Which would your 9th Civic Prefer - Big Brake Kit or just Drilled Rotors?

Just as nix said. You just gotta decide what you need it for. If its just for looks? Unless you track it its really unnecessary, especially for Si with all around disc.

Its an investment that's prob better spent elsewhere, like suspension. Unless you got money coming out of your ***. (Considering this is a civic forum.. unlikely) (2cents):badger: <badger?
 
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I'd agree that the rotors that came stock are good enough for normal street driving, and we can always slow it down when it rains and hope no one rear ends us. Or, we can upgrade parts like pads and water dispersing rotors(I'd want an after market company that can do a proper job on drilling holes so as not to warp/crack the disc). I think it's time for car companies to stop selling cars with rear drums, I can't see where drums are cheaper than rotors. I think it's just to boost the price for disc brakes.

But all the money I see going into stuff for looks, and in some cases defeating function to do it. I can see where nice looking rotors can be an attraction. Me, I'll probably just go with painting my calipers, and maybe changing pad types(after some study). I've already been upgrading my pads on my MC's years ago.
EBC HH Pads have worked well for me.
 
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The thing I notice most in the wet is not the rotor or the pad but how wet they get. With the winter wheels on, steelies and plastic wheel covers/hubcaps, almost no water gets on the pad/rotor. Braking is always the same. In the summer with an open wheel design I can actually feel the pads slip until they heat up and "boil" the water off. It's very unnerving but you can definitely feel the brake force ramp up as they dry. Pushing the pedal earlier helps since I can dry them off by dragging them a bit.

I think BMW used to advertise active braking in the wet where some sort of sensor knew it was raining out and would drag the pads a little when you let off the gas to prepare the car for braking.


And seriously... drums... ugh. Hate em. They look like crap more than anything but they do put out a decent amount of braking force. They have more surface area than most discs so with a nice high friction compound they aren't that bad. Who makes a nice race compound drum shoe anymore though? Well, a mainstream one anyway. I have some pretty nice ones from Porterfield. I can power/e-brake slide better with my drums than most people with rear discs.
 
I know the disc brake civic EX had shorter stopping distance than LX (drums). I dunno if it had anything to do with drums. Maybe the honda ones suck.

Yah they look like poop. :barf:
 
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I'm at a mind set to pre drag my brakes for any number of reasons, like settling the car/bike on it's suspension prior to using, much more stable; drying; checking for fade; and like you say water.

I have mostly open air wheels(no winter wheels down here....... But my mc's have had holes in the disc from the factory since the 70's that I can remember, they work well in the rain. I think what they should do is make longer e-brake handles that won't lock when we pull up on them(like my car in the UK), if you want to park with it, you pull the handle up and push the button to lock it.
 
Since we are on the topic. How hard is to swap in discs into the rear, in place of drums; say from EX.???
 
When you're racing, better suspension > better brakes. Who needs to stop (or brake pedals) when you can cut through corners with ease? :giggle:

But in honesty, blanks and pads with stainless steel brake lines and a DOT4 brake fluid will perform very well on the track. That goes for around $450-$600. Then you can save up for stickier tires and light weight wheels (~$3000). This setup will be just enough for a good weekend track car.

Bigger brake systems are really intended for wheels/tires with larger diameter and larger 'moment of inertia'. The Civics have puny wheels/tires. It will stop a car quicker than a normal sized brake system. But you'll also need the right tires, maybe fatter and stickier tires that will produce a bigger surface contact in order to stop as short of a distance as possible.

Using the 2006-2011 Civic Si as a reference, their K-sport Big Brake Kit goes for about $3421 ($1663, for the 13" fronts with 8-piston calipers and $1758, for the 11" rears with 4-piston calipers). Then you'll end up buying ~$3000 wheels/tires. That will be around $6500 just on the BBK, brake fluid, light weight wheels, and beefy sticky tires.

And in addition, if you get a rear big brake system, the OEM handbrake will NOT work. Lol. Not with 4-piston calipers holding on a rotor.
 
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I'm sure the discs are better all the way round. I wonder if the EX and LX compared in that test had the same tires though? Could make a world of difference.


Monk - do you maintain a residence in the UK or was this at a different time? Also what car did you have?
 
phil136 said:
I know the disc brake civic EX had shorter stopping distance than LX (drums). I dunno if it had anything to do with drums. Maybe the honda ones suck.

Yah they look like poop. :barf:
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I'm going to guess that the stock drums on cars in this price range aren't going to have great drums, when they really want you to buy the next step up in braking, by getting the disc., and disc aren't Brembo either.
 
phil136 - rear swap isn't hard, the cost holds most people back. Find a wrecked donor car to swap caliper, rotor, knuckle, new brake lines, and I would change the proportioning valve as well.
 
phil136 said:
Since we are on the topic. How hard is to swap in discs into the rear, in place of drums; say from EX.???
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It is pretty tedious and expensive. I've seen a member do that on 8thcivic and he spent between $200-$250 in parts. You'll also need to get a new e-brake line and connect it from the rear brakes all the way to the e-brake lever.
 
Nix said:
I'm sure the discs are better all the way round. I wonder if the EX and LX compared in that test had the same tires though? Could make a world of difference.


Monk - do you maintain a residence in the UK or was this at a different time? Also what car did you have?
Click to expand...

looked back; test didnt actually provide the stopping distance for drums... :giggle:
 
250 in parts doesnt seem so bad?

It would def be from a wreck or something along those lines...

Not sure if its worth it though, the performance difference is probably marginal...
 
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Like Dar-Dar & Nix said, tyres, tyres, tyres...... it's the only part that touches the road........ I'll always put my money in good tyres.
 
phil136 said:
250 in parts doesnt seem so bad?

It would def be from a wreck or something along those lines...
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Actually, you're right. Rotors do go for about $80 a piece on average. Disregard the expensive part. Lol. The post I made about the BBK is expensive.
 
Nix said:
I'm sure the discs are better all the way round. I wonder if the EX and LX compared in that test had the same tires though? Could make a world of difference.


Monk - do you maintain a residence in the UK or was this at a different time? Also what car did you have?
Click to expand...

I only live there in my head, now.......... It was a world I never knew could give so much pleasure and learning, from driving..... to women........... I was active in race clubs, and pubs for over three years that I lived there. Learned to be a dartsman to the point of winning money when I played in contest here in the USA.(Lucky Strike's a big one nationally).

I've raced on Silverstone, and Brans Hatch, and a multitude of sprint/gymkhana meets taking in 1st places, class,(and over all in tight courses). I bought a '68 brand new Thriumph Spitfire mark III(or IV, getting old) $1700. Upgraded the suspension 1st off, Koni's and springs, and a reverse camber rear end(so when the rear un-wt.'s the wheels would poke, instead of tuck like a old VW.
Never did any mod's to the engine, just took the carbs apart on a regular bases to super clean them(kept them from dying in long tight turns to one side)(forget which side). It was all in the handling for me, that's probably why I'm not a big power person to this day.
 
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Monk, that sounds awesome man. I'm jealous. I wish I had been around for those sort of times. Things are complicated now. I feel like it's not as much fun as it used to be and im not that old.


Phil- what springs you going with?


I almost forgot...

:hijacked:
 
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