Over the winter one of my projects is going to be an upgrade to a BBK. Projectautosalon.com has agreed to hook me up with a great price on the Brembo GT kit 13" for my car ( i run stocker 17's at the track). However the price they are giving, although a great price, is still A LOT more then other kits. Are the Brembo's REALLY that much better of a BBK? I don't mean on paper better, I mean in the real world, slowing from a 130mph straight and able to keep that stopping power. I see wilwoods have a front set for about 900 bucks, see Stoptechs are good priced as well. I don't mind spending the extra dough, but I want to know that extra money is going to make the difference.

Thanks for the help.

 

Not really it all comes down to rotor/pad choice the feel and claping force will be mostly the same if you stay in the same over all friction surface.

 

If you are staying NA, why not look at getting a used track model Brembo set-up?

Mine have performed great.

 

Billy... if the kit is a LOT more than the StopTechs, I'd go with the StopTechs. They are a proven excellent brake upgrade for the 350Z. I'm not familiar with the GT kit, but my guess is its about the same as the stock Track Model system (which is good, but not as good as the StopTech as far as I know.)

Just know that the nice red StopTech calipers will change colors on ya!

 

I agree with the Stacy's Stoptech choice. I have experienced them first hand, and on a NA car, I am not sure how much better the GT system will be for the extra price. Also, be sure to check out what pads and rotors are available for the system you choose.

 

I would look into a stock brembo set up and also may want to check AP Racing or Racing brake. Ive drive on AP before and if i didnt already have brembos id defenetly buy those. Im not sure how much more they are than stoptech or brembo.

 

I'm very happy with my Stoptechs, front and rear, (4piston/2piston, 14"/13"), and my G is TT'ed, and a bit heavier than your Z. Never had any brake fade at the track with these. Pad choice is important as well, I have PFC-01 fronts and Hawk DTC-60 rears. Also important is good fluid that is bled every track event.

Dave

 

fromt what I have read in other threads, the GT kit does not have a matching rear caliper. I was going to stick with stock nonbrembo caliper and just upgrade rotor and lines of course and run a high friction pad. With that combo however I am a little worried about a front bias situation. On top of worrying about that I am still skeptical on the price difference.

EDIT: just checked pricing. average price on a front set of stoptech 4pot kit is about 600 bucks - give or take some - cheaper then the Brembo GT kit I was priced. Cant' find pricing on a AP kit anywhere. still looking

 

IMO whether you get a Stoptech, Brembo, or AP front 4-pot kit, any of those will be fine for track usage considering your car isn't make crazy HP. I think the most important thing is the pad selection. I believe the Stoptech and AP have a very wide selection. Not sure about Brembo but I would assume they have a decent selection as well. Check those out and it will come down to your preference.

Personally I'm running a front 13" Stoptech kit and it's been wonderful so far for me on the track. I'm running Porterfield R4 pads.

 

^^Agreed. ST has a huge selection of pads since I believe they are the same pad-design as one of the Porsche' kits...

 

I wouldent keep the stock single piston back caliper the pads on those things go like now... Ive gone through 3 sets of pads in one event in the rear and 3 track events in the front. It was on a aps tt.

 

Correct.

Also the best place I have found to order ST pads from is Zeckhausen Racing The owner, David Zeckhausen, is very helpful, and will answer any questions you have.

Dave

 

Which pad? I know many people who run from stock-TT'd cars with only a front BBK, as well as many 300ZX guys (also 1-piston rear), including myself, who manage a 3500# car with only a front brake upgrade.

 

on a 350Z???? seems excessive....but what pads?

 

On non-brembo cars it's easy to go through rear pads. The brakes just don't have enough friction area for the car and the rears do a lot more work that cars equipt with the brembos or BBK systems.

 

oh i definately agree.......but 3 sets in one event? I ran north course for at VIR on 1.5 sets in the rear. you know how much braking that track involves

 

Actually VIR isn't that bad, even south. A track like CMP eats them alive though. I went through 3 sets of pads there before over the course of 3 1/2 days. Then again, the car was on track almost the whole time.

 

He was clearly using a street pad, and a horrible one at that.

 

i've been pricing some things going different routes and so forth. Thinking of going with a Rotora BBK 4 pot front with Rotora rear rotors and lines. Even with that set up its still slightly cheaper then a front only brembo kit. Decent kit? I think they are priced about the same as Stoptechs and maybe a little bit cheaper the AP.

 

If it were my money, I'd stick with the proven company... which would be StopTech. Especially if the price is practically the same. Why take risks in your braking system? (arguably the single most important part on our cars). Stoptech offers similar 4-pot fronts and rear rotor upgrades.

Rotora doesn't even list the 350Z as a product option for their BBK on the website.

Save a little money and get the smaller diameter kit (less mass) and go flog it... they'll take the abuse. Proven service and support within the Z community as well.