I want to put larger rotors on my 2000 Max without doing the Brembo, Fastbrakes, Precision Brakes, etc., prepackaged big brake kits. I've bought 300ZX TT alum 30mm calipers and rebuilding them this week. Read all the posts search found on the 3000GT VR4 rotors (12.5" diameter)with these calipers, but still have some questions for those that have installed them.
(1) The center bore/hub opening on the Max is 68mm. Is the VR4 the same?
(2) Any rubbing or suspension clearance issues-any grinding needed as with the stock 300ZX TT rotors?
(3) If you would lay the VR4 rotor flat on the ground, what is the overall height of the rotor? How does it compare to the stock Max rotor?
I assume this measurement would tell if the caliper would sit in relatively the same position(further in or further out-closer to wheel spokes or further away) once the wheel is bolted on. Trying to avoid wheel clearance issues. FYI, I'm upgrading to 18x8.5, +40 offsets wheels.
(4) Do you feel this setup would clear stock 17" SE wheels?

I realize that custom brackets are needed to mount the calipers with the larger rotors, but have someone to fabricate them. With this setup, any repair or maintenance items could be purchased from the local O'Reilly, Pep Boys, etc. auto parts store. Rotors, pads, caliper kits-everything off the shelf(in fact the Wagner pads I just bought were in stock). Nothing needed from any specialty vendor and have to wait on shipping.

Any feedback is welcome. If anyone else has used or know of another rotor that would work without spacers, rings, etc., chime in.

Mike

 

I can't answer most of your questions as I have 13.0" SVT Cobra rotors on my max. Question #4 though I can answer with almost absolute certainty that they would fit just fine under 17" OEM wheels. My 13.0" rotors clear both sets of 17" wheels and I believe the VR4 rotors are 12.38" so your calipers would be sitting about .3" closer to the center than mine are, and mine clear with a few mm to spare. (13.0-12.4=.6"/2=.3")

It's too bad you just missed out on a group deal for custom machined hubcentric rings that make the SVT Cobra rotor upgrade a whole lot easier than when I first pioneered it, using little pieces of tubing to make sure the rotor was centered on the hub.

 

i saw posts about the SVT rotors, but i guess i missed the first post explaining everything... so i am still lost about the whole idea

 

You can also consider getting the OEM rotors from 2k4 Max, 12.6 in".

 

Wow nice I didn't know they were that large. That would be the simplest upgrade because I'm willing to bet nissan didnt change the centerbore nor stud dimensions for 2k4.

 

I never realized the 2k4 Max's were that size either. I'll go visit my parts guys at the local Nissan dealer this week to try and get good measurements on these. Then see how they compare to the 5th Gen's. Maybe we have something here that is more of a direct replacement with only custom brackets needed-which is my least of concerns with this. I'll post my findings in this thread, and start a new one once I get the info.

Mike

 

I found three people who have done this VR4 upgrade. E-mail and PM's sent to all three. Waiting on replies.

 

I had origionally wanted to do the VR-4 upgrade before I found out about the 13" Cobra one (which I now have all the parts, just gotta install um). I did design a bracket for the VR-4 rotors though and they have a 15mm offset as appossed to the 10mm of the Cobras. I'm not at home right now so I don't have all the websites with similar info you can look at but I'll post um later if you want. Ginn motorsports in Atlanta makes a kit using these rotors for 300ZX's (which means if their bracket was used on our car, the rotors would have to be milled down by 6mm total). Also, there is another site with good info where a guy did this upgrade on his 300ZX as well. The main thing with the VR-4 rotors is the bracket has to not only offset and move up the caliper, but also rotate it for clearence of mounting holes. Like I said, I'll post up websites later when I get out of classes.

 

Here's those two links:

http://www.zfilms.org/Stories/Z32/2002/01/

http://store.yahoo.com/ginnmotorspor...rotkituss.html (12.5" kit)

 

Thanks KMax. The info in the two links plus what I got from one person that installed the VR4's helps out. I'll summarize in the next post.

Mike

 

Here's what I've been able to come up with so far from the links above and one person that has this installed. Still waiting to hear input from the other two that have done this.
(1)The center bore/hub opening on the stock rotors and the VR's are the same, also the stud size and spacing. No hub centric rings needed.
(2)No suspension rubbing issues.
(3)Here's the biggest problem. The VR rotors are pushed out toward the spokes of the wheel 15mm more than stock rotors-for the 13" Cobra rotors this is 10mm. That's .625" that the caliper will get pushed toward the wheel spokes (toward the outside of the car). The 300ZX calipers I plan on using would make the issue an even bigger problem. Unless you are running wheels like the Konig Tantrum, Advan Model 7's, or possibly LE or TE model Volk's, you might/probably would have clearance issues. Offsets of no greater than +42 have worked.
(4)This setup will definately not work with stock 17" SE wheels.

I'll add extra details as I here back from other people/sources. Also planning on going to the Nissan parts dept on Monday to measure the 2004 Maxima rotors.

Mike

 

nice writing kwd. I couldnt follow that VRT and Cobra stuff until i read the thing u just posted. Question, what size is stock 4th gen rotors? Anyone know? Just want to compare size of mine versus 6th gen. And what size rotors does brembo, and all those other big brake kits carry?

 

stock vs. R32 GTR rotors:
http://www.mattblehm.com/pics/car/brakes/rotors2.jpg

OE diameter on 3rd, 4th, and early 5th gens is 10.6 or 10.8. skyline R32 is 11.75 or so. you can see the weight difference in the first pic for those two. you can only imagine what 13" rotors weigh!

Factory vs R32 GTR vs. custom 2-piece 13x1.25"
http://www.mattblehm.com/pics/car/br...s/IM000348.JPG

brembo rotors are about 12.6" I believe.

 

what fits under the 16" 2K SE wheel?

 

I had skyline rotors w/ wilwood Dynalite calipers under my 16s. it was VERY close fit, but it did fit.