I just bought my Z last Friday and I have been doing some research and it looks like the stock rotors and brakes tend to wear out quickly.

I want to prepare in advance in case this happens with mine so I am trying to find a good replacement rotor. I don't race at all, I am kind of a quick stopper at red lights, and the car is used mostly to goto work and ride around in. Can anyone give me some economical suggestions for upgrading the rotors please.

I already decided on Hawk HPS brake pads if that makes a difference in rotor types.

Also, would I need to change brake fuild types when I convert over, if so what is a good brake fluid also. Thanks in advance everyone for helping a newbie to the 350Z

Edit. Doing some more searching and came across Stoptech rotors which look pretty good for the price, any opinions on these? Also are slotted or drilled better for daily road driving?

 

I would go with the pillar vane rotors that Stillen sells. Their internal vents are different from normal rotors so thay cool much better. They come in drilled and slotted or slotted only. It's the best you can get without going 2-piece or a complete brake kit. Also consider adding a set of stainless steel braided brake lines. These will give you firmer pedal feel.

 

Agreed with gporcsh. Stillen makes some good OE sized rotors with better vaning technology. Also Stoptech makes some really good OE sized rotors as well that cool better than stock. I think both the Stillen and Stoptechs will cost you about $100 per rotor. For the street you can get whatever you want regarding slotted/drilled or just slotted since you won't be doing any heavy track braking reapeatedly. Really your preference there. But for what it's worth, most track guys will say go with just slotted since the drilled holes compromise structural integrity a bit and is more condusive to cracking. Might as well do the stainless steel lines while your at and change to some brand of sythetic brake fluid with a hihger boiling point. The Valvoline that comes in the gold bottle immeidately comes to mind for an affordable synthetic brake fluid that will suit the street machine just fine.

 

All of these recommendations are totally pointless on a commuter car. Just driving to work etc. will not get the brakes hot enough to have any benefit from an aftermarket rotor or pad, especially the pads. Most aftermarket pads perform worse than stock at everyday temperature. They also create much more dust.

Unless you tracking the car or doing some canyon runs on the weekend, you will get the best performance from the stock brakes.

 

The only reason I was looking into it was I seen some people post about their stock pads and rotors wearing out really quick. I don't want to have to repeatedly replace the stock ones if an aftermarket pair will hold up alot longer. I won't be replacing anything unless these go out anyway....except maybe the pads, this brake dust thing on the front is annoying.

 

If your tires of cleaning the rims all the time [brake dust] Hawk has some good dustless pads....easy install...and cheaper that any other dustless pad...think they were $35 ...$45 dollars

 

True. At stoptech website, you can find real-world test they did btwn z with stocks, z with brembos, z with stoptechs. In terms of stopping distance, there was no signif diff btwn any of them. Fade only began on stocks when under rigorous TRACK conditions. I was considering brake upgrade until i read this article.
Also, I've read on this site by at least one z guru that cross drilled rotors are actually inherently weaker than stock, that slotted are best.

 

halflife78,

where did you hear that the rotors wear quickly?

I can understand the pads, but I've had my share of spirited driving with the same rotors for over a year and no problems...

 

IMHO Stop Tech Aero Rotors are MUCH better... they are more effeciant in cooling...



http://www.performancenissanparts.co...roducts_id=325

 

Stock is fine, quit letting threads worry you.

There are people running HPDE (High Performance Driving Events) and performance pads on stock brake systems (i.e. non-brembos) and having lots of luck.

Save your cash! Do not be mis-lead!!!

 

STOP TECH rotors for OEM NON BREMBO brakes are MUCH LESS then the Factory Replacement Rotors...

 

Factory rotors if taken care of are NOT prone to warping... even then a resurfacing is FAR LESS than Stop Tech rotors.

Dude seriously... you're great to have around, but quit pushing your product so aggressively.

It's making you lose your credibility.

 

every time you respond to any of my posts you say something negitive about me or what I am saying...

AND... I dont remember the spec's I can check on monday, but there is not enough meat on the factory rotors to turn them and still be used... The factory rotors surface is thing to begin with...

you can turn / resurface your rotors thats fine... but then they will not be within the factory thickness spec...

 

It's negative because in EVERY post you ONLY push product PERFORMANCE NISSAN sells.

How about just contributing to the board with your experience, and not your product.

Jason - it's nothing personal... entrust me. It's only business, and I'm trying to help you look a little better. Deliver knowledge, expertise, and service that people BEG for... and your numbers will shoot through the roof.

Push product, and people we start TRYING to avoid you.

Trust me on this one bro!

 

so who makes some affordable ss lines? and where is the best place t5o get these "dustless" hawk pads(pricewise)?

thanx for the help!

-justin

 

sorry double post.......

 

performance nissan has em. great guys jason and jeff are!

front pads: http://www.performancenissanparts.co...oducts_id=1055

rea pads: http://www.performancenissanparts.co...roducts_id=616

lines:
http://www.performancenissanparts.co...roducts_id=305

http://www.performancenissanparts.co...roducts_id=306

 

You titled the thread: "Brake upgrade for the ordinary driver".

I agree that for 'ordinary' sports car driving, one doesn't need to do any upgrades. stainless lines may make the pedal a little more firm but not much else. My guess is that your rotors will last a long time even if you autocross...pads won't wear out any quicker than other cars. When they do wear out, Jason's suggestion about rotors probably makes sense. Jason is not your 'ordinary' driver.

 

I try to sell and talk up the products I stand behind...

there are products I would like to sell that I stand behind and DO speak highly of but they are either A: Whored out over the market or B: the manufacturer is already selling them for prices close to what a dealer buys them in in bulk...

I sell those stillen brake rotors spoken about above... but... they are more expensive, heavier, the cooling ducts are not as effeciant IMHO as the Stop Tech...

My PERSONAL car which I got completely ripped off on and probably pay more then 95% of the people on this board for every month and have paid for every part on my car (I paid $1400 plus install for my NISMO exhaust when they first came out I sell the same thing now for $899)... but anyway... not to run a racket.. haah.. but on my personal car I run the stop tech brake rotors slotted front and rear and the nismo brake pads... I havent upgraded my brake lines because I am planning on upgrading to a big brake kit... on the street, they stop better then they did when they were stock, and on the track, they handle the heat better as well...

Currently there are only 2 options for the brembo driver when it comes to rotors... the Stillen Rotors / another company which name I forgot but can also sell... and the factory... Stop Tech will be coming out with their rotors soon and they are beautiful light weight 2 piece aero rotors...

 

I vouch for Jason about the stock rotors. They dont last long and in my opinion I wouldnt buy them again. I tried to resurface them and one came right on exact on the minimum thickness spec and another came right below. They seem like soft rotors.