Stoptech trophy kit - finish gone after 6 months

[Vic311]

Originally Posted by Porschefile

+1. Spend a couple hundred bucks to get them repainted, it isn't the kind of thing to dedicate countless hours bitching about. I would feel the opposite if it was a mechanical issue, but faded paint?

They still look better than those awful OEM ones

Well if you're going to go this route than powdercoating is clearly the better option..but you also need to disassemble and rebuild the calipers with new seals/hardware

I dont see why someone who spends $9K on BBK shouldnt expect a resilient finish and great customer service

[Zzhou]

I got a better solution. Brush and wash the bolt clean. Touch up paint it . HAHA.

[maaicher]

Originally Posted by Vic311

I think it has more to do with the crappy customer service the OP experienced with Stoptech

Yes, that is the reason I say to go with brembo. Bad customer service is a reflection of the product itself. After speaking with a few people at brembo ,seeing first hand how they operate both on the product side and customer service side, I would never spend my money elsewhere.

[aus]

Originally Posted by Zzhou

Lots of people are saying brembo FTW. For real? Only because of the finish on some bolts? Not saying that I don't care about the rust bolt if it is mine. IMO all the finish on any caliper will go bad. Use it a year on the track and who cares about finish? Don't judge a BBK by its look please.

This is M3Post, where all that matter's is how the car looks.

Originally Posted by Vic311

I think it has more to do with the crappy customer service the OP experienced with Stoptech

I think it's because OP took a while to get back to them. Someone above was offered the same thing and they honored that offer.
I was sent new rotor when I got a shimmy with my kit and they arranged for AutoTalent to install them. It was probably just brake pad transfer but it occurred after I did the bedding per their instructions.

[DZeckhausen]

Originally Posted by sensi09

How does the powdercoated finish hold up to track use compared to paint?

The Trophy calipers are not painted or powdercoated. They have a MIL-spec, hard-anodized finish that will not fade or discolor even at professional level racing temperatures. But they're not impervious to an acidic environment. Paint is better at acid resistance.

StopTech red or black calipers use a 2-part, high temperature epoxy that does well at the track. Their silver, yellow, and blue paints aren't as robust at high temperatures. Similarly, the ability of powdercoat finishes to stand up to track use without color shifting or fading will depend on the color.

Silver paint (regardless of manufacturer) is not a good color for heavy track use. That's why the silver Trophy calipers are unique. Check out what happens when you track a Volvo V70R with factory silver calipers and light gray "R" logo:



Needless to say, this guy's wife (it was her car!) was not pleased.

[e60cs5]

Originally Posted by Porschefile

+1. Spend a couple hundred bucks to get them repainted, it isn't the kind of thing to dedicate countless hours bitching about. I would feel the opposite if it was a mechanical issue, but faded paint?

They still look better than those awful OEM ones

I hear ya - I don't want to waste a bunch of time on it but I needed some help getting it fixed right / rebuilt correctly.

Happy to pay for paint. Not happy to pay for rudeness and crappy customer service.

It's surprising that they won't help me resolve this. Fortunately, the distributor I bought this from is looking into it. Will keep you posted.

Thanks for your comments - trying to get this resolved

[e60cs5]

Originally Posted by Vic311

I think it has more to do with the crappy customer service the OP experienced with Stoptech

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...1#post13443961

Exactly - Even getting the parts and getting it fixed has been a pita. Notice the other guy that actually did get some help from them was also not pleased with their customer service.

It's shame for such an expensive, premium product.

[inandout]

What could be applied to the bolts before the calipers are installed to prevent the rusting? Also, is Sonax wheel cleaner safe to be used on these calipers?

[STIHLBOLTS]

Too many variables to give a definitive answer to that one. Based on what I read on the manufacturers web site, that coating should have withstood the cleaning compound. Not knowing what was actually used and doing some tests to try and repeat the corrosion experienced your only safe bet is to use mild soap and water and never use any kind of spray chemical cleaner on after market brakes like that.

[DZeckhausen]

Originally Posted by inandout

What could be applied to the bolts before the calipers are installed to prevent the rusting? Also, is Sonax wheel cleaner safe to be used on these calipers?

The Trophy caliper bolts come with a protective Geomet coating. After several years, the bolts on my Trophy calipers (Corvette C6) have no corrosion.

I do NOT use any wheel cleaners. I wash my wheels and calipers with the same soap I use on the car's finish - Griot's Garage car wash. For the occasional touch-up, I use Speed Shine. So far, so good.

