kiwi303 Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 http://www.caranddriver.com/features/z-meets-wall-we-investigate-why-the-nismo-zs-brakes-failed-at-lightning-lap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clutchdust Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Well that's kind of a scary read for something passing itself off as a sports car. I like the looks of the new Z and all but I think I'll stick with my s30 and just mod the hell out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 This should come as NO surprise for older S30 Owners, my comments regarding all the 'brake upgrades' is that rather than putting all this fancy crap on the car, put GOOD fluid and GOOD pads on the car, as the STOCK ANYTHING will not hold up under even track day or Auto X Use! Disturbing that they charge you $580 for a set of pads... I'm sure Porterfield would sell you a set of R4S pads and a gallon or two of Motul RBF650 for $580 and you would have money left over to go to Burns Stainless a block or two over...or to In & Out Burger for a 4X4 Animal Style... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Magazine writers are morons. Yes, you will fade the brakes on a 3,400 lbs street car when you take it on a race track and flog it at VIR. My 350Z would cook the stock brakes after 4 or 5 laps, depending on the track, and yet I never smashed the car into a wall. Adding brake ducts solved the problem and included hard stops to 50mph from 150mph. Improving the brake pads and brake fluid made things even better. The brakes on the 370Z are fine unless you're a red mist moronic magazine writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 "The brakes on the 370Z are fine unless you're a red mist moronic magazine writer. " Hey, I know some of those guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Yeah, I know that treating stock stuff engineered for the common weekend/sporty commute driver as if it is race stuff is stupid. What I find disquieting is the sudden change from decent to zero as the fluid suddenly boils. A more gradual fade to warn you to back off would be better than having fun and suddenly finding yourself in front of saint peter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 That's what a "confidence pump" is for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowCarbZ Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Magazine writers are morons. Yes, you will fade the brakes on a 3,400 lbs street car when you take it on a race track and flog it at VIR. My 350Z would cook the stock brakes after 4 or 5 laps, depending on the track, and yet I never smashed the car into a wall. Adding brake ducts solved the problem and included hard stops to 50mph from 150mph. Improving the brake pads and brake fluid made things even better. The brakes on the 370Z are fine unless you're a red mist moronic magazine writer. Agreed 100%, I thought the same when I originally read that article when it came out. Yeah, I know that treating stock stuff engineered for the common weekend/sporty commute driver as if it is race stuff is stupid. What I find disquieting is the sudden change from decent to zero as the fluid suddenly boils. A more gradual fade to warn you to back off would be better than having fun and suddenly finding yourself in front of saint peter. Having driven quite a few different cars on track this is usually the case when the brakes/fluid get warm enough to give up. Not sure what is expected, if you use something in a way it wasn't intended to be used there are risks associated with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 That's what a "confidence pump" is for. BEEN THERE DONE THAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 Do any sports cars come with a temp sensor in the brake calipers? like an oil temp warning sensor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Omega instruments makes a low-voltage non-contact temperature sensor. I want to say 5-24V... Most guys put temp-a-stick crayon on the rotors and the calipers to know at a glance where maximums were during a run. Kind of after-the-fact, but max temp is where you start at when choosing compounds and especially fluids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) I know its a thread from the way back, but I've been of this forum for a while. The actual calipers on the 370Z are fine, there are no issues with them on G37s at the track, but cooling is horrible on the 370Z. I now run stoptech trophy brakes with no problems, but even with a fluid change, I managed to wear a set of Hawk HP+ pads down to the backing plates and boil the fluid at my very first track day in the car in one 20 minute session at Little Talladega, and I was taking it easy since I had never tracked the car before. Finally though, after 3 years, I have gotten all of the kinks and issues worked out with my car (fuel starve, oil cool, brake cool) Edited November 5, 2012 by 2003z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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