Installed: Frozen Rotors & Hawk HPS Pads
05-12-2005, 10:06 AM
#1
Installed: Frozen Rotors & Hawk HPS Pads
I just got back from a road trip, and had a chance to properly "bead-in" my new front Frozen Rotors and Hawk pads.
I used the break-in technique described on the StopTech LLC website found here:
http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/bedinstock.htm
This was performed on the highway while on a long-distance trip, so I had PLENTY of time to allow the rotors to cool between heat cycles.
a note: be careful when performing this procedure on the hwy, and give yourself PLENTY of distance between other cars and trucks!!
Stoptech recommends 2 cycles of 10 stops each, of moderately aggressive braking from 60-20 mph, WITHOUT cooling in-between. During this process, you must achieve 75-80% of maximum braking force, or just enough to begin to engage the anti-lock system. You'll know it when you get there...!
The idea is to burnish or bead-in the pads and rotors, and to "mate" the pad materials to the surface of the rotors; this will leave a microscopic layer of pad material on the rotor surface while COOKING-OUT any adhesives or bonding agents present in the new pads.
These bonding agents having continual contact with hot rotors (at a full stop)are one main cause for "warping" rotors, partucularly when pads are new.
During the first cycle, after five moderately hard stops - I noticed a large plume of smoke in my review mirror that was a bit disconcerting, so I let the brakes cool for an hour before attempting another cycle. Stoptech says that "a STRONG SMELL OF BURNING BRAKE LINING in the cabin WILL BE NORMAL during this process", and indeed - it WAS!
In all I performed three cycles, 5 stops, 10 & 10, respectively.
The key is to NOT LET THE PADS ever touch the hot rotors or come to a complete stop between cycles. I was careful to allow my brakes to cool at least one hour before attempting another cycle - this was done while traveling at 80mph on the hwy, and not using my brakes between cycles.
MUCH easier to do on a long roadtrip!
I feel that the brakes are now properly beaded-in, and the stopping performance is certainly improved over stock.
I have noticed that the pedal travels a bit farther before the brakes are engaged, but overall the FEEL is much more precise. (yes, my fluid is full!)
Average braking maneuvers are not markedly improved, but aggressive and PANIC stopping is VASTLY improved over OEM! These pads have TERRIFIC BITE! The biggest difference being that there is little to no FADE after repeated HEAVY consecutive braking, and the "feel" is extremely linear and confident.
Even during the bead-in process heating cycles, the brakes didn't truly begin fade until stop #7 or #8.
The frozen rotors come with heat sensitive paint on the edges of the rotors to indicate the maximum temperature achieved during this process. I achieved a relatively low max. of 700 degf. during my efforts. This tidbit is meaningless to the average driver, but will give the racer an indication of the max thermo capacity of the rotors (which is closer to 1000 degf).
Interesting.
The ONLY thing that worries me, is that the rotors have noticeable wear marks in the rotor face, but can BARELY be felt when touching the surface.
I'm not certain that this was supposed to happen, but hopefully it won't be an issue with these rotors over time.
So far, great stopping power when needed, and with any luck - these rotors will stand the test of time.
I paid $115 each for the front Frozen Rotors. Hawk HPS pads are about $65-70 per set.
Good money spent to fix a nagging problem on my max.
sorry for the long post -- I hope this info is helpful to anyone considering this "upgrade".
gr
I used the break-in technique described on the StopTech LLC website found here:
http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/bedinstock.htm
This was performed on the highway while on a long-distance trip, so I had PLENTY of time to allow the rotors to cool between heat cycles.
a note: be careful when performing this procedure on the hwy, and give yourself PLENTY of distance between other cars and trucks!!
Stoptech recommends 2 cycles of 10 stops each, of moderately aggressive braking from 60-20 mph, WITHOUT cooling in-between. During this process, you must achieve 75-80% of maximum braking force, or just enough to begin to engage the anti-lock system. You'll know it when you get there...!
The idea is to burnish or bead-in the pads and rotors, and to "mate" the pad materials to the surface of the rotors; this will leave a microscopic layer of pad material on the rotor surface while COOKING-OUT any adhesives or bonding agents present in the new pads.
These bonding agents having continual contact with hot rotors (at a full stop)are one main cause for "warping" rotors, partucularly when pads are new.
During the first cycle, after five moderately hard stops - I noticed a large plume of smoke in my review mirror that was a bit disconcerting, so I let the brakes cool for an hour before attempting another cycle. Stoptech says that "a STRONG SMELL OF BURNING BRAKE LINING in the cabin WILL BE NORMAL during this process", and indeed - it WAS!
In all I performed three cycles, 5 stops, 10 & 10, respectively.
The key is to NOT LET THE PADS ever touch the hot rotors or come to a complete stop between cycles. I was careful to allow my brakes to cool at least one hour before attempting another cycle - this was done while traveling at 80mph on the hwy, and not using my brakes between cycles.
MUCH easier to do on a long roadtrip!
I feel that the brakes are now properly beaded-in, and the stopping performance is certainly improved over stock.
I have noticed that the pedal travels a bit farther before the brakes are engaged, but overall the FEEL is much more precise. (yes, my fluid is full!)
Average braking maneuvers are not markedly improved, but aggressive and PANIC stopping is VASTLY improved over OEM! These pads have TERRIFIC BITE! The biggest difference being that there is little to no FADE after repeated HEAVY consecutive braking, and the "feel" is extremely linear and confident.