[e60cs5]

In my case, I never used anything other than a hand-sprayed car wash.
Also, my brakes were less than 6 months old and never even got dirty - why would I need a hardcore cleaner? I didn't.

There were less than 5 times that I had the car hand-washed and I am not 100% sure exactly what may have happened then - maybe they used something a bit harsher but I wouldn't think that most car washes would use harsh cleaners?

It is a bummer - However, I am refinishing the calipers with powder coat and will figure out what to do for the rotor hats.

I would not buy this kit again, unless I raced the car regularly (which I don't) and of course I would choose a company with better customer service.

[DZeckhausen]

It's pretty obvious, since ALL your bolts rusted and the caliper faces were discolored, that something acidic was applied that attacked the finish. The parts didn't care who applied the harsh cleaner. I'm sure you were careful, but clearly your car wash used something strong. Our local car wash uses a very strong wheel cleaner and, on my rare visits, I ask them to skip that step.

The September 2012 issue of European Car Magazine has an excellent article on wheel cleaning - "How to Clean and Protect your Rims" on page 120, with input from Mike Pennington and Mike Stoops from Meguiar's. They make a range of wheel cleaning products and give the following advice:

You also need to be aware of what's behind the wheel, because strong cleaners can damage the finish on aftermarket brake calipers, rotor hats as well as suspension components.

Even the center caps need to be considered, plus the lug nuts and some inner wheel barrels are occasionally left uncoated. It's a minefield out there!

It's essential to always address the most sensitive material when cleaning. So, while chrome is the toughest material that withstands the strongest cleaners, a chrome cleaner could ruin the finish of uncoated aluminum or powdercoated calipers, for example, turning them an unpleasant milky white.

Here's the complete article - WHEEL CLEANING

Hope this helps!

[e60cs5]

Originally Posted by DZeckhausen

It's pretty obvious, since ALL your bolts rusted and the caliper faces were discolored, that something acidic was applied that attacked the finish. The parts didn't care who applied the harsh cleaner. I'm sure you were careful, but clearly your car wash used something strong. Our local car wash uses a very strong wheel cleaner and, on my rare visits, I ask them to skip that step.

The September 2012 issue of European Car Magazine has an excellent article on wheel cleaning - "How to Clean and Protect your Rims" on page 120, with input from Mike Pennington and Mike Stoops from Meguiar's. They make a range of wheel cleaning products and give the following advice:

You also need to be aware of what's behind the wheel, because strong cleaners can damage the finish on aftermarket brake calipers, rotor hats as well as suspension components.

Even the center caps need to be considered, plus the lug nuts and some inner wheel barrels are occasionally left uncoated. It's a minefield out there!

It's essential to always address the most sensitive material when cleaning. So, while chrome is the toughest material that withstands the strongest cleaners, a chrome cleaner could ruin the finish of uncoated aluminum or powdercoated calipers, for example, turning them an unpleasant milky white.

Here's the complete article - WHEEL CLEANING

Hope this helps!

Thanks. However, all of the bolts did not rust. About 1/3,of them are fine. Caliper finish varies greatly as well.
My Klassen wheels have had zero issues with the finish. They look as new

Dzeckhausen, are you a retailer of these kits?

[4sevens.com]

Mine are fine at 10k miles. The trophies look as good as new after light washing.

[DZeckhausen]

Yes, I've been in the brake business since 2002 and ran brake clinics for various car clubs long before that. Looking at the original photos, as best I can tell, all the caliper through-bolts and bridge bolts on the front ST-60 calipers had surface rust. The rear ST-40 calipers look to be in better shape. That's consistent with spending more time and using more chemicals on the front wheels than the rear, which makes sense as there's almost always more brake dust in front.

I can't address the customer service issues you had. I like to think, if we had been in the middle, you never would have had to contact StopTech and we would have taken care of you, one way or another. But I don't know all sides to what transpired. I'll stay out of that one!

My goal here is two-fold. First, I want to see your kit fixed and looking great again, so you can enjoy your car. That's why I suggested contacting Mike Golding at ThePowdercoaters.com. He does amazing work and you may end up with better looking brakes than new. Second, I want to help others maintain a good finish on their calipers, hats, wheels, and suspension. That's why I posted a link to the wheel cleaning advice from Meguiar's. They know their stuff.

