Power Stop Z23 Evolution Brake Kit Review
No matter what model your car is, or what its capabilities are in the speed department, you need to have the right brakes for it or you wonât be too enthusiastic to push it to its speed limits. Because of this, it is very important that you get the right brakes for your car. You need to think hard about the brakes you get for it because they are going to be a crucial factor in the enjoyment of your car, and your safety, at the end of the day.
In this case, weâre going to talk about the Power Stop Z23 Evolution Brake Kit, but before we get there, we need a bit of context. These brakes are performance brakes. So what are performance brakes? Letâs just put it simply as that theyâre the right brakes for your car.
They are the best gift you could get your car on its birthday, and they are some of the safest brakes you can have installed on your vehicle. Not to leave it at that, we will dive in a little deeper with a buyerâs guide where we talk about performance brakes in general.
The line of Z23 Evolution brake pad kits is diverse and powerful. Here you will find plenty of models that do the job quite well for your vehicle. You get lots of slotted or drilled rotors, ceramic brake pads, and kits that are meant to cover both the front and the rear of your vehicle.
Main Features
- Carbon fiber ceramic material for more powerful braking
- Dust-free
- Rubberized shims that make your braking virtually quiet
- Slotted and drilled rotors that dissipate heat efficiently and deliver maximum cooling
- The rotors are zinc plated to protect them from rust
- All kits come with ceramic brake lubricant and a premium hardware kit
Product Review
When it comes to performance brakes, itâs really hard to do any better than Power Stop. These brakes have well-matched components that were designed to work like clockwork to deliver superior braking power and the kind of control that you can only dream of with your OEM brakes.
The brake pads themselves are conceived of a unique carbon-fiber ceramic formula that not only ensures you get great braking power, but you also donât have to worry about dust accumulating on the brakes.
This noise is beyond the range of the human ear, so youâll experience noiseless braking. I canât say your dog will enjoy it, though, seeing as how sensitive dogs are to high-frequency noises.
As for heat dissipation and cooling, you can trust the slotted and drilled performance rotors to take all the heat away.
- Slotted and drilled rotors ensure maximum cooling
- Noiseless braking
- Protection from rust
- Powerful braking
- The rotors can be a bit hard to install without the help of a professional
What the Customers are saying
âI just love these brakes. â
âTheyâre super quiet and very powerful. â
âA simple tap of the brake pad brings my car to a halt, even at high speeds. â
âJust waiting to see how long they last!â
FAQ/Buying Guide
Contents:
Why choose Power Stop?
Okay, so we know that performance brakes are important and all of that, but why are choosing Power Stop? Well, Power Stop is one of the big names in the industry. They are a brake kit manufacturer that has been in the industry since 1995. They have a long and proven track record of quality in their products and are quite popular among drivers all over the country and the world. Thatâs why we are recommending them here.
Where are Power Stop brakes made?
For the most part, these brakes are US-designed and manufactured at various manufacturing partners overseas. So they may not be made in the US, but that doesnât take away from their quality as they are designed in the US. After all, Apple iPhones are also designed in California and made in China and I donât see too many complaints about the quality of the iPhone.
How long do Power Stop brakes last?
A good place to get a clue about that is in the warranty offered on the brakes. The warranty covers the first 3 years or the first 36,000 miles, whichever elapses first. Now, that in itself is pretty good as far as durability concerned, but you can get them to last much much longer than that if you keep them well-maintained and donât abuse them. How much longer will, of course, depend on the individual.
What is the difference between the Power Stop Z23 and the Z36?
Itâs all in the weight of the vehicle for which the brakes are meant. The Z36 is meant for heavy vehicles, like large tow trucks and the like. The Z23, on the other hand, is made for much lighter vehicles. Even the dimensions of the two brake pad models are different. The Z23 measures 14 by 14 by 10 inches while the Z36 measures 14 by 14 by 12 inches. The Z36 is also heavier than the Z23.
Are Power Stop brake pads ceramic?
Yes, they are. They are carbon-fiber ceramic brake pads, which is part of the reason why theyâre so good at dissipating heat.
What are Performance Brakes?
Now, every car comes with a set of brakes already installed from the manufacturer. We call these OEM brakes or Original Equipment Brakes. These brakes are great, if your car is the average car with the average engine doing average things, like taking your kids to school or you to work and home or grocery shopping, and so on.
If, however, you put your car through stress that it isnât used to on an ordinary basis, then youâre going to have to get something a little more powerful than an OEM brake.
Of course, you might wonder what such stress that the car isnât used to on an ordinary basis is supposed to be.
Basically, in case you install any upgrades in your car to enhance power, such as superchargers and turbochargers, or nitrous oxide, or swap the engine, or drive in especially taxing places with incredibly difficult terrains, like hillsides, then youâre going to have to think about replacing that OEM brake with something a little more equal to the task.
