DIY Network

DIY Difficulty Rating for this Project: This job is a medium difficulty project, and will generally require two people. We gave it a difficulty rating of 2 on a 5-point intermediate-level scale. All the parts you'll need come together in the kit. The more complex parts of this project may be dealing with fluids and hoses. If you've done a brake job before, you should have no problem with these upgrades.

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Figure A

Final Brake Check and New Wheels

There's nothing more important than the proper operation of the braking system on your car, so take the time to double-check your work.

• After completion of the front-brake upgrade, check the brake pedal to make sure that you have a "hard pedal" feel.

• Check the lines and fittings for leaks (figure A).

• Make sure that the master cylinder is full of fluid.
  

• A brake pressure gauge is a useful tool for checking the hydraulics of your braking system. Simply screw the gauge onto the bleeder port on any vehicle (figure B). When you hit the brake pedal, you should see a gauge reading of 1200 psi (figure C). The reading should be the same on both calipers -- i.e., on both sides of the vehicle. The pressure reading on the rear brakes will typically be a little less than on the front.

  Figure B

  Figure C

  
  

  Figure D

• Once the brake system checks out, it's time to mount the new tires and wheels. Check with the brake manufacturer to find out what wheel size and offset is necessary to handle your new brake system. On our Mitsubishi, we needed a larger size wheel. As a bonus, the open design of the new wheels shows off the new brakes (figure D). And since the new set is lighter than the factory rims, they'll compensate for the additional un-sprung weight of the big-brake kit and keep the car's smooth ride intact.

• Install the new tires and wheels following the manufacturer's instructions. Once the wheels are on, turn them by hand to make sure that they spin freely.
  

  	Massive 12-inch rotors mean stop-on-a-thin-dime braking power.

The Bottom Line:

$775 Brake kit
$5 Brake fluid
$15 Line wrenches
$1200 Wheels and tires

Total for our project = $1995

Tip from a Pro: According to brake specialist Bill Cummings, with a newly installed set set of rotors and pads you should give your vehicle approximately 200 to 250 miles of easy driving to properly seat them. Avoid taking the car above 60 miles per hour, and don't do any hard braking or test-stops until the first 200 to 250 miles have been driven. Hard braking when the brakes are new can result in glazing -- where overheating of the rotors and pads results in "glassy" surfaces at the contact points. That, in turn, reduces the braking efficiency.

Important: Included in this segment are the steps in this automotive procedure as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines. With any particular vehicle, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of repair-kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with your kit or replacement parts.

RESOURCES :

Sport Compact Bolt-On Performance Guide: Import Cars (Sport Compact Bolt-On Performance Guides)
Author: Joe Pettitt
Order this book from Amazon.com.
Voyageur Press (October 2000)
ISBN: 1884089526

Special Resources for Tricked Out, episode 109

Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC)
Website: www.ssbrakes.com

Racing Innovations, Inc.
Website: www.racinginnovations.com

ALT Wheels
Website: www.altwheels.com

The Fusion Zone
Website: www.thefuzionzone.com

GUESTS :

Bill Cummings
Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC)
Website: www.ssbrakes.com