Which brake discs are better? Which brake discs are better and how to choose them? Brake discs good and bad
Hello, dear car enthusiasts! The question of which brake discs are better is as eternal as the different answers to it.
On automobile forums dedicated to this or that car model, you have more than once encountered inadequate answers to the question: tell me which brake discs I should choose or which brake discs from well-known brands, such as delphi, bosch, zimmerman, and so on.
So the answers sometimes surprise with their spontaneity and inadequacy. For example: Brembo brake rotors or ate brake rotors suck. I didn’t change the brake pads in time, they were worn down to iron and... the Brembo brake discs couldn’t stand it... they cracked.
That is why the question of which brake discs are better is not entirely correct. Why? Yes, because the manufacturer includes average statistical performance data in their characteristics, and we each use brake discs in our own way.
This happens for many reasons, one of which is driving style. Agree that dba brake discs, although they are designed for active driving enthusiasts, they also have a strength limit. Especially if the driver manages to move around the city with constant excess speed and, accordingly, constant braking in emergency mode.
What you need to know when choosing brake discs for a car
Naturally, first of all, you focus on your experience. And, if you constantly enjoy using Brembo brake discs, then you don’t need ebc brake discs, the reviews of which will be the most wonderful.
The second is general knowledge about brake discs.
Standard (standard) brake discs The car is usually made of cast iron and processed by milling. Standard brake discs are available, both ventilated and non-ventilated.
The difference between a ventilated brake disc is its design: two discs are connected to each other by bulkheads.
Standard (sports) brake discs. Their difference from the standard one is a denser alloy (of course, you cannot determine this by eye) and the presence of notches. The purpose of the notches is to remove combustion products during an aggressive braking style.
Almost all sports brake discs are ventilated. Some are perforated, but perforating cast iron brake discs results in a significant loss of strength.
Unfortunately, counterfeits of brake discs from famous brands have become commonplace. And therefore, when purchasing, you are unlikely to be able to determine the quality of the brake discs. But after installing them on the car, you should pay attention to the following points during operation:
- beating when braking is the first sign of either incorrect installation brake disc, or poor quality brake disc material;
- beating while driving is a sign of a violation of the symmetry of the brake disc, that is, its inaccurate performance;
- rapid, increased wear during standard operation of the disc in normal mode indicates a low density of the brake disc alloy.
In any of these cases, it is necessary to diagnose the brake discs and demand that the seller fulfill the terms of the warranty. Naturally, provided that the brake discs were purchased from an authorized dealer. If you chased the price and purchased the wheels second-hand at the car market, then there will be no one to ask.
To navigate a wide range of spare parts, in particular brake discs, you should know that our car spare parts market is mainly supplied in three areas:
- original brake discs, that is, those that go directly to the assembly line when assembling cars;
- original and non-original brake discs with aftermarket (aftermarket) target direction for the spare parts market from the manufacturer;
- brake discs, as well as other spare parts that are manufactured for third world countries.
How to choose the right brake discs for your car
Let's start with the fact that traditionally, brake discs: Brembo, EBC, DBA are designed for lovers of an active, aggressive driving style.
Brake discs: Zimmerman, Bosch, ATE for quiet trips in city mode. Naturally, this gradation is arbitrary, since each brand has different modifications of brake discs.
The ideal option when choosing discs is to purchase and install brake pads from the same manufacturer. This is due to the fact that the manufacturer makes brake pads and brake discs from adapted materials. We are talking about original and non-original spare parts.
The price and packaging of brake discs, unfortunately, are no longer an indicator that you are purchasing an original or non-original spare part. Therefore, the purchase of brake discs should be carried out only from trusted official dealers - car shops. With relevant accompanying documents: checks, guarantees, and so on.
Next, you need to remember - there is no specific figure for the service life of brake discs, not even in thousands of km. mileage or service life. On each brake disc, the manufacturer indicates the permissible wear of the brake discs in mm. Well, then, you already include your driving practice and experience in using brake discs of a particular brand and model.
In any case, when choosing brake discs: Brembo, Zimmerman, Delphi, Bosch and so on, focus not on reviews of individual car enthusiasts, but on the technical characteristics and recommendations of brake disc manufacturers and the manual for your car.
VAZ 2110 is one of the most popular Russian models. Cost of consumables for Russian cars, as a rule, is cheap, and you can always save a lot. But there are components on which it is not worth saving; it will cost you more. These components include the brake system.
The basis is the brake disc. Disc brakes on the VAZ 2110 are installed only on the front axle, which is where the main force during braking occurs.
