I'm organizing a group deal for a braking system from Precision Brakes: the first test kit has been installed and you can check it out here. It's basically a 4-piston caliper/13"cross-drilled+slotted+cad. plated rotor set for the front. Exactly as shown in the link above It also includes SS lines if you don't have any yet. Price is $800 for 5 people; I'm hoping with the tremendous response we can get this price lowered even more

Check the GD forum thread at http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hreadid=114757 if you want to read up; and if interested, please email me your name, year/model - I'm going to forward the list and we'll let you know as soon as the brakes are ready to ship. I asked that people include their car colour for some reason on the original thread; ignore that part, it's a friday and I need my weekend

Thanks,
Jer

 

But until someone can prove better pedal feel, its not going to be worth it. What does the kit per piece include? I read the thread and got generics...not specifics.

I REALLY want better brakes. REALLY REALLY REALLY. But to date the only thing for every day driving that I have read that makes it better is better pads and MAYBE slotted rotors. Nobody has done a stock/any upgrade to see if stopping distance is increased/decreased/stays the same.

Granted if you autocross....the above does not really apply to you. I am not really worried about heating the brakes. I just want to stomp and stop quicker and have better pedal feel. I now have gotten into a bad habit of a quick pump before stopping to get the pedal to feel the way I want.

 

Never been in a Maxima caravan I see... -M

 

Precision with an inquiry as to what they can do to replace the DBA (Disk Brakes Australia) one-piece rotor (heavy heavy) with a two-piece Wilwood rotor...I'm sure that would make a price delta but still interested to see how much more.
Thanks for the post, looks sweet indeed.
One question: what Wilwood calper is in that kit...the two piston Superlite?

 

The kit will include everything you need to get the brakes running on the car out of the box : adapters, bolts, ss lines, metallic pads, xdrilled/slotted rotors (13"), the wilwood 4 piston calipers. I'm not sure what other details you'd like to know. Brake fluid I do not believe is included.

As to how much better they are, there is a post on the GD thread with a link to thoughts/comments from the member testing these right now : check it out.

For those who don't like having too many windows open, here's a quick cut-out : "I had heard that I would have an increase in pedal travel with the new kit. Thats BS. My brakes start applying at the very top of the pedal, and these SOBs bite. They are a metallic pad, so the feel is alot bolder than the organic type pads the stock 5th gen has. They almost growl when you mat the brakes..you can feel the slotted portion of the rotors go to town on the pads."

Neither he nor I work for Precision Brakes or have anything remotely to do with them.. I just stumbled accross their 4th gen GD and asked for a 5th gen, since I've gone through two pairs of front rotors in only about 35k miles... I NEED better brakes so here's what I'm doing about it

I hope this helps somewhat,
Jer

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Colonel
But until someone can prove better pedal feel, its not going to be worth it. What does the kit per piece include? I read the thread and got generics...not specifics.

I REALLY want better brakes. REALLY REALLY REALLY. But to date the only thing for every day driving that I have read that makes it better is better pads and MAYBE slotted rotors. Nobody has done a stock/any upgrade to see if stopping distance is increased/decreased/stays the same.

Granted if you autocross....the above does not really apply to you. I am not really worried about heating the brakes. I just want to stomp and stop quicker and have better pedal feel. I now have gotten into a bad habit of a quick pump before stopping to get the pedal to feel the way I want. [/QUOTE

 

Any idea if/when they will offer a rear kit also?

What about two piece lighter rotors?


Thanks.

 

I believe someone from the 4th gen group asked for rears; I will look into it myself.

Aren't the factory rears on 5th gens the same as the 4th gens? I am almost certain I heard someone compared all the parts...

 

Took you long enough to show up!

 

Hey now!

Some of us actually have work to do around here.



Jer,

Thanks. Keep me posted.

 

at Precision brakes and inquired on the use of a two-piece rotor, specifically one of the two-piece rotors from Wilwood. He'll be working on a quote to that effect.

