brakes

Joined
11 January 2001
Messages
534
Location
Sacramento
Well, I guess it could be that time, I need some advice on brakes as I have very little left on my rear pads and ultimately I dont want to waste money putting stock pads on only to change soon.

There are many options out there, AP, Tarox, Brembo. Money IS an option, I dont want to spend $8-9k on the Comptech / Brembo big brake kit. Part of what I want is look, but most of what I want is performance. From a look perspective, I want bigger calipers and drilled rotors. Inherently, I think performance will come with the change in look.

I dont necessarily need to change the rear calipers, but with drilled front rotors, I will want to end up with drilled rears to avoid a strange look. I know if I just change to drilled rear rotors I will also need to change pads, but maybe not calipers.

I am rambling now, and really need some advice. Thoughts?


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Justin
'98 NSX-T Blk/Blk
o Comptech headers / exhaust / airbox
o Koni adjustable suspension w/Comptech springs
o Volk TE-37 17/18” wheels

[This message has been edited by justin hall (edited 22 January 2001).]
 
I think you should think carefully about what you're looking for.

When you say you're looking for "looks" - you can get that from just changing your rotors for $400.

When you say you're looking for "performance" - why? Are you overheating your brakes on the track? That's really about the only reason for upgrading brake calipers with the "big brake" packages you mention. (You can do quite nicely simply by upgrading the pads to RM Racing street/track pads.)
 
Justin,

In looks dept, I think the brembo with Indy caliper (comptech) are the best. Looks very big and beefy.

The AP looks cool as well. Stop good. Maybe George Wang can give u more info about this.

Brembo lotus caliper. Is good enough for the NSX. and always have brembo quality product.

Tar-ox, I never seeen one and don't know what to say.

Porsche brakes (Movit kit), from what I heard it is the best kit available for street and track use. I'm in the process of putting one. As soon as I'm finish with my M3, I'll start on that. Dan Tobie is putting one soon. Downside is the caliper is really thick thus need spacer that is pretty thick as well

From all the above mentioned, only Tar-ox will fit your wheel without spacer. Other brakes will require u to have spacer. The Porsche will require even thicker spacer.
 
Justin,
I am in the same place as you are. I have decided to keep the stock rotors as I agree with NSXTACY. I have even had problems with overheating my brakes. But I feel that with the addition of S.S. lines, Slotted Rotors, Track/Street Pads, Higher Heat Brake Fluid and an Air Deflector such as the Dali unit I will have a nice look and achieve the performance I need. The set up above can be had on all 4 corners for around $900.00. I can't see spending big bucks on Brembos when money is a consideration when the stock calipers are more than adaquate and look great. Even in it's stock configuration my car stops on a dime (until things heat up).
 
keep in mind that, jsut because certain brake kit is advertised as not requiring spacers, it may still change the offset. The AP calipers that I have is one of the smaller aftermarket calipers out there, however, my dream set-up is the Comptech powertech! Just don't want to spend $8k for brakes, yet.

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http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/6073/index.html
 
Another thing when using big brakes is the longevity of your pads and rotors. W/ big brake kit, the rotors will last u one full season, or maybe 2. The pads will last about 3 or 4 weekend.

With slotted rotors, street/track pads, dali deflectors, the pads will last 1 weekend (maybe less in certain tracks, maybe more in different ones). The rotors will last about 3 or 4 weekend. In the long run, the big brake is cheaper.
 
Another thing when using big brakes is the longevity of your pads and rotors. W/ big brake kit, the rotors will last u one full season, or maybe 2. The pads will last about 3 or 4 weekend.

With slotted rotors, street/track pads, dali deflectors, the pads will last 1 weekend (maybe less in certain tracks, maybe more in different ones). The rotors will last about 3 or 4 weekend. In the long run, the big brake is cheaper.


I have the slotted rotors, RM street/track pads, and cooling ducts, and do a variety of tracks. I've kept detailed records ever since I bought the car. The front pads last 3-4 weekends and the rear pads last 4-6 weekends. The front rotors last 10-12 weekends. The rear rotors last... I don't know, I think I've got 30 track events on these and they're still okay. And I'm not exactly known for being easy on brakes.

The pads on the big brake kits will still wear out at about the same rate. The rotors will last a lot longer. But even if they last forever, and if with the stock calipers you pay $200 for a set of front rotors every 10 track events, that means you would need to drive 400 track events before the big brake kit pays for itself. That's certainly "the long run".
smile.gif
 
Originally posted by maomaonsx:
keep in mind that, just because certain brake kit is advertised as not requiring spacers, it may still change the offset. The AP calipers that I have is one of the smaller aftermarket calipers out there......


Did you have to use spacers with the AP setup? We have the same wheels.....