Hopefully, you'll end up with an even nicer looking car and a few less folks will have to go through anything like this in the future. Good luck and keep us posted!

[maxenar]

Just to share - I've been running the Stoptech kit as well for almost a year now - been through snow, rain, and power washes and I've yet to see them rust or corrode.

[e60cs5]

Originally Posted by DZeckhausen

Yes, I've been in the brake business since 2002 and ran brake clinics for various car clubs long before that. Looking at the original photos, as best I can tell, all the caliper through-bolts and bridge bolts on the front ST-60 calipers had surface rust. The rear ST-40 calipers look to be in better shape. That's consistent with spending more time and using more chemicals on the front wheels than the rear, which makes sense as there's almost always more brake dust in front.

I can't address the customer service issues you had. I like to think, if we had been in the middle, you never would have had to contact StopTech and we would have taken care of you, one way or another. But I don't know all sides to what transpired. I'll stay out of that one!

My goal here is two-fold. First, I want to see your kit fixed and looking great again, so you can enjoy your car. That's why I suggested contacting Mike Golding at ThePowdercoaters.com. He does amazing work and you may end up with better looking brakes than new. Second, I want to help others maintain a good finish on their calipers, hats, wheels, and suspension. That's why I posted a link to the wheel cleaning advice from Meguiar's. They know their stuff.

Hopefully, you'll end up with an even nicer looking car and a few less folks will have to go through anything like this in the future. Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks Dave,

I did contact Mike - Nice guy.
Thanks for your help and info.

[DZeckhausen]

Originally Posted by e60cs5

Thanks Dave,

I did contact Mike - Nice guy.
Thanks for your help and info.

And talented! Please, if you have him do the work, especially if he does a custom color scheme, post photos.

[HP Autowerks]

Originally Posted by 4sevens.com

Mine are fine at 10k miles. The trophies look as good as new after light washing.

We have had Trophy Sport kits on our 335i for 30K miles, 135i for 15K miles and now the 1M for about 10K miles. Three different kits and no issues to speak of. Our washing process is quick and easy with just car wash soap and water with light to medium water pressure(high pressure will actually scratch painted finishes). Wash your wheels often and NOT use harsh chemicals.

[Orb]

Originally Posted by DZeckhausen

The Trophy caliper bolts come with a protective Geomet coating. After several years, the bolts on my Trophy calipers (Corvette C6) have no corrosion.

I do NOT use any wheel cleaners. I wash my wheels and calipers with the same soap I use on the car's finish - Griot's Garage car wash. For the occasional touch-up, I use Speed Shine. So far, so good.

My experience with Stoptech has been less than great. I got the first production runs on the ST Trophy and the painted logo washed off in chunks on the first day on all 4 calipers. After several emails and phone conversations with Stoptech they simply stopped responding and I just gave up. The customer support is beyond terrible although the product work works well.

As for the rusting bolts, you may be the only one who does not have them. Geomet is not a suitable material for this application FWIW. Cadmium plated or a equivalent performance specification would be better suited. The brake dust and water make a fairly nasty cocktail that will enhance rusting. The problem with the rusting bolt really has to do with the Allen head bolts. The sharp edges of the Allen head wrench shape penetrates the plating surface when the bolts are tightened leaving a very small amount of exposed steel. After time, the rust starts from this point outwards which corrodes under the plating. This is a know issue with Allen head bolts. In my case, the rust is very small after 3 years but it looks like crap nonetheless. Torx bolts with suitable plating will eliminate the problem completely.

The type II/III anodizing is another issue. It is fairly well known that anodizing will easily stain if not sealed with an appropriate material for its given environment. There is a long list of sealing materials that would prevent the staining of the finish.

The blame the customer game only goes so far so would suggest you stop projecting this. The customers who purchased this product that have problems will not be buying the product again and for good reason. Fixing the problem will regain the customer.

[Superfly_M3]

So as far as I know, all stop tech kits have allen bolts. AP and Racing Brakes also have allen bolts. Yet only a couple of people have seen corrosion. Why?

[apecush]

Originally Posted by Superfly_M3

So as far as I know, all stop tech kits have allen bolts. AP and Racing Brakes also have allen bolts. Yet only a couple of people have seen corrosion. Why?

chemistry.

If you use a cleaning solution that strips the plating of the bolts, the bare steel underneath will rust. I'll go out on a limb here and say that everybody does not use the same solution to clean their wheels/brakes, and different brake manufacturers use different plating types on their bolts.