2002-2003 Honda Civic Si Password:JDM Front Performance Brake Rotors

Password:JDM Front Performance Brake Rotors

Brakes are the one area of performance modifications that are often misunderstood. Some think the OEM stock is fine, some think that BBKs are a must, and there are probably a dozen or so opinions about x-drilled and/or slotted rotors. Let’s set the record straight once and for all. Start with what you have, and if that currently works for you, keep it. When its time for you to upgrade the performance of your car and step up your driving style, then maybe its time to upgrade your brakes as well. This is where we step in. Here at PWJDM… all of our products are well thought out, we don’t just go off on a tangent and do things. We actually do sit down and calculate things out before our moves are made. Our latest and greatest for the month… the PasswordJDM Performance Brake Rotors are no different… 100% drilled, slotted, and zinc plated here in the USA with quality control at every level that’s common with all PWJDM products.

PWJDM Performance Brake Rotors are well thought out. Each design is first proven on a 3D CAD system and then modeled to fit the vane pattern unique to each rotor application. Our goal has always been to improve performance without sacrificing quality. PWJDM starts off by sourcing blank rotors from the best foundries. We offer our rotors in 2 distinct designs. The first design is a X-drilled/slotted rotor that’s perfect for moderate to aggressive street use. The second design is a dimple drilled/slotted designed for track use. What makes our rotors different from the competition is that we perform all the slotting/drilling in house on our 3axis HAAS CNC machines using only American Made Carbide tooling for precision that’s unmatched by the competition. Each individual hole is also chamfered on the CNC machines as well. This does cost us a bit more, but the cost is also offset by the fact that everything is done in house other than sourcing the blank rotors from the best foundries. Once drilled and slotted, each rotor is then individually zinc plated within a few hours to protect all raw surfaces against corrosion. Finding a rotor of this quality will probably cost you twice to three times as much with the competition.

X-drilled/slotted rotors offer the best of both worlds in terms of street performance. X-drilling greatly improves brake response by giving pads the ability to quickly outgas and cool off during pad contact. The slots acts like “wipers” clearing the pad face and eliminating the “glaze” created by pad friction during contact. We found that this combination although a bit more expensive to produce, actually works best in most application. Use of these rotors has shown to greatly increase brake performance and pad life as a result of the additional cooling from x-drilling. We calculate the number of x-drills and slots based on the size of the rotor, the number of vanes and the application to optimize performance. We think it’s counterproductive to just drill as many holes in a rotor and calling it a performance item… that something the competition would do.

Dimple Drilled/Slotted Rotors offers the best of both worlds in terms of track performance. Dimple Drilling allows the rotors to outgas during contact without too much cooling. When on the track, what you want from a rotor is one that’s stable in temperature without the excessive heat cycling that will crack rotors over time. This design has proven itself time and again to get the job done and increase brake performance and still keeping the pad temps within an optimal heat range for the best in brake performance. The slots acts like “wipers” clearing the pad face and eliminating the “glaze” created by pad friction during contact. Through our extensive testing, Dimple drilling and slotting outperforms all other designs for track use. This is the best solution

As you can see, not all performance 1pc rotors are equal. PWJDM has taken the time to research and design a better rotor option. Our time as been well spent so you can have the best rotors on the market at a price that’s reasonable. Starting at $89.99/pair for upgraded performance brake rotors that’s 100% machined and processed here in the USA. These are definitely the best bang for your buck in these trying times. Buy a set today and start… I meant stop as soon as possible. Better brakes should definitely be high on your list of mods to do. When the time comes, remember that PWJDM products are that much better than the competition all because we design and produce each product in house so you can have the best.
Increase brake performance
Cooler brake temps
Shorten stopping distance
Extend brake pad life
100% Machined in the USA
Zinc plated to protect against corrosion
Rumors of cross drilled rotors cracking?

Cracking can be caused by a few things… inferior material, substandard manufacturing techniques, improper installation, excessive use beyond the min. thickness, incorrect break in procedures or improper use can all be contributing factors. Cross drilled rotors by design has the tendency to quickly cool off much faster than un-drilled rotors. Excessive brake use(such as track driving) will result in extreme heat caused by pad friction. This “heating” and quickly “cooling” off is called “heat cycling”. Heat cycling will cause the rotors to grow and shrink rapidly which will cause premature cracking. There are a few things that can be done to lower the amount of heat such as brake ducts, and/or removing the dust shield from the backside of the rotor. If you look closely at the PWJDM Performance Brake Rotors, you will see that our X-drills are set in between the vanes to ensure perfect performance. Some of the competitors will drill through the vanes thus weakening the rotors making them prone to premature cracking. Another thing that’s different about our rotors is that they are sourced from one of the better brake manufacturers to ensure quality. For extended track use, we recommend using the dimple drilled/slotted rotors. These are designed for track use.

Can these rotors be turned?

These rotors as well as all other drilled or slotted rotors should not be turned/machined. By doing so, you will eliminate the chamfer which is critical to rotor performance. By doing so, it will increase the chance of premature failure. It is recommended that all brake components be inspected periodically for safety. Replace or repair anything component that’s questionable to ensure the safety of the vehicle operator. All performance rotors will have an increase life due to the improved effects of the drilling/slotting.

Once installed, how do I break in these rotors?

Rotors do not really need breaking in… Pads on the other hand do… it’s often referred to as pad “bedding.” Please follow the bedding procedures for the pads based on the manufactures instructions. It is wise to bed the pads in a controlled setting as best as possible prior to use.