JHM vs ECS Tuning S4 Rear 2-PC Rotors

[Tom in Seattle]

Any recommendations which way to go? Pros and cons of each?

Thanks.

[sitting proper]

I personally have the JHM product. I have no complaints. It's small weight reduction from stock unit.

[Mr. Corey]

I'm running the ECS 2pc rears to accompany my Brembo Grand Turismo GT BBK and they've been great so far! If you prefer the look of drilled style ecs is the way to go.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

I'm running the ECS 2pc rears to accompany my Brembo Grand Turismo GT BBK and they've been great so far! If you prefer the look of drilled style ecs is the way to go.

Thanks for the support!

Jason

[JimmyBones]

Before I had the JHM front BBK with the stock size rear JHM lightweight rotors and now I have the RS4 front brakes with JHM lightweight rotor rings and the JHM rear BBK with bigger rear lightweight brake rotors. Both of the rear lightweight brake rotors have been great. The stock size rotors made a small nice improvement in how the car accelerated and slowed down from the lighter weight. I took my S4 to a few road courses on the stock size rear lightweight brake rotors and they held up great! Still had over a 1.5 millimeters of wearable material (out of the 2 millimeters of wearable material) left when I took them off to go to the rear BBK. Now though the rear BBK matches the front RS4 brakes really well in function and looks.

Of course the price is the only real con because the lightweight brake rotors are expensive. So make sure that regardless of which lightweight brake rotors that you get that you get matching brake pads to compliment the brake rotors and make sure that you bed in the new brakes correctly. For example, so many RS4 guys complain about brake rotors and I have to assume that they are not getting good brake pads and bedding them in correctly because I have never had an issue with my S4.

[Jake@JHM]

Before I had the JHM front BBK with the stock size rear JHM lightweight rotors and now I have the RS4 front brakes with JHM lightweight rotor rings and the JHM rear BBK with bigger rear lightweight brake rotors. Both of the rear lightweight brake rotors have been great. The stock size rotors made a small nice improvement in how the car accelerated and slowed down from the lighter weight. I took my S4 to a few road courses on the stock size rear lightweight brake rotors and they held up great! Still had over a 1.5 millimeters of wearable material (out of the 2 millimeters of wearable material) left when I took them off to go to the rear BBK. Now though the rear BBK matches the front RS4 brakes really well in function and looks.

Of course the price is the only real con because the lightweight brake rotors are expensive. So make sure that regardless of which lightweight brake rotors that you get that you get matching brake pads to compliment the brake rotors and make sure that you bed in the new brakes correctly. For example, so many RS4 guys complain about brake rotors and I have to assume that they are not getting good brake pads and bedding them in correctly because I have never had an issue with my S4.

I highly recommend HAWK Brake Pads with our rotors. They work very well for us!

JHM LW Rotors:
https://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catal...otor&x=38&y=14

Hawk pads:
https://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catal...4+hawk&x=0&y=0

[FastEddie]

I have ECS BBK and love it. I ended up going with it because i got it on sale for siginificantly cheaper than JHM's at the time. I dont like my Hawk pads however. I plan on switching them. I think its mostly because they are ceramic and dont give me that initial bite that i like.

Almost forgot, i wasnt thrilled with ECS brake lines, one didnt fit right and was leaking. They did send me a free replacement and i have had zero issues since. Just an FYI.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

I have ECS BBK and love it. I ended up going with it because i got it on sale for siginificantly cheaper than JHM's at the time. I dont like my Hawk pads however. I plan on switching them. I think its mostly because they are ceramic and dont give me that initial bite that i like.

Almost forgot, i wasnt thrilled with ECS brake lines, one didnt fit right and was leaking. They did send me a free replacement and i have had zero issues since. Just an FYI.

Thanks for posting your feedback!

Glad to hear customer service got you a replacement line for the faulty one. We always support our house products 100% so if an issue ever arises just give us a call and we'll be more than happy to help!

Jason

[Mr. Corey]

I have ECS BBK and love it. I ended up going with it because i got it on sale for siginificantly cheaper than JHM's at the time. I dont like my Hawk pads however. I plan on switching them. I think its mostly because they are ceramic and dont give me that initial bite that i like.

