Well now that the rotor are just about in my hands... What would be the best choice of brake pads??? I dont want to spend a fortune but I want a good quality product that wont slap me in the nuts later on e.g. excessive wear to the new rotors. and suggestions welcome
Try GREEN STUFF brake pad's but i think they might be a bit pricy or you could try BENDIX pad's i pick'd a set up for the front from repco for a round $110. Good luck mate
Dan see Caz1 on this forum for a good price! She has Bendix Ultimates ($90 ish excellent pads a little dusty - I uses these on the track frequently and road and are very happy) and also a very good pad from Ferrodo (type 2500)at a great price as well as access to the EBC stuff to. Always turn up very quickly too mate! MattB
Yeah! What "The Wokky" said. "Ultimates" have improved the braking on my Zed immensely (dusty, but that washes off, previous pads Bendix "Advance", cleaner but not as good as the Ultimates). If you still have OEM discs, I can't recommend Bendix Ultimates highly enough. Just waiting now on the Chili brace for best cheapest braking performance.
Pads EBC Pads are NO GOOD for zeds as they are too heavy. Greens are expensive for what they are and don't last well especially at the track. They should not be sold for road cars as they only do about 30 to 40 laps at the track and they are gone, including reds, although yellows last a bit better they cost more and may not be suitable for road as not good cold as more of a race pad. EBC even have on their brochures that they are suited for cars UP TO 750kg. Anyone with a Zed less than 750kg?? We found this out years ago as customers came to track days and went home using hand brake. Ferodo DS2500 we have found to be the best all round as great for road and very good for track and last a long time. I use the DS3000 next one up for my zed race car and did over 400 race laps and bit over half worn. Ultimates have a lot of metal and work ok but aggressive of rotors also transfers heat into the caliper which is not good. We don't sell them much at all as better options. Keep in mind big power heavy car 280 mm by 30mm is TOO small for weight of the car. R33 GTS-T much lighter and less power and factory has 296mm by32mm rotors although same pad size.
Suggestion was, that still using the OEM discs implied "normal" road driving, rather than track. Under these circumstances, the OEM rotors are well up to the job. I haven't seen any excessive rotor wear using "Ultimates" but they do give better brake performance compared with the cheaper "Advance" from Bendix. I haven't tried the Ferodo pads, but will keep them in mind next time I need to replace pads. So far as heat being transferred to the caliper, this would be indicated by fade, which I have not noticed under "normal" driving, including a few "exuberant" moments over twisty roads. This may well be due to the fact that I'm a "bit thick" with respect to how my car is actually performing. But as long as it goes and stops as well as I expect, with no surprises, then everything is OK!
Big difference between track and road use. When was the last time anybody here braked hard 10 times at 200ks to stop at a red light, on a public road? I have ecb g/s i like em, no dust all over the car, stop the car in a hurry where necessary, and have'nt screwed my rotors, like the Ultimate's did. Down side is they are expensive, but iv'e had them on for over 12 months and they are a little over half worn.
Factory rotors are barely up to the job and ZED TT's are the most uner braked equiped car that Nissan make and Toyota and others probably. They cope and good is the enemy of better and if not driven hard and not going on the track ever then yes no problems. Although rare, if you are hiking along the freeway and have to pull up quick they could be a problem or stop a bit further down the road than better pads. Ferodos DS2500 are much better but at twice the price they should be over ultimates although similar to the Green Stuff. Check pic of 324mm one peice rotors with poor ventilation and Bendix pads at the track.
I agree, John! The factory (of whatever make and model of car) will put on the barest minimum spec equipment to save costs. BUT, compared with other cars I have owned over 40 years of drivng, the brakes on the Z32 are the best I have ever encountered. (And remember, I have an NA not a TT(sometime, I wish)). They are even better with the "Ultimate" pads than when I bought the car, I don't know what the pads were then. If I had a TT I may feel a little different, and would have probably upgraded the brakes (actually, I'm considering fitting DBA/RDA rotors, because a lot of people agree with you that the OEM jobbies are just not up to the performance specs of the car)
ok maybe i should've made it clear as to what the car is used for... its a daily other than a zed cruise thats it.... oh and btw the ca18det silvia is up there with the worst braking cars ever....
Yes CA18 barely rate also but older car and I am mainly talking late model as in after 1990, 120y are probably crap too and EH Holden etc.
Personally i rate the porterfield carbon kevlar pads, sell soooo many here in the UK to both Zedders and Skyline folks Similar price to EBC, but perform better, cheaper than ds2500 which imo leave too much crap behind and can squeal, R4-s for street and small track use if you want and the R4 for mainly track. Oh and like John, stock rotors imo are crap! DBA rock though smithy
with you on both your posts. doug ... i put RDA ROTORS on the front and bendix ultimates all round ... on two occasions this combo was required to stand the zed on it's nose .. and did so brilliantly .. go for it ..!!! :zlove: :zlove:
I've said it before, I'll say it again, I believe people underrate the efficiency of stock brakes! Changing the fluid, pads and adding a master cylinder brace makes a huge difference. JP: You post a pic of glowing rotors? That doesn't mean the brakes aren't efficient; it means they are working effectively and hard. I've had rotors glowing on every application for three laps and didn't receive fade; thats with stock 1 piece rotors, stock calipers, Bendix Ultimate Pads, Motul Dot5.1 fluid. Rims will play a part in dispersing heat - likewise getting rid of the stoneguard and adding vents - but in terms of minimal cost adding to a stock items, they aren't a bad base. I will however agree with JP regarding EBC's - I can't understand why people still recommend the Greens; For the high cost and performance that rivals Bendix Ultimates - for the sake of a little bit of dust IMO its crazy. My EBC reds also didn't last too long; but they worked well around the track.
ok so the conclusion i can see is bendix are the better choice for the new rda's...(i got front and rear)???
Bad brakes - Try a 13B Turbo RX3 with stockies LOL! I aggree with Franz, with a few minor mods (good fluid, master cylinder brace, Ultimates all round) I have used the stockies at track days and super sprints for the last few years and they are not the best but do a fair job. Definately in how you use them and drive the car! I am looking forward to testing the 324mm kit though. Have gone home using the handbrake from Wakefield though due to Bendix Advances on the rear, LOL, 300km's from home, that was fun, MattB
if you want crap braking, dust and overall bad braking, but EBC street kevlars. If you want good braking and no dust ( hardly any ) buy Endless pads.
