Is upgrading S13 brake calipers a must?

[1 88 U]

or will upgrading pads, rotors, fluid and lines be enough?

[Angel]

or will upgrading pads, rotors, fluid and lines be enough?

Depends on the intended use of the car, weight, and power level to some extent. I would say that if you are like the average driver just messing about on the street a little, then good pads and a high quality fluid will probably suffice. On the other hand if you are doing trackdays and really pushing the car it would probably be a worthwhile investment. For the occasional panic stop you don't really need that much thermal capacity in the system, but repeatedly hauling the car down from triple digit speeds ( roadcourse work ) you can really benefit from it.

[the head]

Should be fine most cars have no need for anything more than a pad fluid rotor lines upgrade

Evaluate how you intend to drive your car and if you do track events, how often you do them, unless you start to expierence fade when driving hard no real need to worry about changing over brakes.

[kandyflip445]

What they said. Only upgrade when you get to the point where you're at a track day and your brakes aren't cutting it. The stock braking system with new pads/lines/fluid upgraded will be good for a lot.

[wootwoot]

There are also many many options to z32's when it comes time to upgrade

[SochBAT]

I like the saying "Upgrade your driving. When you start to outperform your current equipment, and can no longer push it past its limit, UPGRADE."

Many people are just slapping on mods like its the Great Race or something, when they haven't even maxed out their skills and talent on their stock parts. Needless to say, many people will be crashing cars that would cost them an arm and a leg when they are still learning Square 1.

[ManoNegra]

After some spirited driving on the Northridge hills I changed lanes trying to get onto the 118 but my brakes refused work. I quickly returned to the street and slowed down with the gears and found my pads were crystalizing and chewing the rotors. That's how I knew it was time to upgrade my brakes.

[the head]

get some good carbon metallic or semi race pads and some quailty rotors (brembo blanks are nice) this should handle most of your issues if not then consider an upgrade

pad recommendations
Hawk HPS or HP+
Axxis ultimate

there are others but these are two that I have used and really liked

[OptionZero]

Porterfield R4-S. Got 'em, love 'em.

dont forget to get good tires, which also play a part in braking (a big one)

[NismoSilvia270R]

on small hot runs my brakes fade to the point where the pedal goes to the floor and NO stopping occurrs. new pads-check. i guess rotors are next..

i wish i could afford z-ebrake assy, but what can you do

[Irukandji]

Just get blank rotors (no x-drilled slotted), axxis ultimate pads, and some stainless steel lines if you have extra money.

priorities:
1. pads
2. fluid
3. rotors
4. lines

then when you are a jdm balla

5. calipers

[TomeiS14]

I have a S14 with rotora Slotted rotors and Project Mu pads and they stop plenty for the KA. If you do plan on going SR ......Silvias came with bigger brakes in Japan so i would go with either a Z32 brake upgrade if you are going for a mild setup and upgrade to more aggressive setup once you decide to to go 300+ hp.

[Irukandji]

^ what he said too

[wootwoot]

Allright I'm going to get techish now.
JDM Silvia brakes are what our Altima calipers with Maxima rotors are. This is what I'm upgrading to with good pads and all stainless braided lines. If you are allready doing pads/lines/rotors, shit, why not just go with that combo. Slightly larger but does not throw off the stock bais

[NismoSilvia270R]

Allright I'm going to get techish now.
JDM Silvia brakes are what our Altima calipers with Maxima rotors are. This is what I'm upgrading to with good pads and all stainless braided lines. If you are allready doing pads/lines/rotors, shit, why not just go with that combo. Slightly larger but does not throw off the stock bais

i think its the other way around, but i like the idea. ive got some max calipers in my room. debating if its worth the money since i have most of the z brake setup anyway.

never driven on max calipers, but i can imagine it would be a decent upgrade from my overheating stockers.

also, rear s14 brakes = bigger?

[wootwoot]

The pistons are slightly larger on the s14 rears, I think thats the only difference.

[the head]

i think its the other way around, but i like the idea. ive got some max calipers in my room. debating if its worth the money since i have most of the z brake setup anyway.

never driven on max calipers, but i can imagine it would be a decent upgrade from my overheating stockers.

also, rear s14 brakes = bigger?

Correct it is ALTIMA ROTORS (4lug) and MAXIMA PADS on the larger jdm brakes, while we are on this subject anyone know what rotors are available in 5lug that would fit these brakes? I was thinking Maxima rotors might work due to the pad thing but not sure, anyone done this before?

