Want New Brakes (including Calipers) For R33 Gts-t.

[scathing]

I have 18 inch rims with 25mm adapter spacers on both front and rear.

In terms of maximum size, your best bet would be to get 320-330 mm rotors (350Zs/R34 GT-Rs run 324mm). 355mm rotors with big calipers will fit under certain 18" wheels that have a large internal diameter, but most will struggle.

A mate of mine ran an Endless BBK with 355mm rotors on his car, and found out the hard way that 18" Volk Racing RE30s don't fit over them.

I don't take my car to the track, but I'm considering brake upgrades because I may be doing this next year and I just want added safety to be honest.

Massive brakes don't add safety if you're doing a single panic stop. In most modern cars with power-assisted brakes, traction is the limiting factor to your stopping distance on a single panic stop. If you want to stop faster in the case where some kid runs onto the road without looking, get softer tyres. What tyres are you running right now?

The benefit of massive brakes is the amount of heat they can absorb before overheating their components. That only comes into its own if you're hitting the brakes a lot of times, or standing on the brakes for a very long period.

From what I've read here, so you guys think just some upgrades to the existing stock calipers would be sufficient, i.e. pads and lines?

I do.

The usual "Stage 1" upgrade of all the consumables (pads, rotors, fluid) should cover you for your intended purpose. Going to a more aggressive compound in the pad and rotors will produce more friction, which provides more braking power.

To that I'd also add a master brake cylinder stopper and braided brake lines, to improve initial response. If you want to dress up the brakes a little, get your calipers powdercoated in another colour.

With those minor upgrades, even if you were to bury the brake pedal into the carpet from 120km/hr to 0km/hr at maximum deceleration on a set of hot R-Comp semi slicks there's a good chance you'll still trigger your ABS (which means your brakes are providing more force than the tyres can handle). There won't be enough heat generated to fade out the brakes during that one stop.

If your driving style then has you re-accelerating back up to that speed and jumping on the brakes again, and you repeat that action a few times, then yes your stock calipers and rotor sizes may not cope no matter how heat-resistance the consumables are. But I'd be more concerned at what the cops will do to you when they catch you, than anything else.

As others have said, you can get adapters so you can run a larger rotor so your wheels get filled out a bit more, but without the expense of buying calipers. Get the stock calipers powdercoated if you want to add some extra bling there.

[mad082]

scathing is spot on with the tyre being the limiting factor in a panic stop. in my 33 it would lock up rather easily, so going bigger brakes wouldn't result in quicker stopping, just make it easier to lock up the wheels.

[Spunky Munky]

In terms of maximum size, your best bet would be to get 320-330 mm rotors (350Zs/R34 GT-Rs run 324mm). 355mm rotors with big calipers will fit under certain 18" wheels that have a large internal diameter, but most will struggle.

A mate of mine ran an Endless BBK with 355mm rotors on his car, and found out the hard way that 18" Volk Racing RE30s don't fit over them.

Massive brakes don't add safety if you're doing a single panic stop. In most modern cars with power-assisted brakes, traction is the limiting factor to your stopping distance on a single panic stop. If you want to stop faster in the case where some kid runs onto the road without looking, get softer tyres. What tyres are you running right now?

The benefit of massive brakes is the amount of heat they can absorb before overheating their components. That only comes into its own if you're hitting the brakes a lot of times, or standing on the brakes for a very long period.

I do.

The usual "Stage 1" upgrade of all the consumables (pads, rotors, fluid) should cover you for your intended purpose. Going to a more aggressive compound in the pad and rotors will produce more friction, which provides more braking power.

To that I'd also add a master brake cylinder stopper and braided brake lines, to improve initial response. If you want to dress up the brakes a little, get your calipers powdercoated in another colour.

With those minor upgrades, even if you were to bury the brake pedal into the carpet from 120km/hr to 0km/hr at maximum deceleration on a set of hot R-Comp semi slicks there's a good chance you'll still trigger your ABS (which means your brakes are providing more force than the tyres can handle). There won't be enough heat generated to fade out the brakes during that one stop.

If your driving style then has you re-accelerating back up to that speed and jumping on the brakes again, and you repeat that action a few times, then yes your stock calipers and rotor sizes may not cope no matter how heat-resistance the consumables are. But I'd be more concerned at what the cops will do to you when they catch you, than anything else.

As others have said, you can get adapters so you can run a larger rotor so your wheels get filled out a bit more, but without the expense of buying calipers. Get the stock calipers powdercoated if you want to add some extra bling there.

Hi mate,

I really appreciate the time and effort you've put into this reply...it's really helped me helps...

Since reading your reply, I've gone out and done the following:

1. Gotten better performance brake pads.

2. Got spacers put on and larger rotors.

3. Changed brake fluids.

4. Powercoated my calipers and painted them red.

All in all, I've noticed a bit of performance gain for sure...thanks for your help...achieved all of the above for less than $3K.

Thanks again!!

