I plan on doing a brake overhaul this spring. The car has had a mild vibration when braking for the past few years so it's time. This will include new rotors and, while I'm in there, repainting the calipers red. My initial thoughts were to keep my existing ACDelco performance pads as they do not have that much mileage on them so they 'should' have plenty of meat still but I will confirm their condition once I start digging in. I guess there's always the possibility I'll just get new pads if I find a rotor/pad kit for a good price.

Question - aside from the GM OEM rotors (which are around $90 ea. fronts and $66 ea. rear) what brand and style do you guys recommend for replacements? A couple I have been looking at are Power Stop and EBC. I'd like something that performs as well or better than the stock rotors and that has a good anti-rust coating/plating so they don't look like crap in a few months.

 

I have liked the Centric performance coated blanks, and I purchased Raybestos 580401 (numbers probably change for front and rear) for my Dad's 06 SS, and they have stayed pretty clean through winters.

If you are putting new rotors on, I would change the pads. You can change pads without changing the rotor, but I wouldn't change a rotor without changing pads.

Remember, the braking surface will probably always rust, but the 2 that I listed stay pretty clean in on the hat.

 

I agree with CHIBIBLACKSHEEP I replaced just the rotors once on a 98 cavalier and had to replace both with in a week do to the pad litteraly shatter the material of the pab replace both if you are there. no use to do it over very soon. you can replace the pads and leave the rotors but if you are there to replace them do the pads for the safety aspect and piece of mind of knowing it is done right

 

I'd also reccomend Centric blanks. I even run them on my vette.

 

I'm just looking for something that's not going to surface rust like crazy. Back when I had my 03 I got a set of front rotors from CarQuest and those things were super orange on all surfaces within a week or two. That's my experience with cheap rotors.

I've been looking at the Power Stop Z26 Kit and EBC's various Stage Kits. EBC's rotor I've been looking at are standard flats and are black geomet and nitrotherm coated. EBC is phasing in the "thermic black" rotors and going away from the standard zinc coated rotors.

 

Just remember, wherever the brakes touch, will rust. But that goes away within the first few taps of the brake. The hat and edges of the rotor should stay clean if you go with a geomet or zinc coating. Also you can always tape off and spray a rotor if you want.

 

Oh yeah, what I'm meaning is the surfaces that the pad does not touch. I know the rotor, where the pad touches, will surface rust when the car sits and is exposed to moisture.

 

If cosmetics bother you, just paint the new rotors before install. Just mask off the pad contact areas and clean the oils off first.

 

After all I have read I ended up with the EBC "Yellow Stuff" pads. Bought Hawk and before I installed them read a comparison report and the EBC's did not fade from extreme track conditions where the Hawk pads would.

Think I have the Brakemotive rotors...

 

I ran those for a few months. Keep an eye on your inner pads. Those rotors destroyed the inner pads on the front of my Monte, and I don't drive it like you do