[North240]

Yes s14 rear calipers are larger than s13s, they also have the same piston area as a z32. s14 is floating caliper using 1 piston that acts like 2 and z32 is 2 piston.

[AAA240SX]

I have a S14 with rotora Slotted rotors and Project Mu pads and they stop plenty for the KA. If you do plan on going SR ......Silvias came with bigger brakes in Japan so i would go with either a Z32 brake upgrade if you are going for a mild setup and upgrade to more aggressive setup once you decide to to go 300+ hp.

Your setup can stop 3 KA's combined my friend...haha :loco:

j/k man nice setup...

88: If you are going for a mild setup and have 4 lug I might be able to hook you up...
check your pm mang...

[1 88 U]

Your setup can stop 3 KA's combined my friend...haha :loco:

j/k man nice setup...

88: If you are going for a mild setup and have 4 lug I might be able to hook you up...
check your pm mang...

replied, thank you everone for input

[1 88 U]

Just get blank rotors (no x-drilled slotted), axxis ultimate pads, and some stainless steel lines if you have extra money.

priorities:
1. pads
2. fluid
3. rotors
4. lines

then when you are a jdm balla

5. calipers

are you saying blanks work better than x-drilled slotted, or that blanks are good enough?

[the head]

unless the x-drill or slots are cast in or chamifered they are more prone to cracking around the machined/drilled area if you want to go with somthing besides blanks use slots

[JaeTea]

are you saying blanks work better than x-drilled slotted, or that blanks are good enough?

I'd get blanks for a stock KA for numerous reasons. Get a set of Brembo stock replacements.

[mr_240sx]

I'd get blanks for a stock KA for numerous reasons. Get a set of Brembo stock replacements.
and what are those reasons?

[theicecreamdan]

I have altima calipers with maxima pads and rotors, fits on my s13

[tastyratz]

ive got the 180sx brakes altima rotors maxima calipers combo on mine. I have some of the stickiest tread you can buy not going r comp and I can lock my brakes on the highway if I try hard enough. I use hawk hps pads all around and LOVE EM! Want to know how to do it? Search for the thread "180sx breaks from usdm parts" wanna learn about bias and brake combos? Look for the thread started by sykikchimp called "blind enthusiasts" dont just bolt on a z32 front brake on your car and think your better prepared like most idiots, youll have LESS braking performance than a properly setup stock brake system. Do your reading first. Stock brakes are more than sufficient for our car and the 180 upgrade is a great way to go about things while retaining stock pedal feel, modularity, and bias. q45 brakes are great too (if you do F+B) search theres plenty of threads

[OptionZero]

cross-drilled rotors and slotted rotors in the same size as blanks mean there is less surface area to dissapate heat, and also, most of the ones on the market are cross drilled or slotted onto existing blanks, which decreases structural rigidity.

For rotors LARGER THAN STOCK, with holes or slots created in the casting or molding or whatever (Without adding them in after creation of rotor), then you may look into those. If it's larger than stock then you have more surface area than stock, which might change things.

Otherwise, 90% of crossdrilled/slotted rotors are for show purposes only.

Porsche uses Cross Drilled for WATER EVACUATION, and their rotors are made with holes in them, not drilled afterwards.

Xdrilled was invented to let hot gases escape, but since rotors are now vented, x-drilled is just stupid, less area to grab onto and less area to spread out the heat from friction.

GET BLANKS they are cheaper and more effective.

[tastyratz]

thank you option: someone with their head on right. Yes that is entirely correct. Buying drilled and slotted rotors will DECREASE your braking performance. Blanks are the way to go

[JaeTea]

and what are those reasons?

With slotted rotors it took FOREVER for my pads to get heated to optimal temps, then they glazed my rear pads.

[wootwoot]

Just wondering but with the Maxima/Altima brakes is the surface area for the pad much greater or is the majority of gain from the rotor increase?

[SochBAT]

IIRC, both. The calipers are noticably bigger, and beefier, so in turn, the pads increase in size also. The rotor is upgraded to 28mm/30mm, compared to stock size of ~25mm(?). They are incredibly cheap, and worth the $.

[SHIFT_control]

now the question is... will the altima/maxima setup clear SSR Lonchamps in a 15X7 -15?

