EMPI rear disc brakes

The only thing I can suggest is to check the stub axle for runout as well.

What would I do? I'd take the rotors off and have them cut.

Or get them replaced under warranty, as they are new, Chinesium, and not up to your(or my) standards.

EMPI, the quality is left out of the box.

EMPI !!  First in the field and first to fail ! Breakfast of Champions !

EMPI........EMPI.......Empi Means Performance Inability !

When you swapped the rotors, did the same measurement follow each rotor?

I would be inclined to mark the rotor and stub axle, then take another measurement with the rotor rotated 180 degrees.  This will give you an idea if the runout is in the rotor or the stub axle.

I say this all the time... I won't recommend EMPI for many parts, BUT their brake kits are generally really nice.  On occasion we'll get a set that they forgot to machine or broach and they just send a new rotor to replace them, and for a while the L caliper was stamped R and the right caliper was stamped L, but knowing where the bleeder and e-brake connection go it was a non-issue.  We have had a few where the splines were broached crooked, which shows as runout, but its been a LONG time since I've seen that.

As mentioned above, check your axles.

re: the suggestion to turn them, good idea, BUT you may find this difficult due to the large 5x205 bolt face.  Apparently that makes them very difficult to turn on most brands of brake lathe.  and if the splines are the culprit you won't want to do this.

Thank you everyone for the great information.

I reached out Henry at Empi tech support. He was actually really helpful.  He stated, "that its most likely not the stubs" (I will check them, just in case) and he wants to replace the rotors. I will need to go through the dealer that I had purchased them from, so I don't foresee see me getting hung out to dry. Since they have been great.

@chines1 have you had any issues with the casting on the calipers? one side constantly grabs the outermost area of the rotor. and you can barely turn by hand. all of the pads are seated correctly, and the brackets are centered, only an issue on one of the calipers.

I'm starting to see the QC issues that I have read about with EMPI. I wish that there were multiple options for some of these parts, and not such a leap in cost. I will say, aside from the issues that I am seeing so far. The brake kit came really complete, looks pretty nice, and actually talking to a person on the phone that wants to help with my issue, left me speechless. Especially in the current days of "customer no-service".

EMPI was sold a few years back. The new guy is trying. It's fashionable and easy to beat up on them - but without EMPI, we're DOA as a hobby.

They are improving, that's true. Perhaps this brake kit was older stock?

The only EMPI parts I've had good luck with are JayCee, which is now owned by EMPI.

@DannyP I did purchase the kit back in late 21 when I picked up my pan/body from VMC. So they are definitely older.

Very cool that they're willing to swap the rotors out. The one rotor that rubs may be due to a slightly off caliper bracket, see if you can maybe finagle some updated ones along with the replacement rotors?

@Stan Galat posted:

EMPI was sold a few years back. The new guy is trying. It's fashionable and easy to beat up on them - but without EMPI, we're DOA as a hobby.

I agree!

Quality of EMPI parts may be spotty, but I'm grateful to have a parts source for my VMC Speedster at reasonable prices.  I have a 1966 MGB and it's also fashionable to bash one of the largest MG parts suppliers, Moss Motors, but again I'm  super pleased to have a reasonable parts supply available.

Jason

@JasonC
Have you tried:

https://www.scarboroughfaire.com

for MG parts?   They were pretty decent when we had our Big Healey.  

@Gordon Nichols posted:

@JasonC
Have you tried:

https://www.scarboroughfaire.com

for MG parts?   They were pretty decent when we had our Big Healey.  

No, I haven't but will be sure to investigate them for my next MGB parts order.

Jason

Jason.

Need a beautiful handmade Derrington steering wheel for your B?

I just got the “go ahead and just ship everything back” we will get you squared away, and settle with EMPI.  “

I’ll be tearing it all down tonight, and shipping tomorrow! Whoop whoop!

I’m impressed with hearing about that customer service.  That is reassuring.  The few EMPI things I have bought over the last year have been pretty good quality.  I steered clear of them for all of the years of my splitty bus ownership.

Hey, here’s a shout out to Greg at VMC @VSpyder for his excellent customer service.  I know you read this, Greg, even though you say you don’t!  Greg is awesome.  We chatted for a bit tonight and he was very helpful.  We shared a great laugh (at my expense) about my mechanical antics.  He’s always innovating.  We sometimes forget that he is an enthusiast just like us.  Keep on fighting the good fight!

