Rotors and Pads for VY V6

[a1k3m1]

Hey Greg and other GSL dudes,
My front rotors and pads on my VY V6 commodore are nearly cactus, They were the stock standard ones from the 25th anniversary cars with the slots in them.

So since these rotors are just about gone now im after getting a new set of RDA ones and some good pads to suit, Ive got a budget of about $500 and can stretch it to about $800 if need be.

Ive looked at the RDA dimpled & slotted rotors you guys think their any good?.. or are the dimples just a waste of money?.. Going by what ive been reading the QFM pads are pretty awesome. But im not really sure which ones are the best.

The rear rotors and pads are fine at the moment and i dont really need to replace them yet, but id like something pretty kickass for the front hehe..

I stress the brakes a bit hence why their most likely worn out already hah..

So what do you think is a good buy greg?.. for between $500-$800.

Cheers mate,
Troy.

[gslrallysport]

Hi Troy,

Honestly mate, you should be able to come in well under that if it's just the fronts you're doing! The slotted and dimpled are purely for looks, and are a step backwards in terms of performance from just slotted. I'd go QFM HPX, which is a Bendix Ultimate equivalent performance wise, but low dust and rotor wear, and come standard as a full face police spec pad. Prices on both front and rear as follows:

Front RDA Slotted $179 for the pair
Front QFM HPX Pads $79 for the set
1L TRW GP600 Dot 4 Racing Brake Fluid (always the first weakness!) $65

Rear RDA Slotted $165 for the pair
Rear QFM HPX Pads $79 for the set

Shipping to central VIC would be $22.

Any questions at all just let me know!

Regards,
Greg

[a1k3m1]

sounds awesome as dude, are these rotors top shelf type ones? . . was expecting them to be abit more expensive than that haha, Pretty much looking for the best i can get really within that $500 i got spare, But if thats the best there is then i guess ill do the rears while im at it heh..

Also you wouldn't happen to know what the model number is for the DBA rotors would ya? .. just so i can check them out and do some research on them..

Thanks a bunch Greg!!

[acarmody]

If you want Gregs opinion on RDA read this, good info, RDA disc rotors vs DBA rotors .

I personally have RDA slotted rotors and they are great. And I believe they are RDA040SL and RDA040SR.

And I'm not sure what you mean by top-shelf but I will vouch for their stopping power.

[D3CID3R]

Hi Troy,

Honestly mate, you should be able to come in well under that if it's just the fronts you're doing! The slotted and dimpled are purely for looks, and are a step backwards in terms of performance from just slotted. I'd go QFM HPX, which is a Bendix Ultimate equivalent performance wise, but low dust and rotor wear, and come standard as a full face police spec pad. Prices on both front and rear as follows:

Front RDA Slotted $179 for the pair
Front QFM HPX Pads $79 for the set
1L TRW GP600 Dot 4 Racing Brake Fluid (always the first weakness!) $65

Rear RDA Slotted $165 for the pair
Rear QFM HPX Pads $79 for the set

Shipping to central VIC would be $22.


Any questions at all just let me know!

Regards,
Greg

Can vouch for this deal that Greg and GSL have to offer, running slotted RDA's and QFM pads .. thx again greg too

[a1k3m1]

i think ive mixed up my RDA and DBA's lol... Was originally thinking DBA's at the time of posting, as i had the DBA 5000 series in mind, but now ive confused myself i think haha.. None the less what evers better im not fussed.

But reading the post acarmody posted sounds like RDA is the better brand.. so ill stick with RDA's if you guys think their better.. haha sorry about the mixup

[acarmody]

I just had a look at the DBA website, apparently they list prices thier. DBA 5000 series for a VY V6, including both the disc and the hat, in slotted only (not drilled), come to $613.66 .................per rotor, so $1227.23 for the fronts alone.

But you know, if you want to .

[a1k3m1]

woahh.... i think ill be forgetting that idea then =O.. what about the 4000 series ones?.. they be similar im guessing?

[acarmody]

They are a little more sane at $225 per rotor. But I honestly can't see much difference between them and standard slotted rotors.

Apparently the two differences are "Thermal Paint Marking" , so that drivers can check out the brakes temperature (or some crap) , this would be mainly for racing teams. And "Thermal Stability Profiling", which apparently allow the discs to take more heat, but again this is off no use to regular drivers.

I would just get the RDA Slotted for $179 for a pair from Greg.

[acarmody]

Like I said earlier, I have the RDA slotted all round in my car, with A1RM pads on the front, and HPX on the back, and my VX pulls up quite fast. Greg supplied all of those parts.

[a1k3m1]

Nawwww but i wanna pay an extra few hundred so i can stick my head out the window while i go screaming down some mountain and watch a bit of paint change colors!! ...

Alright dude, point taken hah, forget the whole DBA idea.

