moose54

I was just wondering why people get the big brake kits or the slotted rotors for regular street diving. I see why for racing reasons. But do they add anything or just looks. This is a serious ? Because my rotors are going and I will need new ones.
Thanks

Maciek

some people here do race. but even for street driving it is nice to be able to bring the car to a stop faster. shop around and you might find a slotter/dimpled rottor for a price comparable to stock. good pads are worth the research and few more bucks too.

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

upgrading to BBK or other aftermarket brake = better braking

it's just like getting intake and y-pipe = make your car faster

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

get slotted rotors, don't get x-drilled. they crack in the long run.

Anachronism

For me with stock brakes on dry pavement the limiting factor is available traction not the amount of braking power. But I run high perfomance all seasons, I am not sure if a summer only tire would grip better than the stock brakes.

If you are using a race compound you probably have more tire grip than the stock brakes can overcome. Plus the BBK will stay cooler for repeated braking.

moose54

No **** my question was why is it necessary for regular street driving.
If you can't be serious please don't reply.

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

IMO BBK isn't necessary for daily driving. BBK is setup for more aggressive braking such as auto-x and mountain driving.

basic slotted rotors with raybesto brake pads + SS brakelines is ENOUGH for street use. they do a decent job comparing to stock brake assembly. you can also choose different manufacture from the following link >> http://maxmods.dyndns.org/index.php?MaximaPerformance

you can do this urself if u don't wanna pay the labor. it's not too hard if you have the proper tool, here is link where it can teach you do complete brake assembly urself >> http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/300








lastly...the way u stated ur question to me wasn't serious at all, at first i was like wtf is this? that's why i didn't intend to answer your thread seriously.

Wisky97SE

iTrader: (1)

Because people drive fast on the street. . . I know my brakes are pushed to its limits sometimes and I dont auto-X or track my car.

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

I use to encounter brake fade and scorched rotors. I do not go to the track or auto-x, but do enjoy a little spirited driving once in a while, especially up in the mountains. With my current setup I have not yet encoutered either of those problems. I have stock brake components in the rear and PowerSlot rotors paird up with Hawk HPS pads up front. The cost for the aftermarket set up was about the same as the stock components.

Bmr4life

same here, all my rotors and pads were toast and aftermarkter stuff was close if not cheaper than the OEM. brembo rotors and axxis pads all around for ~$340 shipped is a great deal to me.

99Maxima5sp

Dont people with NO ABS and bigger brakes encounter alot of locking up? I do remember reading a newer motor trend issue which tested 4 sporty compacts. The SVT focus, Impreza 2.5RS, Lancer Ralliart and the Sentra SE-R Spec-V. The Sentra had a big brembo brake kit with no ABS and it stopped some 20ft longer because of lockup...




Eric

Broaner

iTrader: (10)

With nicely warmed up brakes I can lock up my 235's at 35PSI with half brake pressure. On the other hand, after two or three laps around my local deserted industrial park I can barely stop. I'm uprgrading to SS and Motul soon. After that its PowerSlots and AXIS MM's. I hope it will satisfy my needs. For guys with this setup, have you done any hotlapping? If so, is fade, scorching, warping, or depositing still a problem?

image

iTrader: (6)

I just bought some brembo slotted rotors/axis brake pads/ and ss break lines from the GD. I heard slotted was the best... Don't mean to ***** up the thread, but will i notice anything with my new setup? Will i stop faster? etc..?

nismo-max500

I would like to add, when more and more people are getting bigger rims (17+) it increases weight and rotational mass (two different things). Some people w/ 20s on there max may need big brakes just to keep their car stopping like normal. I feel it is one of the best decisions you can make in modifying your car, w/ or w/out bigger rims. my 2cents.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

On a similar note, I was wondering yesterday whether big brakes will add a lot more rotational mass to your car. Unless aftermarket 13" rotors weigh much less than stock 11" (or whatever they are) rotors, that's going to slow down your acceleration just as big heavy rims will slow your acceleration. (Slotting or cross-drilling would help with weight, of course.) Just another thing to consider.

G20Flyer

When you swap over to a BBK...you can actually HURT your stopping distance if you do not setup your system properly.

