F50 Brake upgrade

[Bigmike40]

Does anyone know who sells a good brake upgrade kit (caliper/pads) for the F50 Q45, I recently installed a set of 20" rims on my car and I would like to upgrade the braking system to keep up with the extra rotating mass.

Thanks,

Mike

[Q45tech]

But a larger diameter rotor will just add to rotating mass? Chicken and egg problem.

Give us the amount of extra weight [in tire and wheel separately] along with the wheel distribution of weight and we can calculate the extra load.

The biggest problem is usually having a 20" tire that doesn't wear fast enough [<20k] and thus the friction coefficient is worse causing more ABS activations increasing stopping distances.

With an IR gun to measure rotor temperature, exercise the systems and report the rotor temperature immediately after a series of panic stops from 80 MPH. WITH FRESH BRAKE FLUID!

All in all it's [heat sinking ability] about rotor weight and percentagewise it is very tough to find even 20% [8 pound] heavier rotors than stock.The wheels themselves add to the rotor heat sink if the mating surface is flat. clean, shiny and conductive.

[elwesso]

I would start with adding some really nice pads and turning the stock rotors and see how you stand. The stock brakes are pretty nice!

[Bigmike40]

I would start with adding some really nice pads and turning the stock rotors and see how you stand. The stock brakes are pretty nice!

That is where I will start, the rotors are pretty much new, the dealer had to replace them since they were warped. Do you recommend a particular brake pad?

Thanks,

Mike

[elwesso]

hawk HPS.

[maxnix]

If you go with the big brembo or AP Racing, the question is what do you put on the rear to maintain balance?

For a cold initial stop like common in street driving, the OEM formulation is the best. If you are going to autocross, then a harder pad will work better once the brakes are warm.

I find that the OEM Brembo replacement rotors, especially the plated and drilled ones Stillen sells (and which Joe features on special occasionally) work so well with OEM pads that I haven't had any further thoughts on a true upgrade. Now if I lived in the mountains, autocrossed or drove in Nevada, that might change. The Brembo rotors seem to maintian uniformity at least 3 or 4 times as long as OEM.

[Bigmike40]

If you go with the big brembo or AP Racing, the question is what do you put on the rear to maintain balance?

For a cold initial stop like common in street driving, the OEM formulation is the best. If you are going to autocross, then a harder pad will work better once the brakes are warm.

I find that the OEM Brembo replacement rotors, especially the plated and drilled ones Stillen sells (and which Joe features on special occasionally) work so well with OEM pads that I haven't had any further thoughts on a true upgrade. Now if I lived in the mountains, autocrossed or drove in Nevada, that might change. The Brembo rotors seem to maintian uniformity at least 3 or 4 times as long as OEM.

I wont be autocrossing, my car is a daily driver, no hard stuff. I just want it to stop as designed. I know I added some additional weight with the new 20" rims. I'm thinking maybe the OEM Brembo rotors and better pads.

Mike

[maxnix]

Be aware the Brembo stock rotors are not plated. So they rust. One reason I like the Stillen ones.

Most after market pads are harder than the specific OEM formulation, thus longer initial cold stopping distances. Personally, I prefer to stay out of someone's trunk on that first stop on the freeway.

[Q45tech]

Remember it takes a full panic stop from 60 mph to raise rotors 130-150F, so if you are not doing panic stops every 5-10 minutes unlikely that any aftermarket pad will even match oem pads.

Now if you are in Arizona summers where the rotors may stay at 100-130F without application of any brakes HPS might equal or even better oem.

All about starting rotor temperature.

[seldomseen]

Akebono rotor mated to OEM pads makes a great combo...and these rotors don't warp as easily as the OEMs.

[marksport]

If you go with the big brembo or AP Racing, the question is what do you put on the rear to maintain balance?

For a cold initial stop like common in street driving, the OEM formulation is the best. If you are going to autocross, then a harder pad will work better once the brakes are warm.

I find that the OEM Brembo replacement rotors, especially the plated and drilled ones Stillen sells (and which Joe features on special occasionally) work so well with OEM pads that I haven't had any further thoughts on a true upgrade. Now if I lived in the mountains, autocrossed or drove in Nevada, that might change. The Brembo rotors seem to maintian uniformity at least 3 or 4 times as long as OEM.

I talked to an brake systems engineer, and he confirmed that the Brembo Gran Turismo don't really change the brake biasing as the combined areas of the pistons in the Brembo Caliper is not much larger than the OEM calipers' piston area. He also told me that rotor size does not affect bias as much as the pad friction material. Brembo claims that their GT kits are compatible with the factory rear brakes and ABS/TCS/ect.

If you really wanted a BBK, Rotora would be good choice as they are well made and not as expensive as the Brembo. They also offer a rear kit that Brembo does not for the F50.

You may be able to look into the G37 brakes as it apparently fits the Y50 M35/45 with not modification. Look on the M35/45 forum. May not fit the F50 then you will need custom brackets tho the rotors should not require any mods as they use the same bolt pattern and hub bore. I would have to look at the rotor offset tho. As of this time, I don't know of anyone that has tried putting these on the F50/Y34 yet.

http://g35driver.com/forums/br....html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWDVW

I had a custom made kit for the rear using Brembo parts.





















If I were to do this again, I would go with Rotora as it would have cost a bit less and a bit bigger rotors/calipers. Tho I do like Brembo and their reputation.

[maxnix]

If you really wanted a BBK, Rotora would be good choice as they are well made and not as expensive as the Brembo. They also offer a rear kit that Brembo does not for the F50.

If I were to do this again, I would go with Rotora as it would have cost a bit less and a bit bigger rotors/calipers. Tho I do like Brembo and their reputation.

I think you did it right as Rotora has had a crummy reputation and I have never seen them on a serious competition car.

AP Racing>Brembo>Stop Tech

Difficult to tell where Endless fits in as they have extreme pricing, but not proven in the same international competition venues as Brembo (who owns AP Racing).