Almost forgot, i wasnt thrilled with ECS brake lines, one didnt fit right and was leaking. They did send me a free replacement and i have had zero issues since. Just an FYI.

Goodridge SS lines FTW

[Tom in Seattle]

I'm running the ECS 2pc rears to accompany my Brembo Grand Turismo GT BBK and they've been great so far! If you prefer the look of drilled style ecs is the way to go.

Question for ECS Tuning. Are the "drilled" rotors manufactured by broaching technique or actually drilled? I have never had an issue with my Porsche 964 Turbo type rotors cracking, but I know Porsche uses the broaching method of fabrication. Thanks for any info.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Question for ECS Tuning. Are the "drilled" rotors manufactured by broaching technique or actually drilled? I have never had an issue with my Porsche 964 Turbo type rotors cracking, but I know Porsche uses the broaching method of fabrication. Thanks for any info.

They are drilled. When I spoke with our lead engineer he said broaching is really only used when a non-round profile hole is needed.

Jason

[JimmyBones]

They are drilled. When I spoke with our lead engineer he said broaching is really only used when a non-round profile hole is needed.

Jason

Those tend to crack.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Those tend to crack.

Any rotor can crack when exposed to enough heat. It's when cracks start to connect that you should be concerned.

Jason

[s4ski]

Those tend to crack.

I don't have any particulars, or have any opinions regarding brand or technology, but I have heard that drilled rotors are prone to cracking, is this true?

[Mr. Corey]

Like mentioned above any rotor can crack or have issues if your tracking your car or under serious load. For daily driving you can't go wrong with either offering from ECS or JHM both make great products...... If your tracking your car go with a brembo BBK or stoptech

[JimmyBones]

I don't have any particulars, or have any opinions regarding brand or technology, but I have heard that drilled rotors are prone to cracking, is this true?

In my experience yes. In normal daily driving they are fine but I tend to drive a little harder than that and thus I prefer slotted or plain rotors.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

In my experience yes. In normal daily driving they are fine but I tend to drive a little harder than that and thus I prefer slotted or plain rotors.

Below is a picture of our customers rotor after a track session using Carbo Tech XPS10 pads. Installed on an RS5. Top speed recorded was approximately 110MPH on back straights of a 1.7 mile course. He completed five 20-minute sessions.



Jason

[JimmyBones]

The RS5 is a whole different ball of wax compared to these B6/7 S4s. They have much better factory air channeling to cool the brake rotors.

Did that car have modified brake cooling ducts? I have seen a few threads about the RS5s modifying their brake cooling ducts to add a fin that wraps around the wheel bearing housing/steering knuckle to better direct more air to the brake rotors.

Then the ECStuning RS5 rotors also change it so the vanes go the correct way for both sides. The front factory OEM RS5 brake rotors are the same for both sides so the vanes on one side are going backwards to what they should be. I believe it is the right side that is the going the wrong way from the factory if I remember correctly. You also posted a picture of the front right brakes.

By the way, 110 mph is not that fast for a trap speed. I borrowed my buddy's 2013 RS5 and took it to the dragstrip where it ran a 12.50 ET @ 110 mph. Here is video if you want to check it out:

http://youtu.be/3JYL-rvhz4g

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

As far as I know the vehicle has unmodified ducting. Our RS5 rotors and S4 rotors are made from the same materials. This was also not at a drag strip this was at a road course. 5 sessions 20 minutes long each where speeds of 110 were reached. Rotors are subject to a lot more abuse at a road course than at a drag strip. Especially in a heavy vehicle like an Audi.

Jason

[JimmyBones]

You totally missed the other differences that I pointed out between the different cars. The supporting hardware makes a big difference and the same materials in the brake rotors can wear differently on two different cars when one set of brakes would run hotter than the other. Your RS5 point is not relevant on this board.

The dragstrip reference was in regards to the speed the you bragged about. Sorry but 110 mph trap speed is just not that fast for a RS5. There are road courses around me where I go from 150-160+ mph to 80-90 mph every lap in my B6 S4. Oh and by the way these are two to three day events with between 8-12 sessions that are between 25-30 minutes long. Just a FYI.