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Justin
'98 NSX-T Blk/Blk
o Comptech headers / exhaust / airbox
o Koni adjustable suspension w/Comptech springs
o Volk TE-37 17/18” wheels
 
Originally posted by nsxtasy:

I have the slotted rotors, RM street/track pads, and cooling ducts, and do a variety of tracks. I've kept detailed records ever since I bought the car. The front pads last 3-4 weekends and the rear pads last 4-6 weekends. The front rotors last 10-12 weekends. The rear rotors last... I don't know, I think I've got 30 track events on these and they're still okay. And I'm not exactly known for being easy on brakes.

The pads on the big brake kits will still wear out at about the same rate. The rotors will last a lot longer. But even if they last forever, and if with the stock calipers you pay $200 for a set of front rotors every 10 track events, that means you would need to drive 400 track events before the big brake kit pays for itself. That's certainly "the long run".
smile.gif

The front pads last me the most ever is 3 days (1 weekend and 1 day). The rotors (I found the stock rotors to be the best) last me the most 4 weekends, while the slotted last me a little less. I don't see or feel any improvement going to slot rotors. I guess I'm just harder on brakes than u do
wink.gif


I disagree about the pads on the big brakes will last the same. We assume the tires are the limitting factor in braking. Then we can say that the force generated on the tire to the ground is equal if u're using the big brakes or the stock brakes. Since the rotor is bigger, the Force applied to the rotors is less in the big brake kit than the stock size. The Force is determined by clamping force , and friction. Assuming we use the same type of pads (same coeeficient of friction), the force needed will be less. Since the Force needed will be less, the wearing rate will be less too. Imagine, u use eraser and apply lesser force than usual. U will genereate less heat, and will wear the eraser less too.

Of course your mileage may vary
 
Andrie, Be careful if you plan on using the Movit brake kit. I currently have them on my NSX, but I had to have HRE custom build a set of wheels for me so that they'd fit, and no spacers. The wheels come out flushed witht the fender. It is a perfect fit, but the wheels are the 546's (6 spoke) and the web out quite a bit allowing only about 1-2mm of clearence.

You can't just add real thick spacers, because the wheel will then extend outward from the fender, and then you will have a real serious problem when you turn or when the suspension compresses, beleive me, been there done that. So I had no choice than to spend some serious dough on some serious wheels to fit.

Right now I am haveing a lot of problems trying to find a wheel to fit to use just for track events. Techno (no), Forgeline (no), it is very hard.

Well good luck, and if your wondering... I put 10k hard miles and 4 hard track events (Sebring Int. Raceway)on a set of OEM Porsche Pads, and still had about a 1/4 of pad life left. Best brakes I've ever had...and the Best looking.....

[This message has been edited by ZABADNSX (edited 25 January 2001).]
 
Another thing I forgot to mention. The OEM Porsche pads, I buy for $85.00 here in Miami, and the Hawk HPplus track/autocross pads for the Porsche brakes cost me $75.00. Seems like a lot less than what the competion is selling their pads for their brake setups, which is another reason why I went with the Porshe TT brake setup. Replacement rotors are $165 each for the front, and these are some serious rotors.
 
The front Porsche TT brake kit made by movit cost about $2800 this includes, mounting brackets, calipers, rotors/hats, ss brake lines, and a set of OEM Porsche Pads.

These brakes are the Big Reds (red in color)

I installed them myself (very easy), and it takes 5 minutes to change out the pads (no kidding around).
 
Originally posted by ZABADNSX:
The front Porsche TT brake kit made by movit cost about $2800 this includes, mounting brackets, calipers, rotors/hats, ss brake lines, and a set of OEM Porsche Pads.

These brakes are the Big Reds (red in color)

I installed them myself (very easy), and it takes 5 minutes to change out the pads (no kidding around).

I am interested in this option. Do you have a URL I could check these out? How does this set (Porsche TT) differ from the Lotus Brembo calipers?

Thanks



------------------
Justin
'98 NSX-T Blk/Blk
o Comptech headers / exhaust / airbox
o Koni adjustable suspension w/Comptech springs
o Volk TE-37 17/18” wheels
 
Well, I'm selling my Brembo BBK with 12.9x1.1 cross-drilled and internally vanes rotors, including all mounting hardware (complete) kit for $1250 + shipping. This is the kit Dali Racing sells. My rotors are 1/2 worn. Includes a new set of Carbotech Panther pads (street/track compound).
 
Thanks Nelson,

I am aware of the thickness of the Porsche big red. And currently experimenting with different wheels. The other options that we currently working on is to go with Supra Turbo wheels for track use. We will be testing this probably by next month and will keep u updated.

We don't get the kit from movit but rather trying to fit it on ourselves.
 
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