[PM-R33]

Less than $3k?!?!?

You'd hope you got all that for less than 1.5k.

Edited November 26, 2009 by PM-R33

[Mr. Untouchable]

may I ask where you got spacers from to run larger rotors? and what size rotors?

cheers

[_Ryan_]

QFM A1RM- 120 per axle. =240 car

RDA slotted rotors, approx 350 for the car

motul RBF600- 30-60 (one or two bottles)

unique autosports sells their own brand of brake master cylinder stopper for 90

I would also have some high quality tyres on the list, such as RE001's, If you must go to a "semi pattern(s compound) try the RE11, but be aware that all of those tyres seem to need a little bit of heat, where the RE001 stops VERY well cold.

with that setup, you will have your head hitting the dash. for under 1750 if you allow 1k for tyres.

[scathing]

Less than $3k?!?!?

You'd hope you got all that for less than 1.5k.

"$3K" was his original upgrade budget from his OP. I read that, in context, as being "I got a noticable braking performance increase for below what I initially budgeted".

I don't know how much the rotors he bought were but when I did fluid, with new Ferodo pads and Brembo Sport rotors in every corner, it cost me around $2K on my Z33. That was without needing to get spacers made up and the powdercoating done, etc, but the Z does attract a price premium.

[PM-R33]

Ahh ok fair enough, i didn't read it like that. But your right, thats what he probably ment. I thouht he ment he got a bit of change out of 3k lol.

I did dimpled/slotted rotors, red stuff pads and motul fluid and i think it was around 1-1.5k.

[semislickR32]

In terms of maximum size, your best bet would be to get 320-330 mm rotors (350Zs/R34 GT-Rs run 324mm). 355mm rotors with big calipers will fit under certain 18" wheels that have a large internal diameter, but most will struggle.

You obviously need to make sure whatever kit you buy is going to fit, but just for reference I've got 4-pot calipers with 345mm rotors under my 17" rims - they *just* fit (Project Mu 4-pot billet calipers, Nismo LMGT4 17"x9")

[kungpow]

it also depends on the tyres that you put on, like if you were to put a re001 semi tyre it would be no good for a emergency stop at reguler street driving as the tyres have so much surface area and are no where near driving temp at normal driving levels.

i would be going more for just a good street tyre like a yokohama A drive R1 or dunlop 9000A or direzzas if you can find them as when it comes to braking tyre temp plays massive role in braking.

the stock sumatomo caliper off the 33gtst is designed off the brembo and i have driven on both and there is not a great deal of difference what so ever, i run ebc yellow stuff pads with castroll srf brake fluid and braided lines and i have zero fade at the track.

i have run ebc green stuff on the street but am finding that i am sheering massive layers of pad off due the the pad getting to hot from the cars weight

[PM-R33]

Yeah the green stuff isn't to good for the GTST, i have been running the red stuff on mine for probably two years now and am pretty happy with them. They get a good thrashing coming down the hill and seem to cope pretty well. Have you ever compared the red stuff and the yellow stuff pads?

Edited December 6, 2009 by PM-R33

[_Ryan_]

it also depends on the tyres that you put on, like if you were to put a re001 semi tyre it would be no good for a emergency stop at reguler street driving as the tyres have so much surface area and are no where near driving temp at normal driving levels.

RE001 is not a semi, it is a normal high end street tyre, the RE11 is their 180 tread wear semi style street tyre. please get your facts correct. I am running RE001's on my Stagea.

[TR33GT-001]

Thanks Jim....I think I will go down this path...I really want to feel safe when braking...so will definitely do this, I think!

Thanks mate! May I ask how much all this ended up costing you and where did you get it done?

Thanks.

Hey Monkey.

Costs as follows m8:

1. Front and rear Bendix Ultimate pads: $210 (front and rear)

2. 4000 series DBA rotors $950 (front and rear)

Fit yourself and save a few bucks.

Jim

[TR33GT-001]

Monkey,

How did everything turn out?

Were the upgrade what you expected and wanted for the car?

As I said earlier as far as the decent brake upgrade goes, you probably didn't need to upgrade to larger calipers.

The slotted rotors I mentioned from DBA are VERY good units, and they match the OEM in terms of size.

With regard to stopping power, there are several factors, all contributing to stopping as short as possible safely.

They are:

1. The right brake bias

2. The right pads

3. The right shocks to suit the application

4. The right tyres

5. The right suspension components to keep the wheels planted

6. The right place to brake (lmao)

Lets put it this way, if you have lowered the car to the stops, it won't matter what you do to the brakes.

The brake performance may suffer, or even go backwards with some modifications.

(try braking hard on a rough surface)

Hope all went well anyway.

Jim

[TR33GT-001]

By the way, I never thought that I'd ever use Hankook tyres on my Skylines, but after putting the Ventus V12 Evo's on the car, in 235x40ZR18 and 255x35ZR18, I can report that they are FREEKIN AWESOME in the wet or dry !!!!!!!!

Get them.