Breaking in the brakes
New brake pads need to be "bedded", a process which cooks off the binder resins in the pad by deliberately over heating the pad. If you don't do this, the first time you decide to panic stop the brakes will fade big time and you'll probably hit whatever you were trying to avoid.

Drive at about 50-60 mph (on a safe. open, road) and apply the brakes, dragging them while giving the car gas to maintain the speed. Drag the brakes for about 10 seconds and release. Drive for about one minute off the brakes to let them cool, then drag the brakes again for thirty seconds. The brakes may begin to smoke, chatter, and stink and you might feel a some fade, this is normal. Repeat this up to three times, then let the brakes cool for several minutes. Finally, make some hard stops from 40, then 50, then 60 mph, allowing the brakes to cool a couple minutes between each stop. You should feel the brakes progressively feel better and stop faster. Be sure to check the reservoir and bleeder screws to ensure there is no leaking of brake fluid.

Brake Fluid Basics
Two types of brake fluid are commonly used in the automotive world. The most common type uses a Poly Glycol Ether, the other uses a Silicone or Silicium-based Polymer. Both Fluids are common but perform and feel different. Fluids containing Polyalklene Glycol Ether are more widely used and are the only fluids that should be used in racing brake systems. Silicone based fluids are used where introduction of water into the braking system if of high concern, such as with military vehicles. Silicone based fluids are non-hydroscopic meaning that they will not absorb or mix with water, however silicone fluids compress more than poly glycol ether types, which leads to poor, "spongy" pedal feel. We don't recommend silicone fluids, unless you have a show car -silicone fluids don't eat up paint.

Poly glycol ether fluids are hydroscopic meaning they have an ability to mix with water and still perform adequately. However, water will drastically reduce the boiling point of fluid which can lead to fluid fade. In fact they are so hydroscopic that they fluid will pull moisture out of the air, which is why it is imperative to use fresh brake fluid and never keep the master cylinder cover open for a long period of time. These fluids are not easily compressible and give much better feel over silicone types.

Water eventually enters the brake system in several ways. As calipers, wheel cylinders, and brake lines heat up and then cool repeatedly, condensation builds up in the system. Diffusion is another way in that moisture may enter the system. Diffusion occurs when over time moisture in the atmosphere enters through rubber brake hoses. The use of hoses made from EPDM materials (Ethlene-Propylene-Diene-Materials), or steel braided lines with Teflon sleeves will reduce the amount of diffusion.

All brake fluids must meet Department of Transportation (DOT) minimal specifications for brake fluid. Keep in mind these are minimal standards, and usually manufacturers exceed these standards. All "race" fluids exceed these standards. A DOT 3 or 4 fluid is really all you need for street performance driving. Currently their are three standards based on boiling points and fluid type. DOT 3, DOT 4 are for Poly glycol ether based fluids, DOT 5.1 is for fluids based with Polyalkylene Glycol Ether) and DOT 5 is for Silicone based fluids.

DRY BOILING POINT: The temperatures that brake fluid will boil with no water present in the system.
WET BOILING POINT: The minimum temperatures that brake fluids will begin to boil when the brake system contains 3% water by volume of the system.

The following chart shows the boiling points:

Brake Pad Basics
The GT Rotors and Drums can be used with any pad type, however we've found semi-metallic pads to perform the best for all around street performance.

Organic pads are typically made with cellulose and kevlar, fiberglass or mineral filler material (used to be asbestos). The cellulose is held together with a phenolic resin binder which is a heat resistant thermosetting resin. Organic pads have a good coefficient of friction for a light pedal effort, and work well at low temperatures. They are also quiet and do not wear the rotor or drum as much as metallic pads.. They do not work so good for high performance use as they quickly wear, fade, oxidize and crumble.

Semi-Metallic pads have some powdered metal added to the mix to help stabilize the coefficient of friction at higher temperatures. Typically powdered brass, iron or bronze is added. Chopped brass or bronze wire is sometimes added to help give the pad more mechanical strength. Most stock pads on newer car are semi-metallic. Usually these pads are excellent for all-around use. They can run the gamut from very little metal to almost all metal. The more metal usually means better high temp properties, more noise, more rotor wear and less effective cold braking. Carbon powdered is added to "carbon-metallic" pads to further improve high temperature properties.

Full metallic pads are made of sintered metal with very little binder. Sintered metal is powdered metal that is pressed into a mold at high temperatures until it becomes a more or less homogeneous piece. Pads of this type are pretty aggressive with ones made of brass, bronze or copper or a mix of metals being more streetable and ones using iron being more high temperature oriented. For very high temperature use, ceramic powder is added to the pad material. Full metal pads are noisy, don’t grip when cold or wet and chew up rotors pretty fast.