You have all the go-fast goodies installed on your car, and you can run the quarter-mile in single-digit times and your top speed rivals that of the most expensive supercars. Oh yeah, you're going to have to stop at some point, right? Now, take a look at your braking system. Those rinky-dink rotors and pads are supposed to bring all of that massive inertial force to reasonable stop? I don't think so. It's time to stop spending your money on stickers and light bulbs and start thinking about how you're going to slow down your very expensive street machine. Enter the HP Racing Big Brake Kit.
HP has been producing performance products and accessories for a number of years now, and it seems to be have all of its bases covered. With its staged brake kits you, too, can upgrade one of your ride's most neglected systems without breaking your bank. HP's Stage 1 kit for the Acura Integra comes with 11.5-in. rotor s(compared to the factory 10.1 in.). The larger rotors mean more surface area to be scrubbed, and this translates into less brake fade--the syndrome that occurs when your brakes overheat and no longer provide adequate stopping power. To accommodate the larger rotors, the HP kit includes cast-iron relocation brackets that spaces out the brake pad. High performance pads were also provided in our test kit.
As you can see, the rotors are slotted and cross-drilled. These inherent designs aren't just to make your brakes look cooler--they serve a function as well. When a brake pad is pressed against a rotor to slow it down, the energy of the moving rotor is converted into heat that needs to be released. The slots and drilled holes facilitate the release of this heat and function as "cooling ports" for the rotor, much in the same way that a ram-air hood cools your intake air charge. Also, the energy conversion produces a gas discharge that normally gets caught between the touching pad and rotor surfaces. With the slots and holes in place, this gas is channeled into the body of the rotor and out of the center vent, effectively increasing your clamping power when you mash on the brake pedal.
We got our hands on HP's Stage 1 kit and took it over to the boys and girls at Pann Auto Performance in San Diego, Calif., for installation on our test-bed Integra. Put on your latex gloves and follow along as we examine the nuts and bolts of this very straightforward install procedure.
Put the car on a lift and remove the wheels. Duh. |  |
Remove the two 14mm bolts that hold the caliper assembly. | 
Remove the brake pads and the pad retaining clips. |
Remove the other half of the caliper assembly. It is attached to the hub with two 17mm bolts. |  |
Remove the two Phillips head screws that secure the rotor to the hub. If you don't have a brake screw removal tool, go to your local auto parts store and rent one. If you don't want to do this, be prepared to scour the earth for a tool that won't strip these screws. | 
As you can see, there is a dramatic difference in size between the factory 10.1-in. rotor and HP's 11.5-in monster. The red accents make it look cooler. |
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Lay the factory bracket and the relocation bracket side-by-side. You will need to remove the alignment bolts and the boots that surround them and place them onto the new bracket. |
Be sure to lubricate he boots that surround the brackets with bearing grease or another high-quality lubricant. | 
Check the brake dust shield for clearance. If needed, trim the shield to accommodate the larger bracket; bending the shield is not recommended because it causes distortions that may contact the moving rotor and damage it. |
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Place the new rotor on the hub and secure it with the two Phillips screws. |
Bolt the relocation bracket to the hub. Make sure you don't scratch, dent or otherwise deface the rotor surface. Doing so could lead to failure of your brake components. | 
Replace the brake retaining clips and re-install the brake pads. It may take a few times to get it right because it is a little tricky. Also, make sure you apply the brake backing to your pads so they don't squeak. |
Bolt on the factory caliper assembly. You may need to compress the piston in order to fit the assembly over the new pads. | 
Spin the new rotor and test for any obstructions, missing bolts, or loose components. Go to the other side of the car and repeat steps 2 through 14. Afterwards, bleed the brake system as necessary. |
As with most brake relocation kits and almost all upgraded brake calipers, the use of a larger wheel is required for caliper clearance. Our Integra now sports Tenzo R's Passion 5 wheel in a 17-in. configuration and Toyo's super-grippy T1S tires, although a 16-in. wheel and tire combination should be able to provide adequate clearance. |  |