Well I finally found some time to put on my new rotors and pads. I want to first thank BlueR for getting me the Cobalt pads

Let me preface the install by saying, make sure you have all the right tools for the job as well as spare parts.


Here are the Cobalt Pads in the boxes. I picked up a pair of Hamp oil filters from BlueR as well. Stock OEM(Fram) for comparison


Cobalt pads out of the box with bedding instruction card. Can't forget the bottle of anti-seize. You will know why you need this in the last photo.


Autozone rotors, $85 for all four


Old rotor with caliper and caliper bracket removed.


New rotor installed with pads, waiting to be bed. Thought this would have been done the same night but other issues occured.


When this happened, this should have told me something. I could not get the left rotor off as easily as the right and it became a meeting of the hammer. As you can see, there were so many blows just to get this damn thing off. Antiseize ownz...

I should have stopped at the front but I continued to do the rears. Of course I would find a seized slider which I needed to free up which took time. One more left to go. I start on the last wheel, same thing, seized bottom slider.(PS, I never knew the sliders were actually different for the top and bottom!) Then I try to unbolt the caliper bracket and no go. I ended up stripping the bolt.



I had to wait until the next day to buy a set of the craftsman bolt outs to get the bolt off. Finally with some heat and the bolt out, the bolt came loose. I went to Acura and they did not have the repalcement bolts or slider so I went to Pep Boys and got lucky. I completed the install and wouldn't you know it, ABS light on. I read the code, 42. I actually broke the front ABS sensor by accidentaly hitting it trying to get that damn rotor off.

Now for some impressions. The bed in procedure went great and the pads actually felt pretty good while doing the hard stops. The pads seem to make the expected brake squeal noise as well. I have some stickiness because of the sliders but overall I give the pads for now. I will be able to tell more in tomorrow's drive. They already feel better than the HP+ they replace. By the way does anyone know how much a front left ABS sensor costs? I guess I will need to give Len a call.

AW

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AW &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
When this happened, this should have told me something. I could not get the left rotor off as easily as the right and it became a meeting of the hammer. As you can see, there were so many blows just to get this damn thing off. Antiseize ownz...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Something to note for next time. Notice there are 4 holes in the rotor which are not for the lugs. 2 are for those useless screws. The other 2 are threaded. If your rotor is seized on, get some bots and drive them in there. The rotor will pop right off.

 

I knew about that trick but as luck would have it, I could not find a bolt that fit that size. Trust me, I was looking all over for one that fit and I could not find one

 

See those holes in the rotor? Not the chamfered holes for the screws, but the other two.

Thread a pair of 8x1.25 bolts in there, tighten them alternating between bolts. It forces the rotor off the hub.

No noise, fuss, or even really any effort. Dont forget the impact driver for the rotor screws also.

 

As someone who has no ABS sensor to destroy, I much prefer unleashing the beast on seized-on rotors if I won't be needing them again.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dont forget the impact driver for the rotor screws also.</TD></TR></TABLE>
And then promptly discard them.

How are the Cobalt GT-Sports in comparison to Axxis Ultimates? Anyone used both? I was seriously considering the GT-Sports but they don't have a D373 application available yet.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AW &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I knew about that trick but as luck would have it, I could not find a bolt that fit that size. Trust me, I was looking all over for one that fit and I could not find one </TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually,it happen to me in the past.
Where did I found those 2 bolts?

The brackets that holds the brake hose on the shocks!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


How are the Cobalt GT-Sports in comparison to Axxis Ultimates?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

A lot less dust. A lot more braking. A lot more temp. range.

 

Damn, quite the ordeal! The fun for me started when I must not have torqued a bracket bolt down enough and one of them worked its way out while I was on the highway going to BeaveRun. Thank god it didn't happen on the straight there going 100+

Let us know how they are on the track.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And then promptly discard them</TD></TR></TABLE>

Try changing hot brake pads without them in.

 

I see you have the VR pads as well... good choice!

 

Yes, the VR's are when I go to the track. The GT-Sport are being used on the street to replace my HP+ set. Andie did tell me alot of people use the them for the track but I think they won't be enough brake for me. Hawk Blue's were just enough. I will still try them before I put the VR's on.

I wish I knew the bracket that holds the brake line to the shock had the right bolt, but then again, my bracket is being held on with zip ties as I didn't put the bracket on my Teins.

