Installed The 370z/g37 Akebono Sports Brakes Kit On The V35

[VE35GT]

In case ppl were thinking of a Brake Upgrade for the V35 I thought I would share my thoughts on the Akebono BBK available for the V35/350Z. I got this kit after a long research process to upgrade the '05 brakes, which just weren't cutting it on the track and felt too sloppy on the street (a common complaint, there must be half a dozen threads on it on G35Driver).

If you don't know what I'm talking about, this kit is the "Sport Brake Kit" option on the ADM 370Z, and the USDM G37 (and I think some of the last of the G35's) with an adapter to fit the 03-06 V35. I got it through Concept Z Performance, but Riverside Infiniti sell them and I think a couple of other places do as well.

Specs:

14" Slotted StopTech Front Rotors - 4 spot Akebono Calipers

13.8" Slotted StopTech Rear Rotors - 2 spot Akebono Calipers

First thoughts on Performance:

(Haven't got to the track yet, it's been too wet on the open days! So this is just street performance).

The initial bite is almost 'savage' compared to the very gentle braking take up of the '05 calipers (apparently the soft braking of the '05 this was to reduce rotor wear issues associated with the 03-04... but it just made the car feel underbraked IMO!).

There's about half the pedal travel of the old brakes and it gives you a lot of confidence when you need to slow up in a hurry. It now stops like a sports car, in fact with Bridgestone RE050A's it is probably now the best stopping car I've been in, easily comparable to an '00 911 Carerra I had a chance to test.

Positives:

It's easily the best "Bang for your Buck" BBK out there at ~$AUD2700 landed with slotted rotors and Hawk Pads it's about half the cost of the next cheapest option. (If you talk to Coz at Concept Z he also helps minimise the Customs/GST on import).

Performance is day and night compared to the stock '05 brakes! It really pulls up well, the shorter pedal travel and initial bit would save you maybe even meters when stopping hard from 110km/h, not to mention no fade if you need to do it repeatedly.

The Infiniti kit is a genuine factory item so repairs and aftermarket parts will always be available. And there are already 2 or 3 manufacturers who have high performance street and AutoX pads available and I'm sure it won't take long for others to join in.

Because it's Infiniti/Nissan parts, it didn't mess my insurance up!

It keeps the stock park brake and stock brake lines, and didn't need a bigger brake master cylinder.

I think they look pretty good and the Calipers are BIG!!

It's pretty easy to fit and is almost 'bolt on', if you are savvy you could DIY.

The kit should fit inside the stock 18" rims (I have the '05 19" rims and there is about 2cm+ gap)

Negatives:

The calipers and the rotors are HEAVY! The whole package was about 70kg from the US and the 20kg+ of extra unsprung weight does slow the car, it now feels almost like I have a passenger or the difference between a full tank of fuel and an empty tank, when I'm accelerating from the lights. But lightweight rotors will help this (not yet available tho!)

Not everyone is going to like the Silver Infiniti Colour or Logo. You can order the 'Nissan Blue' colour and logo, but it's $USD200 extra (or you can paint over the Infiniti silver in high temp paint or powdercoat and you can have any colour you like!)

It's not a big "bling" kit... If you want a kit that's going to dazzle under your rims, then probably better to dig a little deeper in your pockets at get the cheapest 370-380mm kit you can... or keep digging, sell a kidney and take a second mortgage, to get a kit from Rotara, StopTech, Project Mu, Endless etc.

The options I seriously considered:

350Z/V35 Brembos (rarer than the proverbial Hen's teeth and seemed I was looking at around $2k for a decent condition set, depending on whether I needed to ship it or not. It just didn't add up to me when new and bigger brakes were only $600 more and I didn't have to wait!)

Alliance BBK (which is ~$USD4K+ and excellent value for lightweight 380mm rotors, 8/6 Calipers and V.Tough looks) but they are a new player and I wanted a product with proven quality seeing "support" was a long way away in the US!

