BRAKES

How to improve/vented/cross drilled/pads

Q:What and why vented rotors?
A:Braking converts motion into heat. Heat needs to be
  dissipated. The faster you can dissipate heat the better
  you can stop, and less fade. Vented rotors essentially
  have two parallel "discs" with an airspace in between to
  increase cooling. Many of the Kesley-Hayes non-vented
  front rotors can be replaced with vented ones and thinner
  pads without replacing calipers for a slight gain in
  braking power.

Q:Why cross drilled rotors?
A:Braking produces gasses, and cross drilling give the
  gasses a way to escape, thereby increasing contact
  pressure. In addition, a cross-drilled rotor now has more
  surface area, and thus cools down more quickly.
  Personally [Jan] I do not advice cross drilled rotors
  because of the increased likelihood of cracking. DO NOT
  CROSS DRILL ROTORS YOURSELF. It's usually done on an NC
  machine at calculated positions followed by stress
  relieving.

  The comments from people on driller rotors are that they
  improve braking under competitive situations, but only
  provide a marginal benefit under normal street use.  The
  also feel more uneven when you brake (esp. the slotted
  ones) and are also noisier (they "humm"). Note that cross
  drilling is actually banned for certain competitive
  events, so check before you invest. Cross drilled rotors
  will also wear out your pads in a big hurry.
  
  Another alternative to x-drilling rotors is to buy
  slotted or grooved rotors and pads.

Q:Is it worthwhile changing my rear drums to disc brakes?
A:For normal purposes: NO. For racing and other purposes,
  maybe. Considering the high cost of this swap and
  considering that only 30% of all braking power comes from
  the rear, it is usually not worth the effort. Concentrate
  on the fronts instead.

Q:What are the benefits of steel braided brake lines?
A:The reports I have received is that it improves brake
  feel marginally (less expansion of the tubes) but that
  the steel is also subject to more corrosion.
  [According to Volney.Spalding@Corp.Sun.COM]: They are not
  recommended for street use. Reason: Lines are rigid and
  will not flex with the body as it turns and reacts to
  road imperfections--rubber hoses will. As a result, the
  lines can often get pinched and fail. Stainless lines are
  OK in racing applications because race cars are subject
  to constant inspections/bleeding/maintenance. If there is
  an alignment problem it will likely be discovered. Most
  people probably are not as disciplined in street
  applications making the this mod impractical. In
  addition, most steel braided brake lines do not pass the
  DOT tests and therefore technically illegal for street
  use.

Q:What pads should I use?
A:See the discussion in the technical FAQ and also in the
  archives.  It is important to realize that "race pads"
  (e.g., Ferrodo, to some degree, REPCO Metal Masters) only
  work well when HOT, and are therefore not well suited for
  calm city driving. You WILL slide through your first
  intersection in the morning with these pads. Mintex
  SilverLine pads are between Repco MMs and stock pads.
  They may work fine for some cars, but I personally missed
  the initial bite too much in my G60 that I switched back
  to stock pads.

  Note that the company that makes both Repco and Mintex
  pads is currently in the process of reformulating their
  compounds.