Wheels on the VAZ 2110 are divided, depending on the engine, as follows:
- 8 valve VAZ 2110 engines are equipped with R13 brake discs
- 16 valve VAZ 2110 engines are equipped with R14 brake discs
R14 brake discs cannot be installed on 13th radius car wheels.
Minimum permissible thickness of brake discs: for ventilated ones - 17.8 mm; for non-ventilated - 10.8 mm.
Due to the low cost, many people do not hesitate to install original disks:
- 2108-3501070 - 898 rubles.
Today, perhaps, the most unfortunate and unacceptable option. Due to lack of ventilation, the disk is subject to overheating, which means the brake fluid will overheat and boil; this can be clearly felt when the pedal begins to go down. When brake fluid boils, the effectiveness of the brakes drops sharply and you risk being left without brakes at all.
- 2110-3501070 - 3758 rubles.
An improved version of the previous disc. The main improvement is the appearance of ventilation. The discs do not heat up so much and behave well during quiet driving.
- 2112-3501070 - 919 rubles.
Perhaps the best option among the original discs. Here you have ventilation and an increased contact area with the block. Therefore, you are less likely to overheat the drive and improved braking properties, in comparison with previous options. Despite their advantages, such discs are not suitable for a driving style with constant brake loads, but remain reliable and comfortable brakes for quiet, everyday driving.
But the choice is not limited to originals. The VAZ 2110 is a popular model and a large number of analogue brake discs are produced for it. So, if you want to save money, you can take BM BD 5222.
- BM BD5222 front brake disc R13 not ventilated, cost from 512 rubles.
- BM BDV221 brake disc r13 front ventilated, price from 622 rubles.
- BM BDV220 front ventilated brake disc R14, price from 842 rubles.
BM discs are made in China, and you can't count on improved braking quality. The main advantage of these discs is the price, which in percentage terms is significantly lower than the original discs. But due to the low cost of the original discs, the real savings are negligible and it’s better to overpay a little and install original wheels.
Thus, there is no point in chasing cheapness, but you can choose an analogue to improve the quality of braking, but here you will have to overpay in comparison with the original ones.
- TRW DF1748 front brake disc R13 not ventilated, cost from 893 rubles.
- TRW DF4108 brake disc r13 front ventilated, price from 920 rubles.
- TRW DF4107 front ventilated brake disc R14, price from 1013 rubles.
TRW is a good option. The brakes under normal conditions are comparable to the originals, but in extreme conditions they perform much better. Discs better withstands overheating, cool down faster and provide better braking.
- Brembo 08.5211.10 front brake disc R13 not ventilated, cost from 784 rubles.
- Brembo 09.8894.14 brake disc r13 front ventilated, price from 1100 rubles.
- Brembo 09.8903.14 front ventilated brake disc R14, price from 1063 rubles.
Many people choose Brembo for their sporting history. Brembo discs are a truly high-quality product, although it is far from their sports developments. But the VAZ is not a sports car, so Brembo wheels fully meet the requirements of the car. Brembos withstand overheating well and provide excellent braking in all conditions.
- Ate 24.0112-0125.1 front brake disc R13 not ventilated, cost from 990 rubles.
- Ate 24.0120-0186.1 brake disc r13 front ventilated, price from 1590 rubles.
- Ate 24.0120-0187.1 front ventilated brake disc R14, price from 1596 rubles.
Ate is significantly more expensive than the original discs. But there is something to pay for: high quality materials, comfortable and predictable braking in any conditions, they are resistant to overheating and deformation. And most importantly, everyone who decided to install them is very satisfied with both the new brakes and their service life.
Prices are indicated for Moscow and the region as of winter 2016.
Brake discs have a wear rate. In addition to standard service life, wear is affected by operating conditions (braking intensity, weather conditions, compatibility with brake pads and calipers).
How to independently determine that you need to change brake discs?
- when braking, the steering wheel began to “beat”, a grinding sound was heard;
- braking distance has increased;
- the brake discs have cracks, deep scratches, and deformation;
- a bead (protrusion) has formed along the edge of the disk.
If at least 1-2 points agree, it’s time to change the disks.
Choosing the best brake discs is a difficult task. There are many offers on the market and the discs differ from each other technical characteristics, which are difficult to determine visually. We have broken the task down into 5 simple steps. If you are too lazy to read, just call us - we will select the best discs for you.
