Now that's a brake upgrade!

[conedodger]

Sometimes I just want to scream when I hear the word 'upgrade' thrown around when it comes to cars. 'I upgraded my brakes with Toyota 4Runner calipers" GAG! No you didn't they're a hell of a lot more unsprung weight and you didn't change the rotor to a vented rotor to get the heat out.

Now this is an upgrade!

[Oiluj]

I often agree with you, but not on this one. You are right about heat dissipation. If I were tracking the car, I'd have probably gone with Wilwoods or something similar.

But not everyone with a S30 is racing it. I changed to the 4x4 brakes, s.s. lines, ZX master and larger vac booster. The car brakes are more positive than stock, and for street driving, it's a viable "upgrade".

Perhaps the better question is, for a street car, is it really needed? I only did it because I wanted to have brakes to match the increased HP. (And it probably still wasn't needed).

P.S. Pretty Brakes!

[conedodger]

Julio,

I agree you didn't need it. You'd have been fine with stock + good performance pads. That is what I use for track days, I wouldn't for actual racing...

[olzed]

I didn't like the smell of cooking pads when thrashing the backroads, so I fitted vented discs and Toyota 4 pots. No more smoking brakes, so I guess it's an upgrade.

[EuroDat]

im using standard brakes. Just finished rebuilding the front calipers. The sells between the two sections are hard to get. Nissan dont supply then and the fsm doesnt recommend pulling them apart. I stripped them down and had then cleaned and coated instead of the quick and easy heat proof paint.

With seal kits and these pistons http://www.ebay.com/itm/160720280159?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 They are like new.

Toyed with the idea of "upgrading" but thats was more for looks than performance.

One word of advice if you go this road. The original setup had a complete engineering team behind it testing and improving it till it where it is now. Your upgrade will not have that benifit. You will have to do all the testing.

I helped a friend do his car. He thought it was great, but it wasnt. The car was nose driving which gave him the impression it was braking better.

Just my two cent worth;)

[jmortensen]

Rob, have you ever weighed the stock caliper and the 4x4 caliper back to back? I did, but it's been ~15 years. I think the difference was 2 or 3 lbs. The 4wd calipers on solid rotors had more heat capacity than the stockers did, but they had front bias issues when used with 280ZX rear disks. Not a fan of the 4x4 caliper, but it does do something and the weight disadvantage is overblown. Vented 4x4 setups are what a lot of the vintage guys run, and they run pretty hard.

I wouldn't put a carbon floating rotor 14" system on my Z even if I could afford it (would require ridiculously large tires and they're just not necessary on a 2350 lb car), but I do like looking at the the pictures.

[conedodger]

You know what would make a difference Jon, I am using Brembo aluminum calipers from an Alfa Romeo GTV-6 on the front of my 914. They bolt right up. On the rear, my friend Eric and another friend got together and cast copies of the ATE rear caliper. The weight is 4# less and the caliper gives up heat like it was never there.

Once the 914 rear project is in production (and selling), we may work on making aluminum copies of the Sumitomo fronts. I got protested at an SCCA SOLOII event last year but it turns out the aluminum caliper is legal in SP as long as no modifications are made to mount them.

I consider 2-3# of unsprung weight to be significant. There had better be a significant trade-off in another way. Anyway, my point is that people keep putting these things on street cars and calling it an upgrade. That is just wrong. I'd venture that most of the time it is a replacement for worn out stock brakes that would have been just fine in good repair.

[fixitman]

What do you think of the 4-piston calibers, that were available thru Datsun Competition years ago, with stock rotors on a street car?

Thanks,

Fixitman

[conedodger]

What do you think of the 4-piston calibers, that were available thru Datsun Competition years ago, with stock rotors on a street car?

Thanks,

Fixitman

I think they are unobtainium gold! I've never even seen a set and I've been around these cars since they were new. But speaking to my original point, they are not necessary on a stock car.

[fixitman]

Now you have! See attached photo.

Regards,

Fixitman

[conedodger]

Now you have! See attached photo.

Regards,

Fixitman

Nice. Four piston, not a heck of a lot more mass than the stock Sumitomo's. STILL not necessary for street use. Are these yours?

[fixitman]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]58233[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]58233[/ATTACH]

Nice. Four piston, not a heck of a lot more mass than the stock Sumitomo's. STILL not necessary for street use. Are these yours?

Yes. I purchased them in the early 90's. The stock backing plate was retained, but notched to clear the

I'm hoping to have a white Christmas!

Edited November 25, 2012 by fixitman