K-Sport/D2 (Also good value at about $AUD4.5K-5K fitted for lightweight 355/325mm rotors 6/4 Calipers and Aussie Dealers), but the Infiniti option came in cheaper for comparable product and I'm still waiting to see some more ppl give feedback on K-Sport for track work, which was my main reason for the upgrade.

I also looked at kits from the "bigger names" but they started at $USD5k+ which IMO was overcapitalisation for my purposes as I've decided not to go down F.I. path.

There was also a 2nd hand R35 GTR kit for sale on Ebay for about $USD5k...

[siglapian]

SICK MAN!!

Prob the only car in AUS with this BBK atm... looks massive even with the 19" rims!

[xscape237]

Good write up and well done on the brakes. Sounds like they work a treat.

[mjay]

are these brakes the same as on the aus spec 370z or do we get the smaller ones?

[VE35GT]

are these brakes the same as on the aus spec 370z or do we get the smaller ones?

I'm pretty sure they are the same. On the specs sheet from the nissan website it says the 370z gets 355x32mm fronts rotors and 350x20mm rears. But there is a model of the 370z in the US call the "Journey" which has smaller brakes. I'm not sure it's sold here, maybe someone knows for sure?

[rs73]

nice upgrade... probably if you can find lightweight forged rims that's lighter than your 19 might help, or a slightly higher springrate.

but the '05 comes with forged RAYS rim so finding one that's lighter than the OEM one can be difficult. probably time for new set of sports springs?

[VE35GT]

nice upgrade... probably if you can find lightweight forged rims that's lighter than your 19 might help, or a slightly higher springrate.

but the '05 comes with forged RAYS rim so finding one that's lighter than the OEM one can be difficult. probably time for new set of sports springs?

Thanks Rianto, I have been considering investing in a set of forged 18's for the track (apparently they are lighter than the stock 19's and semi slicks are easier to come by for 18's) but the cost vs weight saving always made me baulk... But I'll look into the springs for sure (was thinking it was time to drop it a few cm's anyway, sounds like the perfect excuse)!

[Wogboy]

Hey, nice upgrade! These brakes are std on the ADM 370Z also the Journey model is in the G37 Infiniti range. The US 370Z is pretty much the same as the ADM (except for steering wheel position )

The Skyline 370GT S & SP also have these bakes as std. I did a track day in my 370GT and it was fantastic! It's a heavy car but the brakes where fantastic lap after lap.

[Touge Kyousou]

Nice upgrade for braking performance! Certainly looks the biz filling out the 19's.

Interesting to see happy user reports on the akebono brakes. When the aus 370z was in Motor pcoty, they complained about the brakes...they even stated they achieved better braking performance from the last 350z track with brembos though it could've came down to the tires.

Keep us posted when you hit the track.

[rs73]

there's lots of factor affecting braking performance, wet road, tyres, pads used, rotors, and car weight, condition of suspension/springs.

oh and brake hoses, fluids, driver (human err)?

[Touge Kyousou]

That's true.

From memory, both tested on dry days at same track/area. Different OEM tires and different OEM pads and calipers/fluid of course. Car weight consistent...i think they use half tank and two people in car for most of their tests. Condition of springs/sussy...both were Nissan Austrlaia PR test cars.. so almost brand new cars. Don't think brake hoses will be a variable. Human error imho would be unlikely...both cars have ABS...just stomp as hard as they can haha. ABS calibration may be different however.

Anyways, was just an interesting note. The guys testing it were pretty shocked by the results, enough to put a little sidebar of text on it. I'll see if i can dig it up...was only recentish issue.

[popeye]

Nice upgrade, they look great and sound like they perform really well too.

As Touge brushed on, does it change the effectiveness of ABS? i.e. since the brakes come on harder at a smaller amount of pedal movement, will you go into a full lock before the ABS even considers kicking in?

I'm probably wrong, but it's just my understanding of ABS is based on how much pressure is applied to the Brake Pedal before it kicks in, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Cheers.

[Wogboy]

ABS works off the four wheel speed sensors, when the ABS detects that a wheel has stopped turning (locked up) it releases brake pressurre on the wheel. I don't think the upgrade will affect the ABS to much.

