[AJC]

After talking to a few people the advice I've gotten is that if I upgrade my rotors, pads, brake fluid and get stainless lines I can have much better brakes for the track without paying an arm and a leg. Can anyone give me some advice on what upgraded components they've used and recommend. Also where to purchase.

Much appreciated.

 

[SpeedForSale]

Depends on what's your intended purpose for your GT-R. We offer various affordable combination of setups. Give us a shout. www.speedforsale.com

 

[AJC]

Depends on what's your intended purpose for your GT-R. We offer various affordable combination of setups. Give us a shout. www.speedforsale.com

Thanks. It's basically a daily driver that I'll track maybe 8 times a year. But plenty of spirited runs on weekends. So nothing that's strictly track, but performance is important. The first track day I did with the car I wasn't impressed much by the brakes or how quickly they started to get soft. Especially considering the fact that I wasn't using them much.

 

[SpeedForSale]

We sold tons of AP J-hook rotors with Carbotech XP12 race brake pads to our GT-R customers who take their cars to track, and the feedback has been positive on them. If your GT-R is a CBA (2008-2011) model, then it's a great combination for track use. However, downside of the Carbotech race brake pads are that they do make high pitch noise for daily driver frequent stop and go. Some have better tolerance, some can't stand the noise. Recently, the Endless MX-72 has been a popular setup for street/light track use which doesn't squeal for daily driver purpose. We sell pretty much everything, let us know if we can help you with anything.

 

[AJC]

Mine is a 2012.. How does that effect things?

 

[SpeedForSale]

AP is coming out with new rotors for the 2012 models. AP J-hook rotors for 2009-2011 are 380mm, which is too small and too thick for the new 2012 models. Currently only Alcon (which we are the exclusive GT-R Super Kit distributor in the USA) offers the correct size. However, you can still upgrade the pads since they are the same size for all 2009 to 2012 GT-Rs.

 

[Jeremy GT-R]

I've tracked my car countless times and found that simply replacing the fluid,pads, and lines makes for a very potent track combination. Replacing the rotors will of course help, but IMHO it's not needed if you're only tracking your car a handful of times per year . My stock rotors lasted 30,000+ miles of very hard driving/racing before needing to be replaced.

My set up:

Carbotech XP-12's
Forged Performance Brake lines
Motul RBF-600 Fluid

 

[DocNrock]

Jeremy above seems to be the exception with respect to the OEM rotors. Many have had their fronts start cracking after a handful of track days. I didn't wait for mine to crack, so early on I switched to AP Racing J hook rotors. I also started out with Carbotech XP10's, but currently am using Carbone Lorraine RC6E pads on the front and RC6's on the rear. Both make a lot of low speed squeal during daily driving, but it doesn't bother me much. I switched to the Carbone Lorraine because they last longer than the Carbotechs. I went through a front pair of XP10's in one three-day track weekend. I never used the XP12's as others with more experience had told me that the XP12's are too much pad for the OEM tires. If you're going to be using R comps on the track, then XP12's might be right for you, or the Carbone Lorraine RC8's.

I also replaced the OEM lines with Stillen stainless lines. Regarding fluid, I previously used Motul RBF600, which is fine, and never got mushy on the track. However, at the advice of a friend, I switched over to Castrol SRF, which has higher dry and wet boiling points than the Motul.

With my setup, I've never experienced any fade and for what it is worth, I do run in the advanced group.

 

[seanm]

The AP 2012 rotors should be available 1st Quarter 2012. I just confirmed some info with AP this morning.

The stock 2009-2011 rotors crack around the cross drilled holes when run hard. The 2012 front rotor is taller, but thinner. 390 x 32.8 mm.

The brake pads are the same for 2009-2012. The pad choice will all depend on how you use the car. Like shoes, you pick different pads for different occasions. Running a marathon in a set of loafers is not the recommended way to go, but you can do it. The GT-R guys run some pretty aggressive track pads on the street, but the problem with that, is the heat range of the pad, and how abrasive they are at low temps.

Fluid - APPRF608 if you are running hard. AP600 if its pure street.

Lines - Rubber lines expand, and don't stand up to heat as well as a steel braided line.

If you want to go all in, you can do a set of CCM's.

