Brakes:

Sadly, many people forget about upgrading their brake system when they do high performance tuning on their vehicle, SEQUENCE Garage highly recommends this to be done. They are not a huge concern until you take your car to the track for a lapping day or autocross. However, when you do, you will significantly notice that after frequent stops and heavy braking the brake pedal feel becomes “mushy” and braking force goes down the drain. Well, you've just experienced “brake fade”. Stock brakes were designed for two things: the everyday normal braking ritual to slow down a vehicle and the odd emergency stop, mind you they do a very good at both. They are not, however, good at constant threshold braking and will overheat very quickly if abused. Stock brake systems are designed to reach ideal operating temperature quickly during normal use; this is because in the event of an emergency, there is absolutely no time for this to occur. Maximum braking ability must be available during a critical moment while driving; therefore, manufacturers solved this issue, yet created another.

One thing SEQUENCE Garage cannot stress enough is: Please upgrade your brakes evenly! DO NOT just upgrade the front brakes without doing the same to the rear! This upsets the car's balance under braking which can lead to a very dangerous situation. Further more, it makes “braking drifts” very difficult because the front brake bias is too great.

Brake Pads:

Obviously, if stock brakes get up to their maximum temperature quickly, they will also overheat quickly. This is what brake upgrades are intended for. New brake pads (just like most other modifications) are a trade off, between instantaneous braking powers and fade resistance. Aftermarket pads also sometimes reduce the "pedal feel”, so please take note. Stock brake systems are designed so that, once the pedal is pushed even in a small increment, the stopping power goes on hard. Sadly, this is done to give the driver the illusion that they have very "solid" brakes. Aftermarket pads can be either more linear (pedal pressure to stopping power) or have one sharp biting point. When choosing pads, always make sure you pick the proper brake pad for your application (For example: if you only drive on the street, you do not require race-application brake pads).

Brake Rotors:

Brake rotors have always been up for discussion amongst automotive journalists, engineers, track racers and the everyday enthusiast. Slotted? Cross-Drilled? Both? Blank? Which is the best and why?

SEQUENCE Garage does not entirely believe in the “benefits” of cross drilled rotors. Cross drilling is used to let gases escape from the brake pad under harsh braking conditions. These gases push the pad away from the rotor causing “brake fade”. Well maybe that used to be true, but new brake pad designs no longer let off any gases during braking, therefore, no cross drilled rotors are necessary. Furthermore, cross drilled rotors lower the contact area of a brake pad which in turn lowers the structural integrity of the rotor.

Slotted brake rotors were developed to cut brake pads slightly in order to reduce glazing. Furthermore, slots in one's rotors are merely for esthetic reasons (the look). Many professional race teams swear by the use of slotted rotors, do they actually help? We have not read any credible proof showing that they have any greater advantage over a blank rotor, but they may indeed look attractive.

Blank brake rotors are also good, however their biggest problem involves them warping. To avoid rotor warping, rotors can be specially treated to reduce imperfections. Sometimes called “cryo-cooling” or “cryogenically treated”, it is basically super freezing the rotor followed by the thawing of it - the extreme cold removes any irregularities on the brake rotor.

SEQUENCE Garage does not dismiss any of the research and development made by the large brake manufacturers, rather, through extensive testing of our own and from credible sources we have gathered our opinions. In the end, the choice is made by the consumer according to his/her desired application. Please feel free to contact us for any technical inquiries when making your decision.

Brake Lines:

Brake lines are a small upgrade anyone can do on their brake system to increase pedal feel. SEQUENCE Garage highly recommends the use of stainless steel braided brake lines. Stock brake lines are made from a rubber-like compound and under heavy braking; these brake lines expand due to fluid pressure. Braided steel brake lines provide a better brake pedal response under extreme circumstance and also protect your brake system investment. The difference on actual brake performance will most likely be minimal, if any, but feel is very important nonetheless. Braided steel brake lines are similar to a race bucket seat, it doesn't make your car perform better, but it could lower your lap times!

Brake Fluid:

Often overlooked in a brake system, the brake fluid is one of the most significant parts. Clearly stated, brake fluid close to the caliper reaches high temperatures, especially under hard braking. During such intense braking, this fluid can overheat and even boil. When brake fluid boils, water vapor is formed and rises to the top of the system known as the master brake cylinder. When this occurs, air bubbles are created in your brake system which could result in a total brake failure. This is the main cause for brake fade, which most notice after heavy braking. The reason for this is that some of the brake fluid boiled into the master cylinder. As such the cylinder has to compress the air in the system before it can begin its proper routine of applying pressure in the form of a clamping force through the caliper to the brake rotor. An example is at a track day, even after letting the brakes cool for some time, the brake pedal would still feel like a "sponge" as compared to when you arrived. Using a fluid like Motul RBF600 (which SEQUENCE Garage highly recommends) reduces the chance of boiling because it has a much higher boiling point then other brake fluids commonly used. However, when using an aftermarket brake fluid it is recommended to change the fluid every 2-3 months or every track day, to keep the fluid at its "dry" boiling point. Keep in mind that when moisture gets into the brake system, the fluid becomes "contaminated" with water, lowering its boiling point significantly.

Caliper Upgrade:

Anyone with tires that provide a great deal of grip or take their vehicle to the track often, a larger caliper and rotor upgrade is highly recommended. Stock calipers are very heavy and are usually made of iron consisting of only 1-2 pistons, which push the pad onto the rotor. These "pistons" are often only on one side of the caliper, causing uneven pad wear and a higher chance of rotor warp since the pad "pushes" on the rotor, instead of "squeezing" it. Aftermarket calipers usually consist of 4-6 pistons, equally placed on either side of the caliper and are actually lighter than most stock calipers, even though bigger. Big brake kits that include larger calipers usually also offer a larger rotor to compliment the size. Larger rotors are good for braking, because of a larger contact surface due to the larger diameter. The brake rotor has more time spent away from the caliper in cooling down. Furthermore, the work of the caliper is spread over a larger area, resulting in less heat. Larger rotors, however, have more mass, therefore more spinning unsprung weight. So like most things, it is best not to go over-board on brake kits. Again, SEQUENCE Garage asks that your choices be made according to your need rather then want.

Please feel free to email us regarding your brake system upgrade. We will be happy to suggest kits according to your use and budget. Visit the Store section for our brake systems inventory and to place your order.