DBA 4000/5000 series brake rotors

[Reedy]

So my brakes are shot. Trackwork is producing too much heat and I have cracked my brake pads as a result. Looks like i've outgrown the A1RM, or at least erred in getting better pads without upgrading the rotors to match. Lesson learned there.

I'll shoot an email off to GSL Rallysport today to see what their prices are but for the sake of public knowlege, who can tell me the difference between the DBA4000's and 5000's? Performance/Cost wise? Tunehouse are recommending that I get the 4000's but if the 5000's are better and don't cost too much more then I might go for them.

Does anyone have any other recommended online retailers other than GSL? I want to shop around a bit.

[RadiantKnackers]

There isnt a 5000 series made for the MPS mate.

The 4000 should be a good investement for track work though.

[RedDjinn]

Are the gen1 rotors same as gen2?

[Reedy]

There isnt a 5000 series made for the MPS mate.

The 4000 should be a good investement for track work though.

Hah that makes it easy then =) Now to choose a set of pads.....

Brakes are the same between models Luke.

[heath_303]

i thought it wasnt possible to cook the A1RMs haha !

mine are just about stuffed aswell only this time i have replace the rotors and pads... ill be going down the DBA4000 Route aswell, its a real pity that DBA wont make a 2piece rotor for MPS as i would be one of the first to purchase as would many here.

[projectrracing]

MAZDA 3 MPS, 320mm FRONT SLOTTED COMBO PACK | eBay

MAZDA 3 MPS 2.3 turbo 2007-ON 320mm FRONT Grooved COMBO | eBay

sell the pads and get something better suited.

[Reedy]

Quote from GSL is $198 each for fronts and $165 for rear Slotted DBA 4000's (DBA42962S/DBA42957S). Unfortunately not included in the sale... spewing.

I asked for a quote on the next step up from the A1RM's for the pads, Project Mu Club Racer: $350 for fronts, $325 for rears. Cost a lot more than the QFM's but they apparently last longer. In my case a lot longer, given that my A1RM's are dead despite still having 80% of their material remaining.

[MattMPS3]

I have been hearing some mixed reviews of DBA rotors of late, cracking seems to be a bit of an issue.

[Reedy]

That depends a lot on what brake pads you use. Cross drilled rotors tend to crack a lot more as well but seeing blokes crack rotors at the track, they are all the ones that run super agressive pads and have glowing discs after 2 laps.

[lup15]

I'd get the DBA4000 over those RDA ones. The RDA are equivalent to the street series of the DBA. The 4000series have a higher carbon content from memory. T3_web

the new slot design look agressive I will take a photo of them with my new wheels

Im using the 4000series clubspec with Remsa pads. The initial bite isn't as good as stock, not too sure if its due to the pads and/or due to the harder steel of the rotors. unfortunately i can't test the limit of the brakes as the fluid is boiling. need to get it changed ...

[raymondato]

lup15, do you find the remsa pads screech alot? i thought they were supposed to be quiet, but they are very loud. i bought front and rear pads, but only installed the fronts cause the stock rears still have wear. not sure if mixing pads would change any dynamics? (though i would really doubt it)

[240MPS]

lup15, do you find the remsa pads screech alot? i thought they were supposed to be quiet, but they are very loud. i bought front and rear pads, but only installed the fronts cause the stock rears still have wear. not sure if mixing pads would change any dynamics? (though i would really doubt it)

Some pads need to be broken in with some hard braking and then they settle down. Like the A1RMs drove me nuts driving down from cairns to brisbane for the track day and one lap of hard braking soon fixed the screeching and people looking when stopping up at lights...

[TD]

lup15, do you find the remsa pads screech alot? i thought they were supposed to be quiet, but they are very loud. i bought front and rear pads, but only installed the fronts cause the stock rears still have wear. not sure if mixing pads would change any dynamics? (though i would really doubt it)

I'm running a full set of Remsa's on slotted DBA4000's and they're quiet. Did you bed them in properly?

[Reedy]

Tunehouse quote is for $1855 for the same hardware supplied & fitted. Vs about $1400 for materials only from GSL. Big savings for the DIY job.

[lup15]

I get occasional squeeling from the antivibration shims vibrating. lol it only happens when Im going very slow and about to stop. never had it squeel when stopping from speed, yet...

changing pads and rotors are definately a doable job for the home mechanic. as long as you take the appropriate precautions. Changing the brake fluid I'm still on the fence as I hate having a soft pedal feel if it isn't flushed properly. bleeding is easy tho

[raymondato]

interesting. i dunno if i have bedded them in properly - but i have definitely done some very hard braking. i guess ill have to wait and see if they quieten down..

[Reedy]

Order is in with GSL. $1395 for a full set of DBA4000 slotted's + Project mu Club Racer pads delivered. I did a trial run pulling my calipers and rotors off on the weekend and bleeding the system. It's weird that the service manual has you pulling the whole caliper apart before you unbolt the main 2 bolts, when all you need to do is pry it apart and the whole thing comes away from the rotor in one piece.

Has anyone else replaced their pads/rotors and have a hot tip for simplifying the process? Also, any tips for bedding them in properly? And does the handbrake need adjusting when you fit new pads?

[lup15]

I unbolted the calipers from the hub rather than unscewing the star looking screws for the fronts. Haven't done rears before. You will need to wind the piston back in for the rear and possibly adjust the hand brake.

For bedding in I just did some hard braking 80 down to 20 about 5 times. I then did slow long braking. Last thing I wanted to do was glaze the new rotors!

[Reedy]

Yea the fronts you can take the whole caliper off quite easily but I just did the rears then and they need to be dismantled before you can get at the bolts holding it to the hub. The fronts can be cheesed but the rears you don't have a choice.

[gslrallysport]

interesting. i dunno if i have bedded them in properly - but i have definitely done some very hard braking. i guess ill have to wait and see if they quieten down..

Were the Remsa installed on new or machined rotors, or rotors that had previously had another pad's material on it?

---------- Post added at 04:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:00 PM ----------

i thought it wasnt possible to cook the A1RMs haha !

It is, but you're talking about some fairly serious work. The pad that we've ended up going here is the Project Mu Club Racer, which for all intensive purposes is the same pad as the V8 Supercar control pad (Project Mu H16-03), with only minor changes to make it significantly cheaper. Double the cost of the A1RM, but will also last 4-5 times longer.