1st, the stock brakes are proportioned so the front/rears work at an optimum level. You start adding more stopping power to the front, the rears might do less and your stopping distance actually increases.

2nd, to correct this and to really adjust your brakes properly, you need to get a new proportioning valve that can adjust rear/front bias.

3rd, most BBK have 4-6-even 8 pot calipers. With a greater amount of fluid going into the caliper, you might actually have to push down HARDER on the brakes to get the same desired results as stock. A new master clyinder may be in order at that time.

Dave B

The true enthuasists add the larger rotors and mutli-piston calipers to reduce their brake fade especially from higher speeds. Most of car guys know that larger rotors won't necessarily lower 70-0mph braking distances. If you're not an autocross/road course racer then I don't see much point is running larger brakes and multipiston calipers. Most of your street braking is done from 70-20mph. If you want to dramatically cut your brake distance on the street then:

1) Get sticky tires. Tires make or break stopping distance. Without the traction you can't stop as quickly.

2) Use a good street pad that is effective for the type of driving you do.

3) Run good brake fluid

4) Possibly look into higher quailty OEM replacement rotors like Brembos



Dave

Maximus101

Let's not forget that bigger brakes will drastically reduce tempatures & will help reduce brake fad. Depend's on what manufaturer you go with but some kit's can drop braking tempatures up to 200 degrees cooler then the stock brakes. I am using the stock calipers with Brembo rotors & a soft compound brake pad. I noticed that my car stopped alot sooner from 60 - 0 then the stock brakes did. Roughly 40ft. And the braking distance feels even better when I have to slow down from much higher speeds. Another thing I noticed was when ever I have to brake quickly when a light turns yellow on me, the car seems to feel alot quicker to respond. It's feels like when the brakes initially bite the rotors the car slow down with alot more control. The front end drops down smoother, weight transfer is controlled better. Could just be me? The biggest thing that slotted or cross-drilled rotors do is dissipate the gasses created by our brake pads. Which improves braking all around....

Maximus101

Four piston calipers help because they keep the brake pad's from deflecting (FLEXING) they keep the pad's flatter against the rotor under heavy braking. Having a softer pad help's because they bite better on the surface of the rotor & they help your rotors last longer. Try to image your hand as the rotor? If you put sand or rocks in your hands & rub them together then your pretty much going to
scratch the hell out of your hands. But if you put mud in your hands & rub them together the mud is softer & actually feels like there is more friction. But when you look at your hands they have not scratches. Thats kind of a rough example, but you can see my point. The only down side to softer brakes pads is they don't last quite as long...

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

I upgraded to larger rotors on my car because on the road course, the stock brakes don't dissipate enough heat and they will start to fade because of it. With the larger rotors I'm not having that problem. Also because the rotor is larger it has increased the braking torque available, though it doesn't really matter because I could lock up my tires anyways so the tires I have are the limiting factor in how HARD I can brake. But the heat buildup in the stock 11" rotors was too much and after a few laps I had to start taking it easy. The 13" rotors eliminated that problem.

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

vsamoylov who has done a y2k engine swap, I30 interior swap, and y2k braking assmebly swap as well. he said the shaking and the rattling greatly decreased with y2k braking assembly. i don't know if this consider as a BBK but it is definetly an alternative route to consider. PM him about it and he'll let u know waz up...

image

iTrader: (6)

Good reply fellas, I still dont and will not get off to buying a BBK. $2,299 (from southwest auto works) I'd rather get supercharged and maybe upgrade on rotors and take my chances....

99Maxima5sp

That alone is crazy. Human instinct is to slam on the brakes if something jumps out in front of you. I doubt you could react fast enough to NOT slam on your brakes hard enough to lock-up, know what i mean? Could be very dangerous one day...






Eric

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

performance isn't just about speed, it's about controlling the speed. i give props to slammed

99Maxima5sp

Yeah, true.


And as the old adage goes, bigger is better




Eric

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Wow I wouldnt expect this... This means that they heat up faster but probably can dissapate the heat faster due to increased surface area, right?
I say that they heat up faster because the heat capacity is related to mass (assuming they are made of the same kind of metal as stock rotors) so it would take less braking to heat a rotor of less mass to a certain degree.