Will be interested to know if it does.

[VE35GT]

Nice upgrade, they look great and sound like they perform really well too.

As Touge brushed on, does it change the effectiveness of ABS? i.e. since the brakes come on harder at a smaller amount of pedal movement, will you go into a full lock before the ABS even considers kicking in?

I'm probably wrong, but it's just my understanding of ABS is based on how much pressure is applied to the Brake Pedal before it kicks in, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Cheers.

OK folks results live from the track...

After four sessions at Wakefield Park Raceway, I've been able to reduce my best laptime by .8 second to 1:13.2 (street tyres, 1/2-1/3 tank fuel), and I know there's an easy 1:12.xx there, once I finally work out how to get traction out of the the final turn (those who have run Wakefield will know what I'm talking about!).

But the ability to now run 8 or more consistent hot laps is the best bit, I'm able to string a set of 1:13's together and actually work on my lines and braking points. Where as with the stock calipers and rotors I used to basically get an outlap, one or two hot laps and then the brakes were so hot and spongy I was guessing how much braking I had left... so I was constantly overcooking it into corners all over the track (I was running Proj Mu HC+ pads, so they were as hi-temp as I could go and still be street drivable).

As for the ABS kicking in, yes it does feel like it comes in a bit earlier and with less pedal input, especially on the track, I could feel the brakes now comfortably winning the adhesion tussle with the tyres... So I was rarely at full brakes... though all in all, it's relative and they aren't so responsive that it makes driving uncomfortable. To be honest it feels like my the '07 Mazada 3 MPS my Old Man had, which I think has some decent AP calipers and they grab very quickly... So I'm just adjusting my pressure on brake pedal at first contact! I'd take the confidence of knowing that the car is going to stop any day, over the occasional activation of ABS! The ABS still releases the brakes as it is mean to, so you don't "lock" the wheel like say a V8 supercar does (they don't have ABS). In fact with new confidence in the brakes, I was on the loud pedal longer down the straight today... I'm now running 178km/h peak speed vs my previous peaks of 170km/h (racechrono measured, so take actual km/h with a grain of salt, but for comparison sake, an 8km/h increase is decent when you're covering nearly 50m/s).

I really do have no idea how anyone could criticise these brakes so badly in the WCOTY... unless the Brembos are that much better (I haven't tracked a Brembo shod 350Z/Skyline so I can only compare to what I had)? Maybe if I was driving a big HP Turbo/SuperCharged it might be different... but having taken the Akebono's to the limit of my driving ability, they still had plenty in reserve... no fade, and I know I was still braking too early on a couple of corners, hence the better times thay are to be had! I am using Hawk pads and good quality high temp fluid, but even still I can't image that would make so much difference that I would call them a great upgrade and the journos and industry experts would single them out for criticism? Maybe they were all testing the 370 after getting out of the R35 GTR... or just a case of 'each to their own'?

[Kam-80]

Great review and an awesome time...glad to hear the Akebono's held up, as I've heard mixed reviews. Am I correct in assuming that these won't fit under a 17-inch wheel?

[Wogboy]

I've got some 17" P1 Buddy Clubs and they wouldn't fit over the front calipers.

[Aust350z]

Great review and an awesome time...glad to hear the Akebono's held up, as I've heard mixed reviews. Am I correct in assuming that these won't fit under a 17-inch wheel?

Kam, per above you need minimum 18" rims. OEM are fine.

[Kam-80]

Thanks for the info guys...guess I can strike that option out as I'm too tight to buy 17-inch race tyres!

[PaulReeves.com - GPOWER.TV]

I am getting the K-Sport 8-Piston Front Calipers on (330mm) rotors.

I'll see how they go & let you know...

[mkn23]

yeah i think my Type S 370GT has the same kit, these brakes are great

only a small touch is needed to brake smoothly (although the rev matching, harsh downshifting with the v36s make it less smooth)

and when you really need to brake hard, it stops the car very strongly indeed