As title states, I need to know what my options are for upgrading my brakes (hopefully someone says Z32 calipers!) and staying behind 16" SE wheels.


I am getting a set of autoX slicks for my birthday, but dad's requirement was that I didn't go above 16", for the obvious cost involved. I autoX a LOT. I also drive a lot... I've put 3200 miles on my car, and I've had it for 6 weeks, and work is 8 blocks away from the house.


So, as tempting as it is to get Blehm's or Jeff's BBK kit (or even K-Sport/Wilwood/Brembo), I REALLY don't want to have to bump up to 17's. That money can be better used on K-Sport coilovers, a RSB, and FSTB.

help?

 

Z32 30mm aluminum calipers and the Z32 rotors that have a diameter that's shaved a few MM. I'd even use the NA or Turbo Z32 wheels also. Light, cheap and will clear those wide calipers

 

With what brackets?

 

Exactly. What brackets? As in no brackets.

He won't be able to get the great torque arm advantage of moving the caliper out but he will be able to utilize the multipiston design for brake feel and the thicker rotor for fade resistance.

 

SE wheels... I would say Q/J calipers and Q/J/Z rotors milled down.

 

Jeff, so the Z32 rotors + calipers will bolt right up with no modifications? Interesting......

I think his only problem might be offset - you definitely need to push the wheels out farther to fit the Z32 calipers. Find a 16x8 with a 30 offset and you're good to go.

 

You could also use the last gen RX7 wheels.

 

I have some of those.


I can get the Z32 30mm aluminum calipers for 150 shipped, from a friend in New Orleans... is that a good deal? The caliper will mount right up to my stock bracket? What about the rotors? Will a reputable machine shop be able to do the milling down? If all this is true, and the stuff will fit, this is AWESOME. I mean, I'm not trying to have F1 stopping power... but I am looking for something to get rid of these weak sauce brakes that are pretty much garbage after 2 or 3 hard autoX runs (we usually get 6-8 runs... you can imagine how much fun it is to drive the following 4-6 runs on crap brakes.).

I've got the time and money to buy the parts and do the work, but like I said, I'm in a bit of a situation where I HAVE to stay in 16" wheel-land.

 

Any machine shop should be able to do that. But you should research and make sure what the exact measurement is. Something like 3mm off the radius. You might also need to grind off some of the tie rod or control arm or something. I forget. Nothing difficult

This is the most OG semi-BBK here on the .org.

 

How about a 240SX 5lug rim? it has a +40 offset.

 

where is the best place to mount the caliper?

i was thinkin across from where OEM goes for some weight distribution !

as for purchasing the z32 calipers goes.. try www.rockauto.com loaded rebuilt ones go for $130

 

No you just put the Z32/J30/Q45 calipers in where the A32 were. Just bolt them in. Once you mill the rotor it is pretty much bolt on.

 

and it still fits behind my SE wheels, right? Will I need spacers?

 

Z32 no way.
J/Q? maybe

Not sure why you ask. You wont' be able to put any decent sized meats on those skinny SE wheels.

 

I would do 4mm off the radius. 3mm just barely clears. You need to grind down the control arm a little right behind the rotor.

 

16"s wont fit with jeff or matts kit AT ALL......the caliper rubs the wheel....i doubled up my 20mm spacers so 40mm for a test fit with 300zx tt wheels...so i would say Z32 calipers and milled rotors is ur best bet

 

Z32 calipers of any variety WILL NOT FIT under stock 16" Maxima wheels. no chance in hell without a spacer.

What is your current setup?
Rotors?
Pads?
Fluid?
lines?

For auto X use, you should have ZERO problems with fade simply running something like Hawk HPS on factory-sized brembo blanks with some good brake fluid. You don't even need SS lines to get rid of the fade, but it will help with brake feel.
If you're having problems with heat fade after that, then you've got some serious issues somewhere.

 

just invest some money into some light weight 17 inch wheels.

 

Birthday present (from ALL of the family) is a set of 16" Toyo RA-1 tires, on a set of 300ZX wheels... otherwise, I would.


The other reason is because I have my SE wheels as DD's, and they're fine, with decent tires left on them.



how big of a spacer? I can order one from H&R and have it here in 3-5 days... just curious as to how thick.

 

how thick of a spacer? 10mm?

 

you can't use the BBK kits with 16" wheels you need 17" at least. but if you wanted to go the 300zx rotors milled 3-4mm then you might be able to do that. if your interested in that then check out my for sale I have the z32 caliper and wheels adapter/spacers for sale and save your self some $$$
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=496658

 

are you listening? don't mess with a brake kit for Auto X.
you simply don't need it. get some Hawk HPS or Axxis MM pads and stainless brake lines and you'll be good. most of the time you don't even get the brakes WARM in a 60 sec autoX run.

also remember that modifying your brakes more than that will put you in a higher class than you should be competing. trust the guy with experience on that one. ever tried to be competitive in a Maxima in Street Mod? fawk.