You may get slightly firmer pedal feel from the braided lines but it makes no actual difference in braking power. I've got them, nothing wrong with braided, just that lots of people attribute magical qualities to them that aren't real.
Drilled rotors have less surface area than a smooth rotor. Less surface area = less braking ability. I've held this position for a long time but recently learned some interesting stuff on another forum from some guys that put in serious track time with their cars; originally drilled rotors were used in racing because pad compounds back then produced a lot of gas when they got very hot. The holes were to allow the gas to escape. They were a trade-off because as said before, they decrease the surface area of the rotor. Today's compounds produce far less gas, so those "in the know" no longer run drilled rotors. Today, drilled rotors are sold purely for bling factor and not performance.
Discs in the rear for looks, I understand that. You spend some money on nice wheels and don't want some ugly old drums showing through the spokes. Just do beware that some of the disc conversions don't work well; read lots of reviews before you throw down some money. Some here probably are rolling their eyes and know this is coming but I'll say it again, brakes are a system designed by engineers that know a lot more about braking than we do. Once you start mixing parts the results can vary a lot. It's no longer a system, but just a mix of miscellaneous parts...and often no longer works correctly.
Richard
The drums on a 2500LD's 9.5 14 bolt are freaking huge; kinda hard to not notice them.
