HT-Spec Brake Package: Stage 3 Performance Package, 99-03 TL & 01-03 CL

HT-Spec brake packages are formulated by HeelToe Automotive through concentrating on the most popular and successful customer upgrades sold. By focusing on individual customer concerns and needs, sensible upgrade packages are assembled, packed, and shipped right to your door or your installers shop.

Save 10% off retail pricing by buying in packages! No coupon needed, the discount it built into the prices below..

Certified HeelToe HT-Spec parts!

Factory Honda/Acura brakes cannot cope with the higher demands of sports or street performance drivers, even on the street. :
• The factory recommendation is to change the fluid every 3 years with no mileage interval. HT-Specs dictate this is too long and interval, as it can allow contamination to build up in the system* which will result in Type-2 brake fade*** and less confident braking. The factory recommended fluid is Honda Genuine DOT3, which inherently has a low boiling point****.
• Honda and Acura cars often develop a steering wheel shake when braking from speeds of 60 mph or more. This is most often caused by the overheating of brake pads in performance driving situations**, and can also be a sign that the stock rotors are warped. More aggressive brake pads will often reduce the shaking, but will wear the rotors much faster than conventional pads, increasing rotor replacement intervals.
• The brake rotors used by the factory are heavy (about 18 lbs each on a TSX or TL) and are unable to shed heat efficiently. Excess heat results in increased pad breakdown, warping, shaking, and fading***. Factory rotor maintenance often includes re-surfacing, which removes rotor material resulting in reduced rotor life and increases in replacement frequency.
• Upon pressing the brake pedal firmly, rubber brake hoses will expand and reduce brake fluid pressure acting on the pads and rotors. The situation gets worse as the rubber deteriorates with heat and the elements, and the result is reduced braking ability. Higher performance driving will increase the heat in the lines from the inside, further exacerbating expansion. Even with high performance fluid, brake line expansion can contribute to brake fade in sport driving situations.

HT-Spec Stage 3 Brake Packages provide a "Performance Package" brake upgrade that could easily be used for mild or moderate track use. Aggressive situations such as spirited canyon or mountain driving will be more confident and safer with an HT-Spec Stage 3 Brake Package:
• HT-Specs recommend a complete flush of the brake fluid to maintain safe braking operation every 1 year or 15,000 miles, which greatly exceeds the inadequate factory recommendation. The Stage 3 brake packages include 2 half-liter bottles of Motul RBF600 Brake Fluid. This is enough to completely flush the hydraulic system in your Honda or Acura car, reducing fade and extending the life of calipers and cylinders. The wet boiling point of RBF600 is 420°F, significantly higher than the Honda fluid, preventing issues with boiling.
• Racingbrake 2-Piece Open-Slot front brake rotors are provided with the HT-Spec Stage 3 Brake Package.
  Racingbrake Rotor Features:
  • Forged Aluminum Hats for strength, lightness and efficient cooling.
  • Free-floating discs for consistency in varied temperatures.
  • Curved vanes to shed heat efficiently. Vanes are convergent which creates a low pressure area on the perimeter of the rotor in order to draw the maximum amount of air through the rotor vanes.
  • A specially formulated alloy that prevents wear.
  • An open-slot face sweeps dust away from the pads while specially designed holes in the slots evacuate the dust and promote air-flow through the rotor vanes.
  • A black EDP coating to reduce unsightly surface rust.
  Rotor options in ordering this kit:
  • Option 1 includes Racingbrake UP Front Rotors.
  • Option 2 adds matching Stoptech Slotted Rear Rotors with optimized iron alloy to the Option 1 Package*****.
• HT-Spec Stage 3 brake packages include upgraded Racingbrake ET500 front and rear brake pads which are specially formulated to work best with Racingbrake 2-Piece and HP brake rotors.
  Racingbrake ET500 Pad Features:
  • Deliver braking performance beyond average street-driving.
  • Very low dust and no squeaking.
  • Excellent Modulation and Consistent Torque Output
  • Excellent braking from 80 mph
  • Function well at ambient temperature with a 1000°F max temperature
  • Extended life of the rear pads; Factory rear brake pads will wear at an accelerated rate that is undesirable to most customers.
• HT-Spec Stage 3 brake packages introduce optional Racingbrake ET800 front and rear brake pads.
  Racingbrake ET800 Pad Features:
  • Deliver braking performance beyond average street-driving.
  • All the drivability of ET500 pads.
  • Excellent braking from 120 mph
  • Function well at ambient temperature with a 1400°F max temperature
• The factory rubber brake hoses are replaced with DOT Certified Fastline Performance Stainless Steel brake lines. These lines are not prone to deterioration as factory rubber ones are; Fastline Performance brake lines provide a firmer, more confident brake pedal feeling that gives the driver a real sense of control. These brake lines will also eliminate expansion during high-temperature situations experienced during performance use. Another benefit of these Fastline Performance brake lines is the extra measure of safety they promote, as they are highly resistant to being cut by flying debris or vandals.

*Brake fluid pulls molecules of water out of the air since it is “hygroscopic;” Water is a dangerous contaminant in brake fluid. It builds up as sludge in the system and reduces the function of the brakes in warm temperatures. Also, heat cycling of the fluid can cause it to lose it’s resistance to compression and lubricity, which in turn can also cause the pedal to become soft. Lastly, dirt and debris can collect in the fluid reservoir that can promote the wear of seals in the master cylinder and calipers. This can lead to costly premature replacement of these items.
** Common situations of hill decent, freeway exit or panic-stop can induce a high-heat buildup in the braking system that will cause factory brake pads break down, and this causes an unsafe shimmy in the steering wheel while braking, primarily from speeds of 60 mph or more. The shaking is disconcerting and prevents drivers from taking full advantage of the car’s braking ability.
*** Fading: The reduction or loss of braking power. There are two main causes of fade as a result of persistent enthusiastic driving: Type-1, the pads are too hot and are unable to provide friction needed to stop the car (the pedal feels relatively firm but does not stop the car); Type-2, the brake fluid has overheated and begun to boil, reducing it’s ability to withstand pressure without compressing (the pedal will feel soft or spongy).
**** Boiling Point of Honda Genuine Brake Fluid (08798-9008) has a non-specific boiling point, stated only to "exceed...SAE specifications" of 284° wet (containing a small percentage of water, for a "worst case scenarios" comparison of hydrated fluids), which is inadequate for more spirited driving situations where repeated brake inputs raise brake system temperatures to the point of boiling the fluid. In fact, Honda fluid ONLY states claims of wet conditions, indirectly assuming drivers will not change their fluid regularly, which trivializes listing a dry fluid point that new fluid would have.
***** Rear rotors are optional on this kit as they are not required for a comprehensive upgrade, however the higher level of brake pads used in this package justify our recommendation to get the rear rotors to prevent excessive wear or noise.