Even during the bead-in process heating cycles, the brakes didn't truly begin fade until stop #7 or #8.
The frozen rotors come with heat sensitive paint on the edges of the rotors to indicate the maximum temperature achieved during this process. I achieved a relatively low max. of 700 degf. during my efforts. This tidbit is meaningless to the average driver, but will give the racer an indication of the max thermo capacity of the rotors (which is closer to 1000 degf).
Interesting.
The ONLY thing that worries me, is that the rotors have noticeable wear marks in the rotor face, but can BARELY be felt when touching the surface.
I'm not certain that this was supposed to happen, but hopefully it won't be an issue with these rotors over time.
So far, great stopping power when needed, and with any luck - these rotors will stand the test of time.
I paid $115 each for the front Frozen Rotors. Hawk HPS pads are about $65-70 per set.
Good money spent to fix a nagging problem on my max.
sorry for the long post -- I hope this info is helpful to anyone considering this "upgrade".
gr
05-12-2005, 10:24 AM
#2
SR20DEN has these rotors, and has talked me into getting them. His review on them was pretty good. Minimal warpage, and good bite. He got the slotted ones, which I think are the only ones they offer.....correct me if I'm wrong.
05-12-2005, 10:50 AM
#3
Powerslot is now offering "frozen rotors", which are treated by the same company.
As far as the performance of the rotors goes....other than the actual make-up of the iron in the rotors, and the cryo-treatment....they're all the same.
I asked the owner of Frozen where they source their rotors from, and he said it's multiple vendors -- but he guaranteed the quality.
It's the cryo process that differentiates their product.
Some of those "group deals" and stuff on e-bay, are sourcing from unknown vendors (mostly in CHina) and likely you're getting an inferior product with a low iron composition or inferior porous materials.
I have to laugh when i see Brembo rotors for 02-03 maxes, since BREMBO does not make them yet!!
Really, the biggest improvement in braking performance on a stock setup is going to be the PADS and the TIRES.
The Frozen rotors, to me, are just a little prolongation against the inevitable warpage from a underengineered braking system.
gr
As far as the performance of the rotors goes....other than the actual make-up of the iron in the rotors, and the cryo-treatment....they're all the same.
I asked the owner of Frozen where they source their rotors from, and he said it's multiple vendors -- but he guaranteed the quality.
It's the cryo process that differentiates their product.
Some of those "group deals" and stuff on e-bay, are sourcing from unknown vendors (mostly in CHina) and likely you're getting an inferior product with a low iron composition or inferior porous materials.
I have to laugh when i see Brembo rotors for 02-03 maxes, since BREMBO does not make them yet!!
Really, the biggest improvement in braking performance on a stock setup is going to be the PADS and the TIRES.
The Frozen rotors, to me, are just a little prolongation against the inevitable warpage from a underengineered braking system.
gr
05-12-2005, 11:28 AM
#4
Originally Posted by ghostrider17
Powerslot is now offering "frozen rotors", which are treated by the same company.
As far as the performance of the rotors goes....other than the actual make-up of the iron in the rotors, and the cryo-treatment....they're all the same.
I asked the owner of Frozen where they source their rotors from, and he said it's multiple vendors -- but he guaranteed the quality.
It's the cryo process that differentiates their product.
Some of those "group deals" and stuff on e-bay, are sourcing from unknown vendors (mostly in CHina) and likely you're getting an inferior product with a low iron composition or inferior porous materials.
I have to laugh when i see Brembo rotors for 02-03 maxes, since BREMBO does not make them yet!!
Really, the biggest improvement in braking performance on a stock setup is going to be the PADS and the TIRES.
The Frozen rotors, to me, are just a little prolongation against the inevitable warpage from a underengineered braking system.
gr
As far as the performance of the rotors goes....other than the actual make-up of the iron in the rotors, and the cryo-treatment....they're all the same.
I asked the owner of Frozen where they source their rotors from, and he said it's multiple vendors -- but he guaranteed the quality.
It's the cryo process that differentiates their product.
Some of those "group deals" and stuff on e-bay, are sourcing from unknown vendors (mostly in CHina) and likely you're getting an inferior product with a low iron composition or inferior porous materials.
I have to laugh when i see Brembo rotors for 02-03 maxes, since BREMBO does not make them yet!!
Really, the biggest improvement in braking performance on a stock setup is going to be the PADS and the TIRES.
The Frozen rotors, to me, are just a little prolongation against the inevitable warpage from a underengineered braking system.
gr
05-12-2005, 04:35 PM
#5
Welcome to the frozen rotor club. I have had mine on for over a year and still amooth as silk with no sign of warpage. I don't suggest that you bed the pads unless you are racing since it is kinda hard on new rotors and pads. Just drive in a normal fashion and they will be fine.
Also, you can get frozen rotors from diversified cryogenics cad plated or not, slotted or not, drilled or not. the choice is up to you. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would go with th cad plated non slotted and non drilled rotors. Right now I have the cad plated slotted cryo's from Diversified cryogenics. I love them except for the slots which make a little noise.
Also, you can get frozen rotors from diversified cryogenics cad plated or not, slotted or not, drilled or not. the choice is up to you. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would go with th cad plated non slotted and non drilled rotors. Right now I have the cad plated slotted cryo's from Diversified cryogenics. I love them except for the slots which make a little noise.
05-12-2005, 06:15 PM
#6
I've never had a problem with my 02 rotors. no warping....i just resurface the rotors and use ceramic pads and it's all good......the stock rotors seem to be holding up just fine. 
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