Now onto the pads, which ones are the best that QFM make?.. Most people recommend the HPX and A1RM pads.. are they the top of the line? or is there better still? .. I found this but dunno really how to read it hah

SPECIFICATIONS
Formulation - Cold Friction - High Friction - Temperature (C)
Super X - 0.43 - 0.41 - 0-450
HP-X - 0.41 - 0.42 - 0-550
A1RM - 0.40 - 0.48 - 0-780
Comp9 - 0.42 - 0.44 - 0-800
Comp15 - 0.43 - 0.45 - 0-800

Im guessing the A1RM are great sticky pads, But suck when its cold?, HPX are a good allrounder, but not that exciting once they get hot? .. And the Comp9 & 15 are racing pads? .. thanks again dudes, I know ive got alot of questions, But i just wanna understand how everything works first =P

[acarmody]

I can tell you right now that the A1RM are just fine in the cold, but they won't be 'race-track' grippy until they are hot, funnily enough thats never been a real issue in my local suburbs,

Also I believe that GSL are phasing out the HPX pads in favour of a new 'Remsa' pad.

For performance street use the pad we previously would've recommended, QFM HPX, but we are slowly phasing HPX out in favor of a better performance street pad. It's a European performance pad called Remsa, which is rated to 650 degrees (versus 550 for the HPX), whilst still being low dust and rotor wear. Also the Remsa come with noise reducing features such as a relief groove and shamfers in the pad material, as well as a soft backing shim, all of which the HPX do not come with. We've been supplying Remsa to high performance street road cars like Porsche and Ferrari for many years, but the pricing has now become such that we're now able to expand it to most road cars.

I would worry about anything higher than A1RM, I would think those Comp pads would be track only pads, Greg probably wouldn't have them in Commodore spec I'm thinking, LOL. But hey, maybe he can, and maybe he will want me to ummm 'test' a set for him, hint hint Greg

Also nothing wrong with asking question. Its only wrong if you ask and choose not to learn.

[gslrallysport]

Price on the DBA gear:
5000 Series Front Slotted $429 per rotor (replacement rotor there after is $245 each, which is respectable)
4000 Series Slotted $159 per rotor front or rear

I personally run the 5000/4000 series F/R respectively on the rally car, not because I've got anything against RDA or I don't abide by my own advice, but purely because RDA don't make the two piece rotor for the front (which I wanted in order to keep heat away from the weak Subaru wheel bearings) and for the rear because they don't actually make my rotor at all (290mm WRX rear with STi 190mm handbrake which we have to run to get under the 15" rims)!!!

Never had an issue with either, and the thermal marking paint is handy to have if you're in a position to need it.

Now onto the pads, which ones are the best that QFM make?.. Most people recommend the HPX and A1RM pads.. are they the top of the line? or is there better still? .. I found this but dunno really how to read it

The best pad they make, and the best pad for your application are two VERY different questions. If you don't do track work HPX (which we're replacing with the afforementioned Remsa) is the best. If you do a bit of light track work, but still want a streetable pad, then A1RM is the best. If you're doing decent track work, in a car that's not your daily driver, but still driven on the road, then Comp 9 is the best. OR if it's a track only car, and want the V8 Supercar control pad, then go the Project Mu H16-03, which we also stock..

I would worry about anything higher than A1RM, I would think those Comp pads would be track only pads, Greg probably wouldn't have them in Commodore spec I'm thinking

Front Comp 9 we have on the shelf for VT-VE Commodore Front, $179 per set. The rear you just use A1RM in place of Comp 2.

[BakeTheTank]

Hi Troy,

Honestly mate, you should be able to come in well under that if it's just the fronts you're doing! The slotted and dimpled are purely for looks, and are a step backwards in terms of performance from just slotted. I'd go QFM HPX, which is a Bendix Ultimate equivalent performance wise, but low dust and rotor wear, and come standard as a full face police spec pad. Prices on both front and rear as follows:

Front RDA Slotted $179 for the pair
Front QFM HPX Pads $79 for the set
1L TRW GP600 Dot 4 Racing Brake Fluid (always the first weakness!) $65

Rear RDA Slotted $165 for the pair
Rear QFM HPX Pads $79 for the set

Shipping to central VIC would be $22.

Any questions at all just let me know!

Regards,
Greg

Hey mate, sounds like a good deal!

How about postage to Southern NSW? Wagga Wagga Area.

[gslrallysport]

Hi mate,

Shipping would be $15.

Regards,
Greg

[a1k3m1]

Alrighty cheers dudes and Greg, Think my heads full of knowledge now hehe..

Think ive decided to go with the slotted RDA Rotors you posted at the start for both fronts and back, A1RM pads for the front and HPX for the rear, and the brake fluidy stuff aswell, oh and postage to Area Code '3444' in Victoria..

How much am i looking at? .. Thanks again Greg.

[gslrallysport]

Hi mate,

All up for front and rear slotted, front A1RM, rear Remsa (what we've used to phase HPX out in favor of), and a bottle of the RBF600 Fluid would be $629 delivered.

Easiest way to order is credit card over the phone, 1300 884 836, or else PM me your details, full name, delivery address (preferably a work or business address!!), contact number and email and I can fire you through an invoice with direct deposit details.

Regards,
Greg