Bang for the Buck brake upgrades...

[hurleyboi514]

ive got about $200-250 to spend for a brake upgrade.  what would be the best bang for the buck?  best pad for the dollar?  im a mountain driver so this is vital!!  i drive hard and fast so fade is a no-no...  what would u recommend?

[drift freaq]

I have a set of 180sx brakes they are larger calipers and 25 mm rotors . they came on the Turbo cars in Japan I will sell you the set for $150 with a set of rotors.

Dave

[Jeff240sx]

Why dont you save a paycheck or two, and get some z32 brakes.  I have a parts breakdown in the FAQ section.  The total cost to me was $480 and about an hour and a half of working on them.  (I did things I didn't have to on the first side... and realized I could skip steps on the other side.)
Thats what I'd do.
If not.. get some slotted rotors, to vent gasses, and some REALLY grippy pads.
Personal preference.  EBC greenstuff.  I have had my pads for 20k miles, and they are still like 3/4 there.  Coupled with a .48 coefficient of friction.. they stop well.  Or... Hawk has a good name.. and a few, cheaper, others.
-Jeff

[hurleyboi514]

well, im intrested in that 180sx brake set up of yours man...  email me at [email protected], ok?  the only problem with that is what about pads?  where am i gonna get 180sx pads in america?  can you get me a good set of pads?  if not, ill have to pass...  

if that doesnt work out, ill start scowering the local junk yards looking for a dead Z32...

[mbmbmb23]

Z32 brakes are the "bang for your buck" application.  Have you priced out Stillen or other aftermarket big brake applications?  They are WAY more expensive ($1,200+).  See...sure you can get a deal on the calipers...but you will want steel braided lines to make them most effective...and that adds up.  Its like $99 for a pair of Goodrich lines anywhere you go.  Ive heard of people buying rebuilt Z32 calipers from Autozone, and sticking their 240sx calipers in the box when getting your core charge back.  

Heres the cheapest Ive found them.

http://www.srswap.com/brakes.htm

They sell those brake packages, but I think you could get it cheaper if you found a deal on a pair of calipers, then bought the rotors, pads, and lines separately from them.


m

[Jeff240sx]

Dude.  
You so did not look in the FAQ section, where, in my first post I said I had a price-breakdown of all I bought.
Now.  Don't post a link to a place with $900 setup after I said mine was $480!  
Look here please:
z32 brake setup (http://www.zilvia.net/f/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=6;t=8263)

-Jeff

[HippoSleek]

I track my car on high-perf. tires, stock calipers, OEM rotors, and high quality pads and fluid.  Putting it on a track is the ultimate abuse for brakes.  I can brake w/ the best of them and I do not expereince fade.

Unless you have a turbo, the factory calipers are sufficient w/ good pads and fluid.  If you REALLY want to know a lot about brakes, I suggest you look back a few days in the tech or chat sections (post was moved from tech to chat) for my post titled "When racers attack."  It is a long flame that will teach you more about brakes then you ever wanted to know.

My advice to improve you system is as follows (in order or cost, not operation):

1) Replace and bleed fluid!  This is a big cause of crappy brake performance b/c air, water, and particulates get into the fluid and destroy its heat resistance and cause fade.  About $20 (ATE SuperBlue rules, or Ford 300 fluid).

2) Replace pads with high quality.  People w/ 240s tend to love Axxis Metal Masters and EBC Greens.  Personally, I recommend the not too cheap Porterfield R4s's or the CarboTech street compound.  Greens suck - they are little better than OEM, IMHO.  About $50 - $120.

3) Tires.  Tires are the most overlooked part of the braking system.  Think about it - they are the only thing that touches the road.  What stops you?  Sticky tires don't lock as fast b/c they can fight for grip longer in a straight line (just like in a turn).  Tires are usually a limit.  About $400+.

4) z32 upgrade.

Notice what is not mentioned?  Lines and rotors.  Unless you lines are shot, they will do little to improve pedal feel and virtually nothing to improve braking.  Rotors don't do much either.  Only replace these when necessary - and then only w/ a nice Brembo blank.  Slotting is not necessary on a street car (or even most track cars).  Nor is cross-drilling - These are for bling purposes only on 99.7% of applications.  Out gassing hasn't been a problem on brake pads made in the last 20 years.

[mbmbmb23]

Hey Jeff....what calipers did you get?  30mm or 26mm?  Did your rotors come predrilled (if you have a 4 lug)?

I gave him that link because of what I put at the bottom of that post...which basically means that you can get the setup alot cheaper if you buy the calipers yourself....but otherwise their prices are ok.  With their package, you are paying like $330ish for the calipers.  Please dont get mad that none of us looked in the FAQ.  Last time I checked, the FAQ had one thing in there (I guess there is more stuff in there now).

-M

[hurleyboi514]

well, the 180sx brake are the same size as maxima's pads and he wants only 150 for them w/ rotors and pads.  so i may go with that.  thanks though guys.  im definaltely gonna flush the brake system and get some good fluid in there.  then, some good pads, and i should be good to go.   thanks!

[drifterx]

i ahve Xdrilled and Axxis Metallic pads and it stops fine,,, it stopped even better after i changed my brake fluids.....
only fading that i got was when my brake fluide looked like it belonged in a sewage treatment plant....

[HippoSleek]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (drifterx @ April 15 2002,10:26)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">only fading that i got was when my brake fluide looked like it belonged in a sewage treatment plant....</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Yeah - that was something I did w/n a month of owning my car. &nbsp;Dear GOD &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>

If you *really* want to see some ugly fluid, check out your clutch. &nbsp;Most has never been touched... sewage is a perfect explanation!

[Jeff240sx]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (mbmbmb23 @ April 15 2002,11:42)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Hey Jeff....what calipers did you get? 30mm or 26mm? Did your rotors come predrilled (if you have a 4 lug)?</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
No. &nbsp;I bought rotors off ebay. &nbsp;It was like $140 for the front pair of 30mm slotted and cross-drilled. &nbsp;And I have the SE model, so I have 30mm rotors.
-Jeff