finished my brake job affordable big brakes

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^^^Great point.

Most times a brake upgrade does nothing to the stopping distance in a full on panic stop. And it may even do worse!

The benefits are usually only accessible at high speeds at the track where fade resistance comes into play...
 
If in the mood/market for a full brake job, then what the OP has done, I would really like to do...

alas my Nissan, I'm 120,000km in, and have only worn out half the original pad material. 2020, I hope that there are some super deals on other parts.

The point that the brakes typically need to stop you once in a hurry is a good one.

In second year university, one of the other guys had done a summer intern at Girlock, and they had tendered for Mitsubishi on the Magna (you don't want to know).

Mitsubishi wanted a 4W disk arrangement, and tendered prices.

This mob were cheapest, but not cheap enough, and they offered a disk/drum for a lower price. Mistubishi offered them their disk drum price, but wanted 4W disks as a selling point...Reminds me of blackboard paint, and why the Vickers/Maxim came into existence.

Mitsubishi ended up getting 4W disks, sold the concept as the main safety point for the car, but could have provided a better real world braking system without the advertising.

Any of the systems got nearly a G on a stop, and not that much on the second...if you need a second G stop, then you aren't stopping in an emergency, but playing really, in their opinion I guess.

My Nissan will controllably stop with lock-up on demand on a dry road...dunno about the second stop.

OP's brakes look great. they will work when they need to, and provide much greater margin for play.

Being an incremental cost upgrade during a refurbishment, then awesome...
 
I love these low buck OEM big brake swaps. My RF pads are almost metal to metal on the Maxima. I suspect the caliper is hanging up, and the rotors have been through two sets of pads that I know of.

I plan to swap to 2004-2008 Maxima brakes. I just have to ditch the backing plates and drill the knuckles from 12mm to 14mm to mount the torque members. Rotors will go from 11" up to 12.6" with a slightly larger piston to boot.

I am already running 245/45ZR17" On Mustang rims, and cannot come close to locking them up.

100_2093_zps1045931d.jpg
 
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Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
^^^Great point.

Most times a brake upgrade does nothing to the stopping distance in a full on panic stop. And it may even do worse!

The benefits are usually only accessible at high speeds at the track where fade resistance comes into play...

Yes, often its not about panic stop distance, its fade resistance to being used hard.
My CVLX is getting due for brakes (80k+ on factory everything!). I have a bracket here for putting C5 Corvette calipers on the car with GT500 rotors. I ordered it when they were doing a run of them. I still have to order everything else to do the swap. Im excited to see how it will turn out.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
^^^Great point.

Most times a brake upgrade does nothing to the stopping distance in a full on panic stop. And it may even do worse!

The benefits are usually only accessible at high speeds at the track where fade resistance comes into play...

Yes, often its not about panic stop distance, its fade resistance to being used hard.
My CVLX is getting due for brakes (80k+ on factory everything!). I have a bracket here for putting C5 Corvette calipers on the car with GT500 rotors. I ordered it when they were doing a run of them. I still have to order everything else to do the swap. Im excited to see how it will turn out.


So am I.

Nuttin' like a full size car with kick arse performance!
 
Something is probably wrong with you brakes somewhere? Even the tiny discs(fit in 13" wheels) on my Neon would happily lock the wheels on sticky r-compound tires at the end of an autocross run with cheap front pads.
The cheap pads would start to fade after 2 stops from 50 mph, but they would bite hard for one stop atleast. I then got some decent ones that wouldn't fade in a 20 minute lapping session... So even just changing pads can make a huge difference.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Something is probably wrong with you brakes somewhere? Even the tiny discs(fit in 13" wheels) on my Neon would happily lock the wheels on sticky r-compound tires at the end of an autocross run with cheap front pads.
The cheap pads would start to fade after 2 stops from 50 mph, but they would bite hard for one stop atleast. I then got some decent ones that wouldn't fade in a 20 minute lapping session... So even just changing pads can make a huge difference.


good point. I cannot recall ever having a car that would not even lock the wheels!
 
They used to lock up easily, until I added the mass of 17x8" wheels and 8" tires. There is a lot more traction and weight to stop. I occasionally reach triple digit speeds and the brakes are worthless there, downshifting is required to quickly slow down.
 
This should give you some idea how lacking my brake size is, it is generally well known in the maxima community that the brakes are weak.

0403011042a.jpg


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Originally Posted By: asand1
This should give you some idea how lacking my brake size is, it is generally well known in the maxima community that the brakes are weak.

0403011042a.jpg


100_2090_zps408f15fb.jpg






Those are 17" pony rims. They are a sharp looking rim and my favorite on a new edge mustang.
My mustang was black so I painted the recessed part of the rims black then the horse and tri stripe.
Looks good for minimal cash. I bet it handles a bit tighter now in corners.
 
Originally Posted By: asand1
They used to lock up easily, until I added the mass of 17x8" wheels and 8" tires. There is a lot more traction and weight to stop. I occasionally reach triple digit speeds and the brakes are worthless there, downshifting is required to quickly slow down.

I would try some new pads or something. You aren't driving a truck loaded with 30k lbs of bananas into Scranton, downshifting shouldn't be helping braking at any speed in a car for one stop...
http://youtu.be/OGldNpngDws
 
Would I do this again.


ABSOLUTELY Love it. Totally changed stopping can really stop much more balanced and controlled now. Have at least 12-15k so far and love the results.

I was due for a brake pad and rotor job anyways. The $$ was really not much everything here was purchased on Rock auto and almost all of it was clearance reduced from that site too.

I like the budget maxima and budget builds.

This car was a deal 14k original miles removed a few stickers, big brakes, pulley tuned colder plugs and headers. I couldn't have purchased a yaris preowned for what I have into this and it's been dead reliable.
 
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I ordered Brakemotive powdercoated calipers with ceramic pads from ebay, and cheap rotors from Rockauto tonight for $193.80 total. Sourced 14mm bolts from a Mazda truck and just need fluid. now its a waiting game.
 
Originally Posted By: asand1
Not even 120mph?


Nope. Not even nearly 160 mph which was my speed at Homestead as I braked for the corkscrew!

Any car should be able to stop, and/or lock the brakes at any speed. If it can't there are serious issues with safety and control...
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Any car should be able to stop, and/or lock the brakes at any speed. If it can't there are serious issues with safety and control...


So with your logic a Jeep with stock brakes and 44" Super Swampers should be able to lock up the brakes? Swapping heavier wheels and wider tires could not possibly overcome the new found weight and traction?

Not sure what you drove at 160mph, but I bet it had better brakes than mine does.
 
Originally Posted By: asand1
They used to lock up easily, until I added the mass of 17x8" wheels and 8" tires. There is a lot more traction and weight to stop. I occasionally reach triple digit speeds and the brakes are worthless there, downshifting is required to quickly slow down.


That doesn't sound right at all. Even the God-awful stock brakes on my '87 Mustang would shed the speed (and lock up if I wanted them to) at speeds the car was unsafe at. And that was also with 8" rubber on heavy aluminum wheels.

EDIT:

Even the stock brakes on my '89 Town Car would gladly lock up the 245/40/17's it was wearing if I wanted it to, and it was rolling on big, heavy 17x9 Cobra-R's. Stock wheels were skinny little 15" beasts. Actually, that car was surprisingly resistant to brake fade too come to think of it.
 
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