 

[[email protected]]

You've pretty much covered it all:

Pads, Lines, Fluid, and Rotors!

Pads, lines and fluid are usually the first and easiest upgrades...then upgrade rotors after you kill yours!

If money's no object and you want everything at once and want to save a few bucks while you're at it:

We have it all in a complete package with the Endless MX72's (quieter and less dust than the OEM's!)

Click on the picture below and it will take you right there!



Scott VanderHeide
Fontana Nissan
800-989-6173 x2253

 

[Goodwood]

Didn't I read here that the '12 brake lines have been strengthened vs 09-11? If I were you, I'd leave those alone for now.

 

[equisch3x]

Lots of good info here, i will probably going with Fontana Nissan's package posted above when the time comes,

What are your guys input on resurfacing rotors? I bought my car used with 10k Miles, i inspected the rotors and didn't find any cracks at all, i don't track at all, just the occasional Drag race and rarely pushing it around little canyon roads and mountains..

 

[seanm]

Didn't I read here that the '12 brake lines have been strengthened vs 09-11? If I were you, I'd leave those alone for now.

09 - 10 they upgraded them.

According to Nissan, they built it perfect in 2009, so it should not be modified. If you think that only applies to brake lines, or boost, or exhaust, I think you will find that it is incorrect. There is always room for improvement.

Rubber is not an ideal material for an environment like a wheel well. Not really ideal being about 5 inches from a 1300F brake rotor.

 

[Jeremy GT-R]

I think cleaning out the holes in the rotors after track days/heavy use is one of the reasons my rotors lasted so long. Many times while at the track I would literally clean out every single hole waiting for my next session to start.

Now I didn't stop running the rotors right when they started cracking, that was about 10,000 miles ago. I've seen real race cars rotors....and they're nothing but cracks, so I felt I could push them until they got real bad. Here's the pictures of when I finally pulled them.

 

[seanm]

Those are nasty. No way would I ever run them that long. A working braking system is the difference between life and death. I have had some brake system failures, and had a couple of good wrecks with race cars. Much cheaper to replace some rotors, than a car, or a life.

Any race team running cracked rotors would be idiots. Its not only dangerous, but irresponsible thinking its ok to run a part like this.

 

[Jeremy GT-R]

^^ Agreed I pushed them to the max....and then some. I'd also like to add I would NOT suggest running them to the point in which I did.

In regards to race teams with cracked rotors; I didn't mean as bad as mine, but I've seen countless times were there were tons of tiny hair line cracks in the rotors on full race cars, and they were running them. I was even told by a Professional Porsche Race Team not to worry about it until the cracks get large and or connect to each other, or the cracks go out to the leading edge.

I'm taking by your response that information was bad lol.

Side Note: To my knowledge I never ran the rotors with the cracks hitting the leading edge. One of the last sessions I ran on those I noticed cracks touching two holes, After that I pulled the rotors and swapped new ones. I think during the cooling down process the cracks finally made it around the sides.

.

.

 

[seanm]

In regards to race teams with cracked rotors; I didn't mean as bad as mine, but I've seen countless times were there were tons of tiny hair line cracks in the rotors on full race cars, and they were running them. I was even told by a Professional Porsche Race Team not to worry about it until the cracks get large and or connect to each other, or the cracks go out to the leading edge.

I'm taking by your response that information was bad lol.

Just got back this weekend from a 3 hour enduro with the Scion. We have done some dumb things with that car, like run the pads down to the backing plate. Crazing, or "cracking" though the center of the disk is not much of a concern. However, a physical crack like what we see here on a GT-R is different.

I have several years professional racing experience under my belt now as a crew chief. I have learned some lessons the hard way. I am still learning new lessons everytime I am at the track. I have been at the track when people have died, and I take safety very seriously. Everytime I put a car on track I am nervous, and I would never ever let that car on track. If I were crew on this car, you would run me over before I let you on track.

 

[SpeedForSale]

Sean and others provided very helpful info. Geez Jeremy, that's pushing too much. I would have mine changed already when I see hairline cracks lol

Instead of the AP Racing or Endless brake fluid, we sold more on Motul RBF600 or the RBF660 and our stainless braided brake lines. It's similar to the mentioned fluids and lines, so it's a personal preference.