R32 Gtr Brake Upgrade Advice

[phunky_monkey]

Gareth runs the RDA's on his GT-R for track work, and says they're holding up fine so I'm sure they'll be enough for your street application.

The Stoptechs are pricey, I wouldn't bother with that expenditure for the street personally.

[Roy]

A rotor is a rotor is a rotor for general applications. If you need the cooling becuase your brakes are borderline then the there is little doubt the Stoptech or OE Brembo rotors are far better. But the RDAs will get the job done.

[LotusGTR]

Just got up at 4 and did a dawn raid on Authur's Seat and the surrounding hills. Great fun. 17" were fine, though they definitely tramline more than the 16 x 8s....but I reckon they look super cool so I'll have to put up with that for now, plus bigger brake will fit. The Tyres I inherited were truely terrible, though I am comparing them to some R specs I was running on the 16s so perhaps an unfair comparison.

I've contacted Stuckey and they're highly recommending Dunlop Supersport Race in 245/40 17. Apparently they're very quiet, very good in the wet and only slightly slower (half second) in the dry around a track, which I don't care about. They're also cheap (relatively.....) at $395.

Problem is the aspect ration is 40 which means they will be about 25mm less in diameter which will mean the car will sit lower and the rim won't fill the guards at the top unless I lower it (which I'm not sure if I can do with the coilovers I inherited), but overall I'm dropping it 25mm if I can.....

I've seen very small dimensional changes in rims and tyres make a big difference to a car's stance, so I'm a little worries about going down this road.

Any thoughts? Are there better alternatives than the R Dunlops (Bridgestone?), perhaps with better sizes?

[djr81]

Most people with GT-R's use RE55 Bridgestones.

[Roy]

Just got up at 4 and did a dawn raid on Authur's Seat and the surrounding hills. Great fun. 17" were fine, though they definitely tramline more than the 16 x 8s....but I reckon they look super cool so I'll have to put up with that for now, plus bigger brake will fit. The Tyres I inherited were truely terrible, though I am comparing them to some R specs I was running on the 16s so perhaps an unfair comparison.

I've contacted Stuckey and they're highly recommending Dunlop Supersport Race in 245/40 17. Apparently they're very quiet, very good in the wet and only slightly slower (half second) in the dry around a track, which I don't care about. They're also cheap (relatively.....) at $395.

Problem is the aspect ration is 40 which means they will be about 25mm less in diameter which will mean the car will sit lower and the rim won't fill the guards at the top unless I lower it (which I'm not sure if I can do with the coilovers I inherited), but overall I'm dropping it 25mm if I can.....

I've seen very small dimensional changes in rims and tyres make a big difference to a car's stance, so I'm a little worries about going down this road.

Any thoughts? Are there better alternatives than the R Dunlops (Bridgestone?), perhaps with better sizes?

25mm in diameter is only 12.5mm in radius, so your car will only sit 12mm lower, which to me is whether you had a big dinenr or not

[LotusGTR]

25mm in diameter is only 12.5mm in radius, so your car will only sit 12mm lower, which to me is whether you had a big dinenr or not

Agreed, but you then have an extra 12mm between the guard and the top of the tyre which will potentially look, erm, gay. So you have to lower the car 12mm, thus 24/5mm overall and the whole lowering the suspension issue.....

I've found some RE55s in 235/45 which give a 9mm diameter difference which should be OK but they don't come in until August (they reckon).

Anyone recommend where to buy these units most cost effectively in Melbourne or there abouts?

Still unsure of which way to go brake wise. I'll give you a call in the next couple of days........

[bobr31skyline]

Hi LotusGTR,

Before upgrading anything on you brake systerm, you can try to order a set of Brake Master Cylinder Stopper for your R32. The brake cylinder stopper can reduce the movement of brake master cylinder when everytime you apply the brake padel. As a result, full brake power can be transmitted to the calipers no brake power will be lost.

Hope this information helps....

[Roy]

Hi LotusGTR,

Before upgrading anything on you brake systerm, you can try to order a set of Brake Master Cylinder Stopper for your R32. The brake cylinder stopper can reduce the movement of brake master cylinder when everytime you apply the brake padel. As a result, full brake power can be transmitted to the calipers no brake power will be lost.

Hope this information helps....

Some people notice a big improvement from pedal effort, others less. I think it has to do with the condition of firewall etc etc. But is a nice to have that compliments the other brakign components.