AW

 

Wish someone could sell Cobalt around here(Canada)

Anyway,I'm looking forward to find something different then the Hawk,not that I'm disapointed...only because this comapny may have something better!!

And the logo looks cool!

Ah-ha!
Yup,zip-tie won't do nothing to pull that disk.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">See those holes in the rotor? Not the chamfered holes for the screws, but the other two.

Thread a pair of 8x1.25 bolts in there, tighten them alternating between bolts. It forces the rotor off the hub.

No noise, fuss, or even really any effort. Dont forget the impact driver for the rotor screws also.</TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Francois &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Actually,it happen to me in the past.
Where did I found those 2 bolts?

The brackets that holds the brake hose on the shocks! </TD></TR></TABLE>

My sentiments exactly. And I would continue using the set screws.... they are there for a reason not just to make life difficult. RJ presents one good reason plus if you have the right tools (impact driver and hammer) then it's really not any trouble.

As a general rule...If your busting your *** to get something accomplished then you should probably step back and evaluate the situation because you're probably not doing it right. Let the tools do the work not your biceps... with the right tools and procedures nothing is difficult.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h22avid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Let the tools do the work not your biceps... with the right tools and procedures nothing is difficult.</TD></TR></TABLE>

My 9 year old 32mm axle nut begs to differ. That guy took some serious muscle even with a 2.5 ft extension.

As for rotors, the first time I had changed mine (which were on the car for god knows how long before i bought it), they had rusted so bad they welded to the hub. Not only was I unable to get it off with the threaded holes, but neither was Midas. We finally got it off with a BFH.

 

I would try Ferodo since they are available in Canada. I believe they are very similar to cobalt but more expensive. I have been a Hawk user for many years, I tried Ferodo, Axxiss, and then back to Hawk. I reccently tried cobalt as I wanted to try something different as well.

[QUOTE=Francois]Wish someone could sell Cobalt around here(Canada)

Anyway,I'm looking forward to find something different then the Hawk,not that I'm disapointed...only because this comapny may have something better!!

[QUOTE]

 

Will Cobalt not ship to Canada?

 

They do but the UPS brokerage charge that is added on is like $30.00. almost making it not worthwhile. If you ship more goods the charge goes up since it is not a flat fee per shipment.

AW

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AW &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I knew about that trick but as luck would have it, I could not find a bolt that fit that size. Trust me, I was looking all over for one that fit and I could not find one </TD></TR></TABLE>

i know i sound like a bitch, but you should have taken a bolt off the car from any number of places and used it to remove the rotor. hammering like that only ruins your wheel bearings. much more expensive job than some 10mm bolts.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GSpeedR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

My 9 year old 32mm axle nut begs to differ. That guy took some serious muscle even with a 2.5 ft extension.

As for rotors, the first time I had changed mine (which were on the car for god knows how long before i bought it), they had rusted so bad they welded to the hub. Not only was I unable to get it off with the threaded holes, but neither was Midas. We finally got it off with a BFH. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That is the exception though not the rule... even still... leverage is key, 2.5 ft. isn't much. I use a 5 ft steel pipe from Home Depot slid over the handle of my breaker bar and I have never encountered an axle nut that wouldn't give under that pressure.

 

I took off probably ten or more different bolts and not one of them fit! I guess the ones that did, I was missing.

I gave up after that and brought out the hammer

 

Dont use bolts already on the car... half the time the bolt gets bent or the threads on the end get mangled.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dont use bolts already on the car... half the time the bolt gets bent or the threads on the end get mangled.</TD></TR></TABLE>

[Johnny_Dangerously_Voice]I used a bolt from the car on those little holes once -- once![/Johnny_Dangerously_Voice]

Not only did I manage to strip the threads off of the "helper" bolt into the rotor, but I also had to search the car for another bolt of the sime size and pitch to replace the important one that I stole to strip in the rotor.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h22avid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That is the exception though not the rule... even still... leverage is key, 2.5 ft. isn't much. I use a 5 ft steel pipe from Home Depot slid over the handle of my breaker bar and I have never encountered an axle nut that wouldn't give under that pressure.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Fine, get a 20ft bar and use even less force, ya wuss!

 

my gt sports will be here friday, i doubt ill be disapointed, but they will get test on the 17th when i go to thunder hill. im just dreding having to manully blead the WHOLE brakeing system, since i also replace dthe MC and BB.