After a few track events, I have noticed that the inboard rear pads are wearing more than the outboard pads. And all rear pads are wearing MUCH faster than my front Stoptech's. I've been running Panther + pads F & R. Sooooooo, time for surgery!

Hear is how I did it. No cost, other than tin snips. I used Wiss M6(left) & Wiss M7(right), offset cutters. Only one is needed, but your wrists will appreciate having both. I saw them at Ace Hardware today for $20.99 each.

1st, remove caliper. No need to loosen the traction arm, as the service manual says. A 12 point 19mm socket with a 3 inch extension works fine.

Remove rotor........PITA.......a bit of ......um....persuasion works.

Snip, snip!!!!!

A shot of before......& why:

 

Another shot showing how the shield prevents proper cooling:

 

I looks like the shield is "bonded" to the parking brake backing plate, So, instead of tearing everything appart, I sniped!

 

Opps...forgot the pic:

 

Done, showing tools used:

 

This shows how much of the rotor is covered. I can't believe how ANY air gets to the axel side of the vents in the "ventilated rotor".

Well.... off to track test tomorrow.

 

Great post, I am about to the same thing so the instructions are great help.

For those that don't believe how much heat these hold in, here is a pic of the pads, the top are the rear and the bottom are the fronts. The ones on the right are the inside pads and the ones on the left are the outside pads.

I am going to do something with the front shields as well, alhtough they do not wear or warp as much as the rears they still do, I hate to think I have pad left based on the outside pads and the inside pads are down to metal.

 

westpak, thanks for the kind words!

I'm still trying trying to figure out a way to add more air to both F & R brakes.......my front Stoptech Stainless brake line clear covering is MELTING! Odd, only on the left front....not on the RF

 

Give Nick Riefner a shout, I met him at a track event and he has a track model on which he has done the following: 350Z StopTech 14" Front Brake Kit, BMK battery kit, brake cooling ducts, and additional vacuum reserve for the power brake assist plus he has been working with Stoptech on a titanium backing plate to keep the temps down on the caliper.

Guess who is getting his Brembo's He was my instructor at Sebring and a really cool guy. He can be contacted at:
(863)324-6692
or
nick@ntechengineering.com

He will be selling the cooling kits soon.

Gus

 

Here he is hanging on for dear life as my instructor

 

Holy sheeet! Getting rid of that backing plate wrapping around the rotor should make a huge difference. Post your results from doing this when you can!

 

What purpose does the backing plate serve?

 

Keeps dirt and debris out, but as it has been stated if it can get in it usually will get out anyway.

Good move on the mod. I had to cut away the front for the Stoptech's, I think I will do the rear before I go to the track.

 

1) It shields dust. From what?

2) Prevents proper brake cooling. I can't see ANY benefit, SO WHY is it there? Ask Nissan. My Lotus didn't have them, and NO problems.

As to the benefit of their removal.........I just returned from 3, 25 minute track sessions on a notoriously hard braking track(brag time....passed 12 Porsches in my last session, they all had Brembos & sticky meats....um, shoes!), beginning with about 1/8" rear pad, and after a VERY FAST day, they barely wore any more...sorry I don't have exact #'s, but the mod WORKS!

To help clarify, the front pads(P+), after my prior 3 track days are barely worn(20%), and the rears(also P+) had worn more than 2/3rd.

I'll add, the ABS kicked in more frequently than I rembered........I think thats a good thing, as the brakes are WORKING!

Just DO IT!

 

Wow, this is a GREAT idea, EnthuZ. Glad to hear that you were able to actually notice an improvement on the track.

I have a question about your procedure. When you removed the brake caliper, did you completely remove it from the car (i.e. remove the brake line,) or did you just unbolt it from it's housing enough to pull it away from the rotor and suspend it from the car close enough that you didn't have to remove the brake line?

Thanks, and good work on the pictures & description!

Gary

 

Gary, no need to disconnect the brake line. I just swung it around and set it upside-down on the upper link. A tip: after removing it's bolts, "rock" the caliper to push the piston back a bit.....makes reassembly easier.

BTW, I wanted to vote for Dan.....wasn't old enough to vote....when was that, '68?

 

That sounds easy...it's exactly what I do for changing rear brake pads, so it shouldn't be too bad to take the extra step and remove the rotor. I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.

Yeah, Gurney for President was in '68. I wasn't even around then, but I've heard enough stories to make me wish I was.

Gary

 

Gary, it was easy! If you have never removed a rotor before, be forwarned. Many "taps" with a BFH were necessary!

BTW, I'll extend an open invite to BEAUTIFUL Road America, September 27 & 28, with the Chicago Alfa Romeo Owners Club. VERY fast track. The Z should use 6th gear!

Specific info has not been posted, BUT, make hotel reservations quick.

Here is a link to the club:

http://www.caroc.com/explorer.html

Hope to see some Z's!

As to Dan, I was 16 then, reading Car & Driver, and if my fuZZy memory is correct, they offered a bumper sticker for sale for his campaign fund! No, I didn't buy one.

 

I have a follow up, since you guys have been "in there" and I haven't.

What if we take that piece and have it "louvered" I think is the term, where they cut out slits and push one side out? If we louver it towards the inside of the car, wouldn't it work as a "forced air" system, where it routes air towards the rotors??

I hope that made sense...

I got SS brake lines so I will be disconecting all this, might as well go for this while I am in there, aldo I don't track the car, so it doesn't matter much... (bat maybe I will soon... )

 

I don't think that would help much as you really don't have air flowing through there to really create the needed cooling unless you have cooling ducts and in that case you would have a small plate with the tube attached for great cooling.

The louvers might work if that shield rotated but since it doesn't the real only option is removing them, I say that only for track purposes, street or Autox really don't require removal.