I was excited to upgrade my braking setup until I figured that it would hurt my acceleration (heavier rotors) and figured I could just swap in SS lines and a track pad for track days.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

His rotors are 2 piece rotors. The part where the pad contacts is still iron just like any other rotor, and thus has no loss in mass, but the rotor hats, where the rotor connects to the hub are made of aluminum, and are thus lighter. So he doesn't really lose any of the heatsink properties of the rotors. A small amount probably, but nothing major and it's not noticeable. the rotor face where the pads contact the rotor is where 99% of the heat builds up and also where it's dissipated.

G20Flyer

Some 2piece rotors are lighter than stock. However the bigger calipers may be heavier and increase the unsprung weight...thus affecting handling...even though it does not affect acceleration as is is non-rotational mass.

For the street guy...I dont see any need for bigger brakes.

Get good pads, SS lines, and motul fluid. You do NOT need x-drilled/slotted rotors...they are a waste of money unless you are heavy track.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

Big brakes = quicker stops
big brakes = 12-17hp loss at the wheels, even if they weigh less. Especially with our rotors being around 11" and going to 12.6 or 13", we loose closer to 15hp at the wheels. It's called INERTIA people.

Anachronism

If the limiting factor with the stock brakes is available traction how will bigger brakes help you stop quiker?

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

If that's true, then they couldn't weigh less unless they're thinner. The little bit of aluminum near the hub isn't going to do much to reduce rotational mass because it's so close to the hub. The heavy iron 13" out, however, will most definitely increase rotational mass.

I wouldn't doubt Big D's 12-17 HP-loss claim, but can anyone corroborate that?

maxspeed96CT

iTrader: (9)

i wish i considered brakes in my mod order, i got into a accident (yes i was speeding and couldn't stop) my brake rotors are purpleish / black, there is a pic of them on my homepage wwith my car stripped, i want to know witch brake setup would be the best for being on a budget.

reply here http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=296707

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

I think you are overestimating the loss in power. Physics say there will be some SLIGHT loss of power, but it is nowhere near that dramatic. I've dyno'd before and after a big brake kit being installed on my car, and it was with much heavier 13" 1 piece rotors. the only change in power on my car was a catback exhaust. I gained 2whp over what I had before the catback. Even being generous and saying the catback gave me 5whp, that would mean only a 3whp loss from the big brake kit.

Furthermore, I have been to the track a few days before, and a few days after installing a big brake kit. My trap speeds after the install were actually HIGHER than before I installed the kit. I'm not claiming that the BBK made me faster, but it sure didn't make my car significantly slower, as a loss of 12-17whp would do. 12-17whp is equivalent to removing your aftermarket Y-pipe and installing the stock one, yet my car is not significantly slower than it was before the BBK. I've removed my Ypipe before and the loss of power is immediately apparent. The slight loss in power to the wheels caused by installing heavier brakes (and my big ones are quite a bit heavier, I've weighed them, the difference is about 6lbs per side) is nothing compared to the removal of a Y pipe.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

The stock caliper weighs 8lbs and the stock rotor weighs 9lbs if my memory servs me correctly. My cobra rotors weigh 15lbs.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

I'm just writing what I witnessed happen with an RSX-S. They put on a 12.6 or 13" which weighed about 1lb less on each corner than the stock brakes, and he lost 12hp. During that brake install they also installed an exhaust system and still lost 12hp.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

wow.. individual variation or what??

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

Hmm, maybe it has something to do with the lower torque those cars have, or maybe they have really really lightweight stock brakes so it was more of a dramatic weight increase for him. Probably a combination of both I would guess, since they have lower torque, an increase in weight affects their power/weight ratio more than it affects ours.

Chunger

iTrader: (1)

Stock calipers (4th Gen) are:


Wilwood 4 pot caliper (billet superlite):


OE sized rotors are:


Fastbrakes 12.2" UL rotor/hat:


And no you won't lose 15hp with big brakes...
You may lose 5hp, maybe a bit more, with heavier wheels (17-18") realistically.

I can say the big brakes DID stop my car better when I had my 18" Lowenharts on my car compared to Stillen OE/pad setup (which is better than stock)

DoGGy

aside from racing. some people got DUBS to stop from spinning.

Chunger

iTrader: (1)

Especially when the rim itself is 29 lbs!