Better Brake Pads and Rotors Vs. Big Brake kits with Ken from KNS Brakes

For episode 86 of the Flatirons Syndicate Motorsports Podcast, Jon sits down with Ken from KNS Brakes for a deep conversation about, you guessed it, brakes.

In the Subaru world, whether you have a WRX, STI, or a BRZ, there are a lot of options when it comes to brakes.  And if you have a WRX, one of the first upgrades that people tend to look at is moving up to the STI Brembo Brakes.  To do this properly, you need some special parts in the rear, and KNS has the best options for many of these swaps.

Not only that, but Ken, and KNS in general has a ton of experience with a variety of brake pads and rotors for many different applications.

Since brakes were the topic of conversation for this episode, we start talking about pads and rotors and the different options that you have there.  Once we covered those, we then move on to talking about when you would need to look at a Big Brake Kit, and the things that you need to consider there to make sure you get something that will work best for you.

So if you have been wanting to upgrade the brakes on your car, and you aren't sure what the best place to start is, you are in the right place.

Thanks for listening and Stay Tuned!  

In this episode:
00:00 - Intro
00:15 - Ken from KNS Brakes
04:05 - Things changed in 2002 with the arrival of the WRX
05:50 - The origin of KNS Brakes
09:15 - STI's and WRX's need brakes
11:05 - STI Rear brakes aren't nearly as easy to put on a WRX as the fronts
14:10 - Brakes are a critical consumable part
15:15 - Getting the brakes to work is harder than building power
17:17 - Brakes are so reliable on the street, it is easy to overlook them when you first go to the track
20:50 - It is easier to overcome your tires grip with the brakes than with power.
22:20 - The first two options you have to improve your brakes capacity are better pads and better rotors
24:30 - With brake pads compound and size matter a lot
26:27 - What should your primary consideration be when picking a track pad?
27:45 - The ability to modulate the stopping with the brake pedal is key
33:30 - There is no one best brake pad compound. Testing to find the compound that works best for you is critical
37:00 - What part do rotors play in this? What should you be looking for?
37:57 - Exotic sports cars always have drilled rotors, isn't that what I want? (NO)
41:05 - What do slotted rotors do?
43:15 - Cheap rotors Vs. Expensive rotors. What is the difference?
47:45 - What about using the cheapest rotors you can get and then just throwing them away?
51:45 - How can you tell when you need a big brake kit?
54:44 - What are some good entry level track pads?
57:48 - What do you want to look for with your pads and rotors as you start tracking your car?
1:03:27 - What are the things to consider when picking a big brake kit?
1:09:50 - Let's talk about brake bias
1:20:03 - What do you look for on your car or other cars at the track?
1:23:23 - Learning to use your brakes more effectively will make them work better (driving instruction)

You can check out the KNS Brakes Youtube page here:

And you can shop for KNS Parts on our website here: