Heavy duty "street" brakes.

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K2e2vin

Senior Member
This is for the future as I'm still working on my motor, but what do you guys suggest for a good brake setup that's light and would work well with street pads? For "continous autoX" or extended periods on low-speed courses? I'm looking to use street pads(I need the cold bite).

Right now I'm thinking 300ZX aluminum calipers(front and rear), though not sure whether to go 26mm or 30mm on the front. I've heard e-rumors of the 30mm aluminum warping but have never seen it or anyone bring up any case of it(though it's supposedly caused by heat). The front caliper issue brings up the question of how thick to go on the front(Stoptech rotors); 25mm vs. 28mm(11"/282mm diameter). The rears, I'm thinking Wilwood 10.5" vented rotors. Would this be too much?

For pads, I'm thinking of either Cobalt CRS, Cobalt XR4, or Carbotech Bobcats. The main reason for upgrading the rotors is for weight and cooling. I know those pads should work great for a street and track car, just not sure if the brakes would cool fast enough due to low speeds.

FYI, car is a 1988 Civic HB, gross weight is ~2000lbs with driver, 15x8 wheels with Hankook R-S3 225/45
 
I should've saw that coming. lol.

Though, I'm looking to also save weight hence the Stoptech and Wilwood setup(the Stoptech rotor is about 3lb lighter than thinner ITR rotors).
 
3 lbs is not going to make difference. Like hitler said brembo blanks with hawk hps pads
 
3lbs is a huge difference

what do you mean by continuous autocross / low speed courses???
like 30 minutes on a kart track type shit???
 
Yes, something like that.

To be honest, it's more like 1-2-hrs through the hills and mountains.
 
Another good reason to do blanks/hawks/ebc/whatever..

Longevity and cheap to replace. 2 hours of hard driving is hell on everything.
 
Yes, something like that.

To be honest, it's more like 1-2-hrs through the hills and mountains.


is this competitive or just spirited driving???

because seriously for that type of stuff hawks and brembos will stand up fine

put some good fluid like ATE superblue and youre all set

everything is cheap and easily replaced when it wears out

if you need more pad than the HPS provide the HP+ are awesome (i have them)... they are not for everyone though... they make a fucking mess... they are noisy... they eat rotors... but they always grab no matter how cold or hot ive had them
 
Well that's the concern with the rotors(whether vented rears are overkill and whether to go 26mm or 30mm for the front). That pads I can change pretty easily, especially since most have apps for the 300ZX already. Pretty much issue would be overheating/fading "street" pads. Race pads would be fine, once warmed up and such.

Only reason I don't want to go blanks is they're heavier and it looks like the Stoptech rotors cool better. In addition to that, I'd need to redrill them anyways(all the 11" rotors I know of are 5-lug pattern or 4x114.3). With the Stoptech rotors, it's simple to change without redrilling anything.
 
is this competitive or just spirited driving???

because seriously for that type of stuff hawks and brembos will stand up fine

put some good fluid like ATE superblue and youre all set

everything is cheap and easily replaced when it wears out

if you need more pad than the HPS provide the HP+ are awesome (i have them)... they are not for everyone though... they make a fucking mess... they are noisy... they eat rotors... but they always grab no matter how cold or hot ive had them

Both. I plan to take it to some local AutoX and once I get a rollbar, VIR and Road Atlanta are on the list.

Noise and dust is not a problem, but eating through rotors is(if I were using something like Autozone Gold rotors, I wouldn't care though). I believe the Carbotech compounds are all rotor-friendly.
 
you dont need upgraded brakes for autocross

the hawk / brembo / ate setup i have have stood up to limerock and watkins glen fine in a heavier car

if you are worried about heat that much id add brake ducting vents
 
Brembo blanks partnered with the Carbotech pads would be the best combo IMO.
 
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