slotted rotors - RDA vs DBA

Dave_Obsession · 27-03-2009, 12:18 PM

I've been quoted $315 for RDA slotted front & rear for the AU...in the latest Supercheap Auto catalogue, they have DBA slotted rotors on special for $99 each.....is there really that much difference between the two brands???

Given that my car is a daily and for street use only......

Should I spend the extra $85 and pay $400 to get DBA's all round? Or should I just get the RDA's and spend the extra cash on some better pads......

Your thoughts please......

BillC · 27-03-2009, 02:14 PM

I have RDA's slotted and dimpled on my XR 8 sedan and XR 6 ute. and have had them on for about 2 years. I think they are great. My son has DBA's on his commondore and they are fine as well. IMO don't spend the extra money and buy RDA's and then buy a couple of cartons with the money you save

BillC · 27-03-2009, 02:15 PM

Yes, I know my son has no tast in cars.

the_hoe · 27-03-2009, 03:09 PM

hahah ^ true that.
RDA i'd say too

speedzter · 27-03-2009, 03:19 PM

Buy Rda's and use the saving to buy good pads !
I'm using Rda front's, all good so far. No track work though !

Check with these guys as well (forum sponsors):
http://www.fordforums.com.au/forumdisplay.php?f=174

eXi7w0unD · 27-03-2009, 04:33 PM

dba, with good pads go all out its only 75 bucks more

JC · 27-03-2009, 05:55 PM

RDA don't have the hat part painted, so if you want to avoid the rusty look, you will need to prep and paint them. DBAs come painted, so to save the extra work, I'd go the DBAs. Performance of RDA and DBA is similar.

GK · 27-03-2009, 08:14 PM

I would go the RDA products myself. I've had both and I noticed that the DBA discs warped quicker.

I've heard similar stories from other forum members also.

Just make sure you take JC's advice if you do go the RDA gear, and paint them first.

All the best with it.

GK

Boss 302 · 29-03-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GK

I would go the RDA products myself. I've had both and I noticed that the DBA discs warped quicker.

I've heard similar stories from other forum members also.

Just make sure you take JC's advice if you do go the RDA gear, and paint them first.

All the best with it.

GK

I have two cars with DBA rotors, an AU & an EB. I personally have had no problems with DBA. Purchase what is within your budget, but if I may suggest, purchase the best you can afford.

ebayholic · 15-03-2010, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

RDA don't have the hat part painted, so if you want to avoid the rusty look, you will need to prep and paint them. DBAs come painted, so to save the extra work, I'd go the DBAs. Performance of RDA and DBA is similar.

Do the RDA Gold discs have the hat part painted or protected???

blownv8au · 15-03-2010, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebayholic

Do the RDA Gold discs have the hat part painted or protected???

they seem to be protected i've had mine on for nearly 6months no rust.

ebayholic · 15-03-2010, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blownv8au

they seem to be protected i've had mine on for nearly 6months no rust.

good to hear. Do you find them to have better performance than brakes you used in the past?

blownv8au · 15-03-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebayholic

good to hear. Do you find them to have better performance than brakes you used in the past?

they are great, slotted and dimpled with bendix pads. i haven't done the back yet so the front has made an awesome improvement but that is also a series 1 to 2 upgrade which would hsve made a great improvement on its own.

AU3XSR · 28-03-2009, 01:52 AM

To avoid the funny business with the DBA slotted rotors and Bendix GCT pads that has been discuss on the forums I opted for RDA slotted rotors. Having said that my old folks and some of my friends use DBA rotors and have never had any issues so i guess it depends how much you're willing to spend...or how badly you want "Kangaroo Paw" technology

I would tend to agree with JC that the perfomance may be much the same and that you do need to remember to paint the rotor hats on the RDA stuff...

Best of luck with it.

EvilChief · 28-03-2009, 10:05 AM

Dba Ftw

Bill M · 28-03-2009, 08:05 PM

I have DBA slotted on the front of my ute, with bendix cgt pads they warped in a short time. Had the discs reground, binned the bendix pads and went to Lucas/TRW pads. Lucas pads are great if you are after good bite but eat discs like I eat pizzas, quick!
The workshop where I work uses RDA discs and QFM pads with no comebacks.
Bill.

GK · 28-03-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill M

I have DBA slotted on the front of my ute, with bendix cgt pads they warped in a short time. Had the discs reground, binned the bendix pads and went to Lucas/TRW pads. Lucas pads are great if you are after good bite but eat discs like I eat pizzas, quick!
The workshop where I work uses RDA discs and QFM pads with no comebacks.
Bill.

That is the setup I have on both my AUs. RDA slotted discs with QFM pads. The pads are one temp range up from stock.

GK

Dave_Obsession · 28-03-2009, 10:38 PM

never heard of QFM pads....where do you find them?

GK · 28-03-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave93761

never heard of QFM pads....where do you find them?

QFM stands for Queensland Friction Materials. I get them from my local AutoOne store.

http://www.qfm.com.au/images/QFMFlyer.pdf

GK

mik · 29-03-2009, 12:30 AM

on my second set of slotted rda`s, quite happy with them, the first set i thought i`d try some abrasive performance pads which wore the discs down fairly quicky, Bendix street road and track pads they pull up awesome ....you can feel the pads taking metres out of your braking distance compared to normal pads, if money was no object i`d have these babys year round... but go into the city and out every day say good bye to rotors in 12 months or so, they are fairly dusty as you would expect, $250 for s r t pads ...front only.