The Concept of Fade
Car enthusiasts have this term they like to use, which they call âfadeâ. Itâs something youâre going to experience a lot with your OEM brakes if you put them in taxing conditions. Let me explain.
When brakes have become used for a long time and very frequently in a given session, such as when you go on a long road trip, they tend to become less and less effective as they get more and more stress. This happens primarily because of the laws of physics.
When your car stops, all of that kinetic energy is basically taken and changed into something else so that the car can stop. For the most part, it is turned into thermal energy, otherwise known by us normal people as heat. Thatâs what happens when the brake calipers clamp down really hard on the disc of the brake: they get very hot!
Now getting hot is all good; the calipers were made to endure a lot of heat. However, they kind of have a threshold. Once they go past a certain temperature and you drive past a certain speed, the brakes become less effective at doing their job. Theyâre like the overworked intern programmer at the office that gets so overworked he starts to mess things up in the code.
You probably have had this experience before. Have you ever gone down a steep road, such as down the side of a mountain? At first, just tapping on the brakes is enough to get the car to stop. However, by the time you get to a certain point, you have to almost slam your foot hard into the brake pedal to get any meaningful reaction out of the brakes. Thatâs fade at work.
Now, if youâve ever tried racing, or are a regular racer, stock brakes simply wonât do. Youâre going to need brakes that can perform a little better.
That is where performance brakes come in.
Performance brakes are made to be more efficient when it comes to dissipating all of that heat that builds up when the car stops. They are better at the job and so they are more suitable. Theyâre like the 10x programmer you bring in who can do the work of 10 interns in a tenth of the time.
Performance Brake Parts
Letâs start with stainless steel brake lines. Theyâre a serious turn on for car enthusiasts. Theyâre the brake lines of the future and they really know how to hold on! They are basically made of Teflon encased in steel and they are much stronger and harder to stretch or flex than the rubber hoses you find on ordinary brakes. That means your brake pedal feels a lot firmer.
One thing you have to be careful about when it comes to stainless steel brake lines is the replacement. They tend to fail if you donât protect them from debris and replace them regularly.
Two other brake parts of interest are slotted rotors and cross-drilled rotors.
They used to be quite popular among track racecars but are now often sported by streetcars as well. These rotors are designed such that airflow is directed away from the brake disk in order to more efficiently dissipate heat.
Brake calipers and brake pads are also another upgrade part you can add to your car. Here as well there are plenty of options. Be careful not to overdo it and get your brakes from a reputable manufacturer. But donât worry about the reputable manufacturer part; Power Stop has you covered!
The Importance of Performance Brakes
So, now that we know a little about performance brakes, what are the advantages of having them in your vehicle?
Theyâre safer
The brakes you have installed in your vehicle are going to be among the greatest determinants of safety you will have to deal with. Whether youâre using your vehicle in a race or a road trip, youâre going to need brakes you can rely on to consistently deliver good performance.
OEM brakes can do that, sure, but they have their limits, and you probably want something that doesnât have limits. Youâll be thankful for that on those extra stressful days when you put your car through hell. Thatâs where performance brakes come in.
Longevity
Performance brakes also last longer overall than OEM brakes. They can dissipate heat more efficiently so you wonât have to worry about them getting deformed or worn out as quickly as OEM brakes under intense conditions.
They offer more value for money
This comes as a direct consequence of the longevity of performance brakes. Since youâre going to replace them much less frequently than OEM brakes, youâre going to save a lot more money in the long run, which means your pockets stay happy!
They are more efficient
Performance brakes are better performing than OEM brakes. If youâre driving an upgraded car that moves very fast, then that is definitely going to be very exciting. However, all of that speed means nothing if you canât control it with powerful brakes. Your ability to maneuver around tight turns is more a function of your brakes than it is of your speed. Thatâs where performance brakes come in.
They are more resistant to fade
With such incredible stress, there will be a lot of heat generated and you need brakes that can handle all of that heat needs to be dissipated efficiently. Your regular OEM has a limit over which it will become less efficient at dissipating that heat and therefore less efficient at braking. Eventually, youâll start to feel as if you donât even have any brakes since the ones you have arenât doing their job properly.
Youâll never have that kind of problem with performance brakes. They are highly efficient at dissipating the heat that is released as a result of braking and directing it away from them through airflow. They are therefore a lot more resistant to brake fade than OEM brakes.
Conclusion
And with that, we come to the end of our Power Stop brake pad review. The question isnât whether you need performance brakes for your vehicle; you probably do. The question is which performance brakes are best for your vehicle. We hope weâve been able to convince you that Power Stop is your best option. With the Z23, you should have all the control over your vehicleâs power that you need!
Leave a Reply