Deciding on a brake setup...

[Thieu]

Street driven s13... nothing crazy on power... minimal suspension (shocks/struts + springs & various braces)

Will be autoxing in the future... Just want some good overall performance for not too much money.

Here are my 2 choices:

-Stay with stock sized
-Brembo xdrilled/slotted or xdrilled+slotted rotors front/rear
-Stainless steel lines front/rear
-Metal Matrix Pads front/rear (had these on previous car w/ brembo rotors and worked really well)

So this would be the least amount of money..

I figure about
-$200-250 for rotors front/rear
-$150 for pads front/rear
-$100 for lines front/rear
-New (good) brake fluid

The other setup would be:

-26mm 300zx calipers up front
-Brembo's all around
-Stainless steel lines
-Metal Matrix pads all around
-Master cylinder

This would be more money seeing as I need new calipers + redrilled rotors...etc... and a new master cylinder

I have searched but I need to look into Q45 front calipers a bit more...

What are you running and what do you suggest?

[mike13]

you should look into:
brembo GT kit front
z32 rear with project mu e brake shoes

[dori2 s13coupe]

OR you can shoot for 180sx brake setup

[Powashiftin]

If you look around online, You can get Z32 calipers pretty cheap. You can also go to autozone and get them for like $120 new a piece. I got both of mine for under a hundred bucks with rotors. Brake pades front/rear - $100 for axxis metal masters. You can probably score a Z32 front/S14 stock setup for around $300 bucks or so. Look around.. Good Luck

[Flybert]

If it's for autocross I would say it all depends on the size of tire that you are running and the type of compound. If you are going for a super grippy tire I'd run bigger calipers and rotors but if you are just running stock style stuff, your regular calipers should be fine. Just upgrade the pads. Hawk HPS are nice and should make it through a run without fading. If not, get the hawk HP+ and try to preheat them by riding the brakes a little before you run. Pad choice is one of the most important parts of a brake setup especially when you want it to work for a specific type of driving, tires being the most important part.

[wootwoot]

im going to be running z32 26mm in front and s14 in the back.

[Tricky1980]

im running all the basic bolt on parts, and agx/whiteline suspension with stock brake setup but running cross drilled slotted rotors with o'reilly 25$ pads and my car stops on a dime, no abs either... hate abs when trying to stop quickly on dry ground. Im doing just fine in autoX with this brake setup its worked all year and never had a problem.
Jay

[Pepperoni]

I have Q45's up front, i love them. Bites when you want them to, doesn't when u dont. Got plenty of feel, if that makes sense. Need any more info about em... feel free to PM me

[evilimport]

^ thats what I was gonna say...Q45 and J30 are a really good upgrade to do. But good pads and tires make more difference that anything. Dont worry about drilled/slotted, waste of time and money-- get blanks. Hell, I got a set of 26mm and 30mm sitting here and I dont know which to use on the car....dammit.

[sykikchimp]

how long have you been auto-xing?

Just get some good pads like Axxis ultimates, or Carbotech Bobcats, and some decent blank rotors, some SS lines, and some good brake fluid like ATE super blue, or Motul. You will have no problems at any auto-x.

[nissantuner22]

i run hawp pads, and i love em.

[old_s13]

if you're worried about bias, forget #2 unless you do the rears as well.

[derrick]

if you decide on kit #1 or #2 let me know, i have GB's running for both, and i believe for cheaper than what you were expecting to pay, especially on that first choice

[atom]

2nd the pad/line/fluid. They work so well, I'm not even sure if I'm gonna do R32 front/z32 rear anymore.

Also, Q45 brakes up front and stock rears actually give you MORE front brake bias than 300zx front/stock rear.

[Rennen]

how long have you been auto-xing?

Just get some good pads like Axxis ultimates, or Carbotech Bobcats, and some decent blank rotors, some SS lines, and some good brake fluid like ATE super blue, or Motul. You will have no problems at any auto-x.

Exactly

The reasons to go bigger brakes are more braking force, and/or better heat dissipation. In autocross, you need neither. I can lock up my R compounds with shitty autozone pads on worn out stock brakes, so you don't need more force. Since runs are short and spaced out, there is more of an issue heating up brakes than there is ever an issue of brake fade.


Just get some blank rotors and pads with good initial bite and you should be fine.

[AKADriver]

how long have you been auto-xing?

Just get some good pads like Axxis ultimates, or Carbotech Bobcats, and some decent blank rotors, some SS lines, and some good brake fluid like ATE super blue, or Motul. You will have no problems at any auto-x.

:werd:

I also like Porterfield R4-S. Combine those with good blank rotors (Brembo blanks or even just the "premium" auto parts store rotors) and high-temp fluid and that's ALL you need for a street/autocross setup with an N/A motor. With a stock motor this will even survive on the track.

Stainless lines are overrated IMO, but with how inexpensive they are these days even for GOOD ones you almost might as well get them to replace worn lines.

[Thieu]

Sounds good... I think I'll save myself the money and hassle and go with the pad/rotors/lines/fluid route...

Thanks for the helpful info guys

ps.

yes I am running "stock stuff" as far as tires/wheels go and I've only been autoxing a couple of times this year, but plan on participating a lot more next season..