How to decide on brake discs:
Check the wheel specifications that are suitable for your vehicle.Take a look at the service book - it contains Technical information from the manufacturer:
If this information is not in the book, the original program and vin number will help. |
|
Select the appropriate type of rims for the front and rear axles.When choosing, you need to focus on the parameters recommended by the car manufacturer, and also take into account your driving style:
|
|
Decide on the manufacturer (brand).Original discs cost 2-4 times more than their analogues. However, not a single car manufacturer in the world produces brake discs. He orders them from the same third-party manufacturers. Therefore, in 99% of cases it makes sense to purchase an analogue. To make it easier for you to navigate, we have compiled a rating the best manufacturers brake discs in 3 price categories. All companies included in the rating are leaders in the development of brake systems. |
|
Check your brake discs before purchasing.How to distinguish an original from a fake:
|
|
Try out your new brake discs. Enjoy!There is also a simpler option for selecting disks: just call us and we will find best option, suitable for your car. |
- We do not recommend “saving” and sharpening old discs:
- often the quality of the groove leaves much to be desired;
- Grooving is permissible only on disks without cracks and deformation, as well as with a certain remaining thickness;
- The cost of turning is on average 50% of the cost of new discs. Machined discs will not last long, while new ones will last much longer;
- To avoid becoming the “lucky” owner of a fake, purchase discs only from official representatives or trusted stores that issue a quality certificate upon ordering (on request);
- Simultaneously with new brake discs be sure to change the pads too. Using old ones is strictly prohibited, as the pads are also subject to deformation and can easily ruin your new brake discs.
Rating of the best brake disc manufacturers
BUDGET PRICE SEGMENT
Choosing brake discs and how to distinguish a fake from the original.
Each of us sooner or later is faced with the issue of choosing brake discs for our car. And the question always arises: which brand of brake discs to choose, which brake discs are better, because there are a huge number of them on the market, starting from the most popular companies like Brembo, TRW, Otto Zimmermann, NK, ATE, Ttextar, Ferodo, Remsa, Delphi, Bosch and others, ending with lesser known ones, like Kortex, Japan Parts, Kamoka. And then we start searching on the Internet, looking for reviews about brake discs and often find ourselves on the top 10 leaders, which are listed above.
They became the first for a reason, because they have been building a reputation for themselves for many years as high-quality and reliable. But after a while, the market is flooded with fakes and it is easier and more reliable to buy a lesser-known than a well-known brand.
Let me tell you this, most disks have good quality, and it makes no difference whether it is a well-known company or not. Still, this is a piece of metal, and the main role is played by the brake pads.
You can often meet a person in real life or on the Internet who says that he bought expensive wheels from a well-known company and did not drive more than 10,000 thousand on them; in most cases, the wheels were fake.
Therefore, if you are looking for good brake discs, any will suit you, as long as they are not fake. And if you want to improve your brakes, then you need to consider the options of drilled or notched ones, but they are a step above in price range. They are resistant to overheating and sudden cooling. The same goes for brake pads.
Let's look at why brake discs behave, and then move on to the question of how to distinguish a fake from an original.
When we brake, the discs begin to heat up, and after braking they quickly cool down under the influence of air, water or snow, which leads to unevenness, curvature and deformation of the disc.
The original brake disc may not even withstand these factors, let alone a fake that uses low-quality materials.
It is known that in our market about 40% of brake discs are fake, which just affected the most popular companies.
Most brake discs are made from cast iron. Cast iron is a material that has good frictional properties and low production costs. As for the fake, they use low-density cast iron, which is impossible to distinguish visually, only in laboratory conditions.
Visual differences between the fake and the original.
Brake disc treatment:
Original. The entire surface of the brake discs is treated on all sides with small grooves to give the disc strength. Original brake discs are first poured into a large mold and then machined.
Fake. As for the fakes, they are entirely cast, without processing. Which already makes the disk less durable when exposed to various factors.
Brake disc thickness
If you compare the thickness of the brake disc, then on a fake one, the walls are much thinner than on the original (they save on materials).
Original
Fake
Bulkheads inside the brake disc
Original. On an original brake rotor, the bulkheads blend seamlessly into the brake rotor walls, making the rotor strong and durable.
Fake. On a fake, the bulkheads merge sharply, without a smooth transition, which makes the disk less resistant to loads.
Brake disc weight
A set of fake brake discs is often 20-30% lighter than the original. Saving on materials results in weight loss. Therefore, do not be lazy; when purchasing, weigh a set of brake discs and compare the data with those specified by the manufacturer.
List of the most famous brake discs:
Brembo, TRW, Otto Zimmermann, NK, ATE, Ttextar, Ferodo, Remsa, Delphi, Bosch, Nibk, Ashika, Febi, Pagid, Lemforder, Nipparts, Optimal, Pilenga, Road house, Valeo If you want to buy a standard set of brake discs, any of them will suit you.