I also asked him to quote using another one of the Wilwood calipers as quite frankly I'm not too keen on the Dynalite calipers currently in this kit. These Dynalites ars among the smallest two-piston calipers in the Wilwood line; I asked him to quote using the Superlight calipers..four-piston, larger and IMHO much better suited for a 3500 pound(loaded) car than the small Dynalites.

I'll post when I hear back from him

 

And I would be willing to bet the sun moon and stars that you will loose pedal feel when you go to the bigger calipers. I bet they did enough research to realize that the Nissan Master cyclinder and accompanyment cannot handle it.

Just my .02!

 

Fastbrakes will be coming out with their kit shortly...it does have a two-piece rotor and the heavier Superlite four-piston caliper for what will likely be a coupla hundred bucks more than this kit so...even though I'm making all the right inquiries to Precision Brakes, judging from their list prices for other four-piston kits with two-piece rotors they'll be way more expensive than Fastbrakes.....

 

Your .02 aint worth JACK ****! J/K

Jon,

I guess it all depends on what "pedal feel" is worth to the person driving. I myself am concerned somewhat of how much pedal travel would be increased. However, I'm MOSTLY concerned about DECREASING my stopping distance.

You and I both know what it's like to have a car that stops on a dime(Probe GT ~117 ft vs. Maxima 133+ ft). I have been in more situations than I care to admit, where the ONLY thing that saved my *** was the ABS system and the cars short stopping distance.

I have a '93 Sentra that I drive more than my Max, so I'm pretty sure I can live with some decrease in "pedal feel" and even some increase in pedal travel. If the beefier calipers allow greater braking force at REASONABLE loss in "pedal feel", I'm willing to sacrifice it. I'm NOT willing to sacrifice the chance that a smaller/cheaper caliper might actually NOT be able to handle a 3500-3700+ Max loaded to the gills with luggage for a 90-0 mph stop.

 

Oh really....he he he.
'nother way to avoid the censor? Most intriguing....

This is FOR SURE! But since nobody does a controlled test, I am not sure if I am giving up what little pedal feel we have for virtually the same stopping distance...know what I mean?


This is also for sure. Might be part of my problem. Trying to make the Max into the Probe...with 4 doors...he he. You could definatley haul the car down quick.

This is a good point that I had not considered. Whether or not the caliper are suited for the heavier car. I "ain't" no expert so can only opinionate on the issue.

 

Yes, that's why I'm not jumping in HEAD FIRST(more like wallet first!). I REFUSE to buy any until I've seen enough proof.

I'll argue the "Cattman Principle(sp?)". If you don't have the resources to R&D a product than just OVERBUILD it, so there is "less likely" a chance for failure. The only problem is the OVERBUILD part costs us, the consumer. I would rather go with the larger caliper based on the same concept to be safer rather than sorry. The 4 or is it 6 piston AP kit for ~$1500-1600 for BOTH Front/Rear is looking more and more appealing DOWN THE ROAD(no pun intended).

 

The rear rotors are the same specs on both the 4th & 5th gens .. do you have a price Jer b/c I'm damn interested in just the rear rotors.

 

distances with a brake kit we are smoking something funny because it's not the brakes but rather the tires and the front/rear brake balance (proportioning) that makes cars stop shorter.

Once you're at the point where you have either locked up the wheels and/or activated the ABS, better, lighter, cooler (and cooler-looking) brakes dont do squat.

Now, it's a whole different story for REPETITIVE full-force stops...this is where better brakes come into play. If u autocross, go to track days or do Solo 1s, the stock Max brakes are woefully inadequate.

 

Will this kit definitely fit behind the stock 17X7" OE rims on a 2001 SE without any spacers or modifications?

 

Actually, that's not true.

The larger calipers with more pistons all you to exert more braking force, which will cause the wheels to lock up. However, with ABS the system will prevent lock up(on a relatively dry grippy surface) to a point and allow the wheels to still rotate while being slowed at a faster rate than with the inferior brakes.

I know there is more to it than that, but that's the best way I can explain it in laymans terms. I'll try and find a pretty good article I read that explained it in more detail.

 

FYI, I will be calling them later today (Monday) to find out details on stock wheel fit and availability of rears. Don't want to leave anybody hanging!