Centric Parts® is a leading manufacturer and supplier of aftermarket brake components and systems for everyday cars, work duty vehicles and high performance vehicles under the Centric®, StopTech®, C-Tek® and PosiQuiet® names, among others. Centric continually innovates significant improvements to brake technology for the street and track, having earned four patents along the way. In 2013, StopTech earned full ISO/TS 16949:2009 Quality Management System certification for the design and manufacture of automotive brake systems and components, allowing the company to supply OEM vehicle assembly plants directly in a Tier 1 relationship.
The company was founded in 2000 in Southern California and has enjoyed solid growth every year since. Today the company operates multiple warehouse and manufacturing facilities totaling over 500,000 square feet and exceeding 500 employees.
Centric’s executives bring with them extensive experience and insight. Dino Crescentini, CEO of Centric Parts has several successful aftermarket companies under his belt as founder and senior executive, including Autospecialty and StopTech and has been a race car driver for the last three decades. He has scored victories in several series including the SCCA Pro Pirelli World Challenge Championships.
Dan Lelchuk, president of Centric Parts, has been part of the auto aftermarket business since 1976, holding positions with several import parts suppliers including Beck Arnley and Brembo as well as also having worked with Crescentini at Autospecialty. Stephen Ruiz, Centric Parts’ Director of Engineering and a recognized industry expert, comes with over 20 years of brake and friction materials experience as well as race car design, engineering, and manufacturing.
The company is rounded out with skilled and seasoned experts from across the industry. This encompassing knowledge of the industry brought by the executive team is further expanded on through Centric’s dedication to research and development.
The company has one of the industry’s best programs for tracking and cataloging original equipment, and devising quality aftermarket and OE parts for consumers, technicians and car makers. Centric’s catalogs, a practical standard in the industry, now boast over 40,000 braking system parts supporting nearly every make and model from passenger cars to medium duty trucks manufactured since 1937.
In the process, the company has earned a string of braking technology patents and has been repeatedly recognized by the Friction Materials Standards Institute for its substantial contribution to the development of new application references supporting the entire industry. StopTech has earned ISO/TS 16949:2009 Quality Management System certification for the design and manufacture of automotive brake systems and components, allowing the company to supply OEM vehicle assembly plants directly in a Tier 1 relationship. In addition, Centric has garnered numerous industry and program distribution group awards for vendor of the year, best catalog, best website, best new products and more.
Originally focusing on replacement parts for everyday use, Centric parts has aggressively expanded into the performance market by acquiring StopTech in 2006 and Power Slot in 2007.
StopTech® has been awarded the highly coveted TÜV approval on several big brake kits. StopTech® kits successfully passed TÜV’s demanding series of tests that range from performance and durability, to proper fitment and ease of installation. Although TÜV certification is not required in all countries, TÜV approval demonstrates that StopTech’s® Balanced Brake Upgrades® meet the rigorous standards set by this respected German Agency. StopTech® Big Brake Kits have been awarded a Teilgutachten. The complete kit is certified to run on a particular application, so customers do not need to pay for further testing with the TÜV agency.
Centric's StopTech Big Brake Kits deliver championship-winning performance with original equipment quality. Every Balanced Big Brake Kit is designed and engineered to provide optimal braking performance for each specific vehicle application. StopTech is ISO/TS 16949 certified for the design and manufacture of automotive brake systems and components, expanding on the company’s commitment to providing the best high performance brakes in the world.
Over 75,000 square feet of production space is dedicated to StopTech brake systems and components.
StopTech Big Brake Kits are engineered to optimize braking performance for each vehicle application. Component and kit designs are produced in Solidworks, and FEA studies are completed in Solidworks Simulation.
Centric's engineering team utilizes advanced data acquisition tools to measure and inspect components.
Computer controlled CMM machines inspect components for dimensional accuracy.
Advanced optical inspection processes ensure each component meets stringent quality control requirements.
Centric has invested in three Link Engineering brake dynos to perform in-house testing of brand's brake components and systems. No other aftermarket brake company conducts as much testing.
Big brake kit calipers, pads and rotors are dyno tested to determine their performance characteristics under different operating conditions. Test parameters may include repeated stops from 160mph, or extended driving cycles to measure wear life.
StopTech first Link 3900 brake dyno is used primarily to test passenger and light truck applications. As delivered from the factory its air handling system provided 150mph of airflow. Modifications made by Centric increased the air velocity limit to 210mph. Dyno #1 can simulate gross vehicle weights (GVW) of up to 12,000 pounds.