But as a stand alone modification, it will do very little to help the braking capacity of an underbraked GTR But is $150 odd well spent all the same

[Angus Smart]

I really like the brake setup i have on my gtr,

i have f50's on the front with project mu pads, i think some crazy high level 900's (silly purchace) but before i had the project mu's the pads that came with the car were quiet nice for track work and spirited driving.

on the rear i have rda standard size rotors with project mu 500's the balance seems pretty good.

i've not checked what brake master i have but i think its standard 32, and there is a cusco stopper on it,

[LotusGTR]

Angus, what type of GTR? R33?

[femno]

Ive got the RDAs all round and theyre great. Slotted and dimpled. At sandown they were fine while being STOMPED on coming up to turn one...no good vibrations after, i just need some new pads cos bendix are shite.

Sorry to hijack but are the camber-rod-deflectors very helpful? Ive chopped the backing plates too. (info could be helpful to you Lotus) Will aluminium plates do the same as the plastic ones? Anyone have pics of them?

[phunky_monkey]

Agreed, but you then have an extra 12mm between the guard and the top of the tyre which will potentially look, erm, gay. So you have to lower the car 12mm, thus 24/5mm overall and the whole lowering the suspension issue.....

I've found some RE55s in 235/45 which give a 9mm diameter difference which should be OK but they don't come in until August (they reckon).

Anyone recommend where to buy these units most cost effectively in Melbourne or there abouts?

Still unsure of which way to go brake wise. I'll give you a call in the next couple of days........

Hey mate, try Protek Tyres or Bridgestone Maribyrnong for the RE55's. They may have some in stock.

Femno: Attached is some pics mate. I can't comment on them because I don't have them, but am looking to put some on in the near future.

[LotusGTR]

Thanks Phunky. What are these called? Where'dya get em from? Look simple and possibly effective.

Does anyone know if cutting off (they don't unbolt?) the dust shields / guards will give any dramas re roadworthiness? I'm too old for dramas with the cops and re-instating things that got 'cut off' when it comes to selling it on (in the distant future I hope)

Also, I guess Nissan put them there for a reason, so what are the downsides of cutting them off?

Thanks everyone.

[LotusGTR]

Ive got the RDAs all round and theyre great. Slotted and dimpled. At sandown they were fine while being STOMPED on coming up to turn one...no good vibrations after, i just need some new pads cos bendix are shite.

Sorry to hijack but are the camber-rod-deflectors very helpful? Ive chopped the backing plates too. (info could be helpful to you Lotus) Will aluminium plates do the same as the plastic ones? Anyone have pics of them?

Femno, you running standard calipers and 296mm rotors? Anything else you've done other than the rotors?

[Ronin 09]

i've just ordered a set of tyres from the US...

I'm sick of being fleeced by the Aussie retailers (who in defence are being fleeced by the distributors).

I've ordered a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s in 255/35/18

4 for a total of ~1500 US$. Now even with duty and customs ~20%, call it $2000 aussie dollars.

The quote I've gotten from a few retailers here are between $750-900 per tyre!

They're made in france, then sent to either the US or AUS. How is there such a big difference???

reason for my rant, LotusGTR, you may want to check out the semis that you can get out of the states - eg yokohama A048 from the place I odered:

www.tirerack.com

[LotusGTR]

Chairman, I've got mates who buy stuff from the States for their Mustangs and they say the FTA means no duty, or is that under a certain value?

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

[phunky_monkey]

They're just called air deflector plates from what I'm aware, you can get them from nismo.com.au under the brakes section.

Sorry, I can't help with the legality issue of the backing plates, I have no idea!

Marcus: Good link mate, pity they don't sell RE55s in the states, or DZ03g's

Dane

[Ronin 09]

Chairman, I've got mates who buy stuff from the States for their Mustangs and they say the FTA means no duty, or is that under a certain value?

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

I think it's under $1K AUD that is duty free.

ps I'm Marcus

Dane, yeah this tyre retailer doens't sell RE55s but I'm sure you can get them.

You could always go Michelin Pilot Sport Cups

[djr81]

A mate of mine bought in some very large 17' tyres (300+ bag width FFS) from tire rack in the states for his Daytona coupe. The FTA means no import duty (F=free) & the price was so cheap as to be laughable.

As for the air deflectors from Uniques - last time I enquired they were not available for R32 GT-R's. Hopefully that has changed.

[Beer Baron]

yeah I think they are now.