lead to premature failure of the bearing. (close)

12. Why do some European OE brakes produce black dust?

European brake systems are intentionally designed using relatively abrasive friction material with relatively soft, “high carbon” or “dampened iron” brake rotors. While this system offers excellent performance and low noise, the majority of the dust seen is caused by the pad wearing the rotor. (close)

13. Will my Stoptech parts brake rotors rust?

Brake Rotors are made of cast iron, which will oxidize/corrode/rust if exposed to caustic chemicals or moisture. We have taken measures to limit the exposure of the iron rotor by utilizing a unique e-coating on our premium brake rotors. E-coating is an Electrocoating finish applied to all surfaces not swept by the brake pads.

While this coating does an excellent job of protecting the surfaces underneath it, it cannot protect the friction surfaces, or swept surfaces of the brake rotor. Stoptech Parts leaves the friction surfaces, or swept surfaces, uncoated because brake pads require an interface with a plain cast iron surface to operate correctly. Some manufactures sell rotors that are plated or coated in their entirety, which looks attractive before installation, but that coating will very quickly wear from the friction surfaces resulting in a rotor friction surface exposed to the elements and subject to corrosion/oxidation/rust. In addition, any coating on a new rotor friction surface can contaminate the brake pad during initial pad break-in, resulting in noise and performance issues.

If the brake rotors are used in a corrosive environments (i.e. where caustic road de-icers are used), rinsing the brake system as often as is practical with water will help keep the friction surfaces free from excessive corrosion. (close)

➜ TECH INQUIRIES

StopTech® is one of a very small group of qualified manufacturers in North America capable of producing complete bespoke brake systems for OEM clients. StopTech's level of technical resources far outpaces other performance aftermarket brake manufacturers. In early 2013, StopTech earned full ISO/TS 16949:2009 Quality Management System certification for the design and manufacture of automotive brake systems and components, allowing the company to supply OEM vehicle assembly plants directly in a Tier 1 relationship.

All new client projects are initiated through the StopTech Sales department so that a clear definition of the project's scope, budget, and timeline is defined up front. Next, an engineer or sales engineer is assigned to the client.

Inside StopTech's Compton engineering and R&D facility, the engineering staff can optimize a brake system design for each vehicle application. Component and kit designs are produced in Solidworks and FEA studies are completed in Solidworks Simulation. Three in-house coordinate measuring machines are available to precisely dimension and inspect components. Mass-optimization software is employed on special projects. CAD conversion to Catia is available by request.

Two Link Engineering brake dynos are continuously running 24/7 to perform in-house testing of brake components and systems, and to benchmark other manufacturers’ components. StopTech's first Link 3900 brake dyno was placed into service in January 2008. Since then it has been used primarily to test passenger and light truck applications. As delivered from the factory, its air handling system provided 150mph of airflow. Modifications made by StopTech increased the air velocity limit to 210mph. Dyno #1 can simulate GVWs (gross vehicle weights) of up to 12,000 pounds.

StopTech's second Link 3900 dyno entered service in February 2010 and has been used primarily for full-size truck testing, including drum brakes and armored vehicles, and for parking brake testing. Dyno #2 has also been configured to reach a maximum air velocity of 210mph and can simulate GVWs of up to 24,000 pounds. A third dyno is expected to arrive in 2012.

StopTech has a full library of dyno testing protocols available including SAE J2521 NVH, SAE J2522 Friction Characterization, high load tests and thermal crack resistance tests.

In addition to in-house testing capabilities, StopTech can perform extensive on-vehicle testing. On-vehicle FMVSS 135 testing is performed using the Link 3801 Data Acquisition System. StopTech also employs the VBOX 20SL3 GPS Datalogger featuring simultaneous 3-axis measuring. Setup and changeovers are fast, ideal in racing situations.

Finally, StopTech enlists the services of independent testing laboratories for special procedures such as salt spray testing per ASTM B117, cyclic corrosion testing per SAE J2334 and vibration testing.

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