MaxBrakes.com - Toronto E-Bay & Amazon Brake Supplier

[Miner]

Does anyone have any experience, knowledge, opinion... or hearsay... about Max Brakes? They are one of many brake sellers that work almost exclusively on E-Bay and Amazon. Their available information and literature looks okay, but sparse, however it appears that they're using the right material and basic machining process.

This is what I'm looking at: G-3500 grey iron, zinc coating, NO drilling, NO slots.
http://maxbrakes.com/i-17515494-elite-o ... e-kit.html

Right now it's these for ~$280 ($246+tax), Power Stops for ~$315 from Rock Auto, Centric Premium Rotors with Akebono or Hawk Pads for ~$499 from Tire Rack or Rock Auto, or Brembo Blanks with Akebono Pads from FCPEuro for ~$460 (parts, shipping, taxes, fuel to the border). I don't want to spend $500 on brakes if $300 will do the job, but brakes are the last place I want to put inferior parts.

I'd welcome any other suggestions, but please no drilled or slotted rotors ... if you need to know why we can start another thread.

[lookzcustoms]

i got the Premium Dimpled and Slotted Brake Rotors but they have all different kinds, very happy with them and came with free brake pads and lifetime warranty

http://brakeperformance.com/brake-rotor ... Rotors.php

[Miner]

I've looked into those a couple times. The cost just doesn't work out for me for the plain premium rotors. Also I don't know who makes their pads.

~$400 + exchange + duty + fuel to the border ... is over $500. If I'm at that price point I want the peace of mind of Brembo's.

[Adam]

Cannot go wrong with brembo. That is what I have sitting on the shelf for my next brake change. They were a lot cheaper for my rig though.

[Snafu]

From experience I would avoid dimpled and slotted brakes on daily drivers. They easily fill with brake compound making them a useless expense if you turn them down. If anything go with cross drilled. Experience is with EBC rotors (zinc, dimpled and slotted) and pads (red) on the Subaru (12.5" up front and 11" in the rear).

I found a 'local' supplier of rotors. I have had them on the Subaru for nearly a year and they perform really well. I asked about Xterra pricing and was told a set of 4 rotors cross drilled w/zinc would be $325, and for non cross drilled blanks with zinc is also available for $245. You can also ask about just plain rotors.

For pads they recommend Hawk. Hawk has a truck/SUV pad compound. A set of Hawk HPS pads for the car was $240. Probably cheaper for the trucks.

I had my set of rotors and pads for the Subaru shipped for $28 (the postie was not happy about the weight of the box...lol). No cross border shipping or extra courier costs.

If you are interested, send a message to phillip <at> jdmplace <dot> com. Not sure if it will help or hinder but tell him that Snafu (Ron) sent you .

[Miner]

Thanks. Where is "local"?

[Miner]

This the "Place" - http://www.jdmplace.com/Default.asp

[Snafu]

lol...you would be local enough. The place actually caters to subarus (lots of nice parts). I connected with them through a subaru club but asked if he also had access to brakes for the X

[Miner]

GTA is local enough, looked through their inventory. I'll keep them on the list of places to call. How is the coating on your rorots holding up?

Note - the coating on our daughter's week old Power Stop rotors is already blemished. The friction surface is excellent though.

[Miner]

Ordered through a buddies shop under $400 taxes in, mid grade stuff. Should have it tonight, I'll give impressions tomorrow.

Anyone recommend a good black calliper paint? One that doesn't require a lot of prep work.

[Snafu]

The coat is holding up decently. It never stays shiny but it does not rust.

I use a regular brake paint but sad to say but with any paint, prep is always key. It is best if the calipers are off the car and disassembled. This allows you to get in all the nooks and cranies and you can even bake the paint in a toaster oven (a used one). I clean the calipers with a good engine cleaner and scrub the junk off. Then I use a solvent (gasoline) to remove the cleaner and other junk. After that I use either rubbing alcohol (99%) or acetone to remove residues from the previous solvent. Tape up anything you don't want painted, lightly coat the caliper, let is dry then give it a better coat (you could add another after drying). Let it dry to touch then toss it in the toaster oven on low bake heat

[Adam]

The rebuilt calipers I bought from CAPS here in Ottawa had the caliper brackets already painted black. If I was smart I would have painted the calipers themselves before installing them...I have never had an issue with the calipers they sell.

[Miner]

I don't feel like...or have the time to...disassemble the callipers so baking isn't an option. The VHT website indicates that the normal brake operation will provide the same function.

Parts are currently sitting in the back of the truck. Pads are ACDelco Advance with Ceramic labelling, they look to be decent quality with all the design attributes expected of a modern pad. The rotors are typical parts store white box, I think they're knock offs of Raybestous / Bendix using the same part number as their Advanced Rotors.

[PiDGE]

In the past I've just used a rustoleum paint and it held up for many years. I was surprised actually. Good to hear the balls rolling on your calliper woes.

[Bow_Tied]

The rotors are typical parts store white box, I think they're knock offs of Raybestous / Bendix using the same part number as their Advanced Rotors.

You are intending to use white box rotors?

[Miner]

The rotors are typical parts store white box, I think they're knock offs of Raybestous / Bendix using the same part number as their Advanced Rotors.

You are intending to use white box rotors?

Yeah I know. It's a gamble but not a terribly expensive one. I'm going on a few factors. One, the Quality looks good. Two, I have recourse with the local Reputable parts supplier. Three, cost. Four, the truck doesn't get much use so they don't have to be the best just better than the absolute crap I used for the last two years.

Really I figure if the worst rotors I've ever seen made it two years then the middle grade white box...lets call them average...rotors should do no worse and that's all I need out of this truck.