StopTech second Link 3900 dyno is used primarily for full-size truck testing including drum brakes, armored vehicles, and for parking brake testing. Dyno #2 has also been configured to reach a maximum air velocity of 210mph and can simulate GVWs of up to 24,000 pounds.
Sensors monitor brake rotor temperatures throughout the testing process.
Temperature sensors embedded in the inner and outer brake pad provide real-time temperature data during the testing process
In addition to StopTech in-house testing capabilities, Centric performs extensive on-vehicle testing.
On-vehicle FMVSS testing is performed using the Link 3801 Data Acquisition System. For quick setup and changeovers, especially during racetrack testing, we also employ the VBOX 20SL3 GPS Datalogger featuring simultaneous 3-axis measuring.
Each StopTech brake caliper starts its life as a forged aluminum blank. Each brake caliper is then finished using the production processes and machines.
Using specially engineered production jigs piston bores and mating surfaces are CNC machined.
After all bores and mating surfaces are finished. StopTech calipers are finish machined. For the Trophy caliper the weight is reduced up to 20% and the engraved logo added.
All inlets and fluid ports are finished machined and threads cut.
These Trophy calipers have completed their machining process and are ready for final finishing and anodizing
After final inspection and approval, caliper bodies are hard anodized. This finish is specially designed to handle extreme temperatures associated with hard braking situations.
Finished caliper bodies have pistons, pressure seals, dust boots and abutment plates installed
Once all the components are installed, the two caliper halves are mated together and sent for pressure testing and final inspection.
Each StopTech caliper is pressure tested to over 2700psi. This step ensures proper operation of the caliper under the most demanding conditions.
After passing QC and pressure testing, each StopTech caliper is boxed and labeled for shipping.
Centric's Southern California production facility utilizes the most technically advanced machines and equipment to produce the company's patented AeroRotors.
Engineered and developed to be the most efficient rotors for heat dissipation, StopTech AeroRotors are cast, machined and assembled completely in the United States.
Raw castings are supplied by an American foundry that has been carefully chosen to provide the proprietary alloy blanks. Routine inspections by Quality Control guarantee consistent and reliable quality.
Blanks are first cut to the proper dimensions for their particular application. Every StopTech brake component is specifically engineered for a particular vehicle application, guaranteeing a properly balanced brake system.
Skilled operators machine the rotors...
...and test for accuracy at each step of the process.
Precision test instruments are used to ensure that every rotor is true to spec.
After the primary dimensions have been set, the rotors are fed into a 3-axis mill with special workholding and in-machine dimensional gauging to drill and slot the drive features.
Each of the individual cutting tools performs a specific task.
The proper drive pin holes and inner diameter scalloping are cut to assure the correct annulus and AeroHat mounting points.
Once again, the machinists carefully inspect and measure the processed rotors.
When the proper diameters, drive pin holes and annulus have been verified, the rotors are sent to the balancer.
Here the AeroRotors are accurately balanced with computer controlled edge cuts.
Proper balancing of the AeroRotors ensures a vibration free driving experience. This step is important because the higher the vehicle speed, the higher the forces will be that are created by any appreciable imbalance left in the rotor.
The final step in the production process uses a high speed pin imprinter to etch identification information into the outer edge of the AeroRotor, but only after it has passed the balancer audit of the correction it just made.
The finished AeroRotor passes through one final inspection before being sent to assembly to be mated to the appropriate AeroHat or sold as a replacement part in the aftermarket.
Centric's patented StopTech AeroHats are manufactured from Alcoa aluminum alloy bar stock, pre-aged for optimal tensile strength and corrosion resistance.
AeroRotor hats are CNC machined for each vehicle application.
Aircraft grade hardware is used to mate AeroHats and Rotors. The specially engineered drive pins have been developed to handle the stresses of heat cycling and repeated stops.
Split cast AeroRotor rings and hats are assembled and sent for final inspection.
Each AeroRotor receives a visual inspection and is checked for run-out. This process ensures proper alignment of the rotor components and eliminates vibration and feedback after vehicle installation.
Application specific caliper brackets are machined from premium billet aluminum.
After machining each bracket is inspected before being sent for anodizing.
StopTech stainless steel brake lines consist of a Teflon®-like inner hose supported by a layer of woven stainless steel braid that is wrapped in a clear PVC plastic coating. Each application specific hose is engineered and manufactured to provide optimum performance.
Following final QC inspection, each StopTech Big Brake Kit is boxed and ready for shipping.
Centric's attention to detail, advanced engineering and manufacturing techniques result in superior quality brake systems and components. This makes Centric the only choice for championship winning race teams.