[tastyratz]

altima maxima setup should have spoke clearance like stock brakes or BARELY anything different. The brakes are wider however and DONT clear steel wheels on 15' wheels. Stamped steel wheels have a raised edge hump that goes where the front mates to the shell. Those actually hit the calipers. 15" alloy wheels will however clear the brakes up front because they dont have that bump. These have rotors as big as z32s so it fills the wheels its just the rotors arent as thick.

[wootwoot]

What is the diameter increase with the Altima rotors? I tried to find it but I wasnt sure what year and found 11.7'' for some models and 11.5'' for others.

[lanesteele240]

please do what you have to to get the brake upgrade. the z32 brakes are AWESOME. you will stop when you want with them, no fade. drilled and slotted are not needed. they are to exspell gasses that build up under high timps. new brake pads dont build gasses like old types do. dont forget to down shift and use your clutch to help slow you. i can stop my s14 from 80 to 0 in just a few seconds. dont try this at home i have z32,s on all 4 corners.

[tastyratz]

then you did it the proper way unlike most people who just throw the fronts on for brake bling. Did you upgrade to the z32 brake master cylinder as well to retain proper brake bias?

[1 88 U]

dont forget to down shift and use your clutch to help slow you.

nah, I'm a heel toe type a guy

[projectRDM]

cross-drilled rotors and slotted rotors in the same size as blanks mean there is less surface area to dissapate heat, and also, most of the ones on the market are cross drilled or slotted onto existing blanks, which decreases structural rigidity.

For rotors LARGER THAN STOCK, with holes or slots created in the casting or molding or whatever (Without adding them in after creation of rotor), then you may look into those. If it's larger than stock then you have more surface area than stock, which might change things.

Otherwise, 90% of crossdrilled/slotted rotors are for show purposes only.

Porsche uses Cross Drilled for WATER EVACUATION, and their rotors are made with holes in them, not drilled afterwards.

Xdrilled was invented to let hot gases escape, but since rotors are now vented, x-drilled is just stupid, less area to grab onto and less area to spread out the heat from friction.

GET BLANKS they are cheaper and more effective.

Plus, cross drilled rotors wear the pads faster and are much harder to turn when the time comes for it.

[projectRDM]

I have a S14 with rotora Slotted rotors and Project Mu pads and they stop plenty for the KA. If you do plan on going SR ......Silvias came with bigger brakes in Japan so i would go with either a Z32 brake upgrade if you are going for a mild setup and upgrade to more aggressive setup once you decide to to go 300+ hp.

That's a stupid statement. "Upgrade to Z32 brakes if you're running an SR", so people with 500hp KAs don't need them?

[MakotoS13]

of course not SR power is more potent than KA power because it SR's are JDM.

duh.

[Big Zee]

I have some JDM Silvia brakes , 11inch front slotted and vented and slotted rear solid rotors, some carbon kevlar pads and staionless lines, oh and bigger front calipers

haven't installed em yet, but the stock system I had before bit so hard I dont really need to upgrade, just want somethoing shiny behind my rims haha :D

another swap to do for brkaing if you can find one written off or a friend smashed his up is the gtr brake conversion with hubs and lugs and wheels

offer like a grand for it all, and you now have a 5 lugged, way better braking 240sx with some rims offa skyline :D

[g6civcx]

For 99% of the population, you'll be fine with your stock calipers. Check to see that they work well and aren't binding/leaking. Flush the fluid and fill with good, clean DOT 3 brake fluid. Get Brembo blanks and Hawk HPS pads. Bleed them well.

This will outbrake most of the crappy brake upgrades you can buy. Stick with what works. The purpose of bigger brakes is to prevent fading after prolonged use. If you want to shorten your stopping distance, you need to work on tyre and suspension setup, as well as weight reduction.

To the person who said Altima/Maxima brakes don't clear steel wheels, I am currently running JDM 180SX (Maxima calipers and Altima discs) with steel wheels. It clears the wheels with no problems. Would you like a picture?

To the person who said to downshift and use the clutch to slow, remember that the purpose of downshifting is to get into the correct gear. The purpose of the engine is to add speed, not reduce speed. That's what brakes were designed for. Use them. Same goes for the clutch.

To the person asking about slotted/drilled discs, stick with what I said in the first paragraph and you will be fine.

[alexchanman]

6 month old thread.

[g6civcx]

6 month old thread.

Doesn't stop people from digging up the same question though :)

[g6civcx]

Duhhhhhh :)

[alexchanman]

shouldnt it be archived then?:cool:

[g6civcx]

shouldnt it be archived then?:cool:

:o :o :o :o :o