The one thing I will share is that he cares very much about quality, but his needs differ slightly from ours.  He needs quality product AND he needs a reliable supply.  Yes, @Stan Galat you already brought this point up, but Greg echoed it to a tee.  

That's great news, you'll put this one behind you and move forward.

FWIW, I replaced my rear discs this past winter (along with  a few other vital parts) and bought EMPI disks (from JBugs, IIRC)  These were the ones with the long spline vs the short spline that needs a spacer for IRS lash-up.  All I can say is these parts went on without any issues whatsoever.  I did not measure run out, other than by giving them the evil eye as I spun them around.  No pulsations in the system.

In another post, I think it was @Gordon Nichols who mentioned needing front wheel  bearings and refusing to use Chinesium ones from EMPI.  Hines had some similar things to say.  And I went through a good search for front bearings this winter, and asked suppliers to tell me the brands they carried. No EMPI I said.  I was told they had FAG (once a German Co.) and since I used those on my old P cars back in the day, I said OK.  Turns out these are now made in Korea, I think.  Could not find any "Made in the USA" bearings.

@Teammccalla I can’t echo Greg’s greatness enough either. Him and Anna both have been a pleasure to work with, along my garage built journey. I drove down to pickup everything from him, and sat down for a chat in his office. If I didn’t live 8 hours away from them, I would probably be there everyday..

@Eric N posted:

@chines1 have you had any issues with the casting on the calipers? one side constantly grabs the outermost area of the rotor. and you can barely turn by hand. all of the pads are seated correctly, and the brackets are centered, only an issue on one of the calipers.

I'm starting to see the QC issues that I have read about with EMPI. I wish that there were multiple options for some of these parts, and not such a leap in cost. I will say, aside from the issues that I am seeing so far. The brake kit came really complete, looks pretty nice, and actually talking to a person on the phone that wants to help with my issue, left me speechless. Especially in the current days of "customer no-service".

The main casting issues we see are too much material at the ears which can snag the pads and not allow them to move freely.   A touch with a grinder solves that.  I can't recall any issues with overall caliper fitment and centering it over the rotor.  They provide 2 different thicknesses of shims in the kit and they seem to center up nicely...

I am also not a fan of their Chinese brake pads, so we scrap those and I have Hawk front pads and Bosch rear pads.

@chines1 posted:

I am also not a fan of their Chinese brake pads, so we scrap those and I have Hawk front pads and Bosch rear pads.

This is exactly what I was talking about, @Teammccalla.

Carey, I did the same thing with my rear CB brakes - scrapped the Chinese pad and put in semi-metallic Bosch. Fronts are Wilwood pads, which cost nearly as much as the calipers (as you know).

@chines1 posted:

I am also not a fan of their Chinese brake pads, so we scrap those and I have Hawk front pads and Bosch rear pads.

I'd love to like this, but I can't. Buying stuff to replace mediocre/crappy stuff has become so commonplace that we just do it.

We shouldn't have to.

@DannyP it's funny that you wrote that, because as I was typing it I couldn't help but think to myself how sad it is that we just expect to have to modify, improve and/or replace the parts we're buying today.  There are not many parts that just work "off the shelf", and in some cases they do "work" off the shelf, but for the sake of longevity they work much better if disassembled and modified to address one shortcoming or another.

@chines1 posted:

@DannyP it's funny that you wrote that, because as I was typing it I couldn't help but think to myself how sad it is that we just expect to have to modify, improve and/or replace the parts we're buying today.  There are not many parts that just work "off the shelf", and in some cases they do "work" off the shelf, but for the sake of longevity they work much better if disassembled and modified to address one shortcoming or another.

I just did front disc brakes on a speedster and once again I had to take a couple of thousandths off the spindle with emery paper to get the races to slid on.......

@chines1 posted:

.I am also not a fan of their Chinese brake pads, so we scrap those and I have Hawk front pads and Bosch rear pads.

What are these pads originally on ?

Good to know for later ,

Also the front ones .......

Thanks

@imperial

Front MK2 GTI

Rear 2000 Mercury Sable

@chines1 posted:

@imperial

Front MK2 GTI

Rear 2000 Mercury Sable

The rears are D-610 pads. They fit any number of Ford products from the early 1990's through the mid 2000's.  You can find higher quality pads by searching by the part number.

Oh, searching now that is a quandary ... got the VIN no?     Just kidding