Dave_Obsession · 29-03-2009, 02:02 PM

has anybody had experience with Bendix heavy duty pads??? Should I get them over the GCT ones?

the poll is still neck and neck, not exactly giving me much help lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

RDA don't have the hat part painted, so if you want to avoid the rusty look, you will need to prep and paint them. DBAs come painted, so to save the extra work, I'd go the DBAs. Performance of RDA and DBA is similar.

Forgive my ignorance, but what are you referring to when you say the 'hat part'???
Does anybody have a picture to show this?

GK · 29-03-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave93761

has anybody had experience with Bendix heavy duty pads??? Should I get them over the GCT ones?

the poll is still neck and neck, not exactly giving me much help lol

Forgive my ignorance, but what are you referring to when you say the 'hat part'???
Does anybody have a picture to show this?

De-rusting and painting rotors
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showpos...2&postcount=68

GK

rob_liss_lms10 · 29-03-2009, 11:14 PM

I have RDA slotted and trw pads(rated at 650 degrees) and do a fair bit of track work. This combo pulls me up from 190k down the back straight at Queensland raceway no probs, in fact after 8 laps of the national circuit the tyres went off before the brakes. When I pulled into the pits and stopped the car people came running over to tell me the car was on fire, in fact the pads were on fire..after 15 mins of slow driving around the car park all was good. There was no scorching on the rotors and the pads still had heaps of meat on them, since then I have also done lakeside raceway and before qr did Morgan Park raceway. After 3 track days and some "spirited" driving through the mountains they are now close to needing a shim with the pads still having plenty of thickness. I did wrap DBA slotted after 1 day at QR using Bendix ultimates. Get the RDA and paint the hat...2 cents spent.

GK · 30-03-2009, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob_liss_lms10

I have RDA slotted and trw pads(rated at 650 degrees) and do a fair bit of track work. This combo pulls me up from 190k down the back straight at Queensland raceway no probs, in fact after 8 laps of the national circuit the tyres went off before the brakes. When I pulled into the pits and stopped the car people came running over to tell me the car was on fire, in fact the pads were on fire..after 15 mins of slow driving around the car park all was good. There was no scorching on the rotors and the pads still had heaps of meat on them, since then I have also done lakeside raceway and before qr did Morgan Park raceway. After 3 track days and some "spirited" driving through the mountains they are now close to needing a shim with the pads still having plenty of thickness. I did wrap DBA slotted after 1 day at QR using Bendix ultimates. Get the RDA and paint the hat...2 cents spent.

That indeed, is quite a decent argument for the RDA gear.

Cheers,

GK

Dave_Obsession · 30-03-2009, 01:27 PM

indeed it is......looks like the RDA may be the way to go.....

anybody else want to throw their 2 cents in????

GK, how much for that Dulux no-rust paint you used in the how-to thread? That stuff looks the good, esp since you don't need a primer beforehand!!!

GK · 01-04-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave93761

indeed it is......looks like the RDA may be the way to go.....

anybody else want to throw their 2 cents in????

GK, how much for that Dulux no-rust paint you used in the how-to thread? That stuff looks the good, esp since you don't need a primer beforehand!!!

$10-15 I think!

GK

Dave_Obsession · 02-04-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GK

$10-15 I think!

GK

and how many coats of paint would I give the brake hats? just one??
the one can of paint would be enough??

Also, to those of you that haven't yet answered the poll question (top of this thread), please choose!!! The poll is still pretty even!!

Boss 302 · 02-04-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave93761

and how many coats of paint would I give the brake hats? just one??
the one can of paint would be enough??

Also, to those of you that haven't yet answered the poll question (top of this thread), please choose!!! The poll is still pretty even!!

Give them a couple of light coats, much better than one heavy coat. As for the poll RDA seems to be the popular choice, will not stop me from using DBA again though. Just my opinion, don't skimp on pads. Bendix have some good ones as does Ferodo, I have Ferodo GTP2 in my EB, & Ferodo Formula in my AU.

GK · 03-04-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boss 302

Give them a couple of light coats, much better than one heavy coat. As for the poll RDA seems to be the popular choice, will not stop me from using DBA again though. Just my opinion, don't skimp on pads. Bendix have some good ones as does Ferodo, I have Ferodo GTP2 in my EB, & Ferodo Formula in my AU.

Yep, a few light coats will do the trick. Just mask up the discs very carefully. LOL!

I have heard a few times that Bendix wear out the discs pretty quick. I wasn't happy with Bendix, and haven't used them since the first time.

I would try some QFM items.

Your choice though.

All the best with it.

GK

phillyc · 03-04-2009, 07:58 PM

I just realised I need to update my info...

I had DBA slotted & crossdrilled rotors on the front with Qld Brake Co (QBC) pads too. With 15k of around town driving (wife driving) and 20k highway (mostly me) driving the discs warped fairly quickly and only lasted a total 30-35,000kms... So it was not hard driving. Good stopping power though!

I have now gone down the RDA discs up front with Precision Brakes. Got them at a good price, $175/pr and $50/set respectively.

I've noticed the immediate feel of the brakes isn't as strong, but they still have plenty of bite and pull up well.

View Poll Results: What should Dave get??
$315 RDA slotted discs front & rear	49	57.65%
$400 DBA slotted discs front $ rear	36	42.35%
Voters: 85. You may not vote on this poll