Calipers for JSK Wilwood brake upgrade

[mrcheeze36]

Hi Everyone. I was wondering if anyone used calipers other than Wilwoods for this brake upgrade.

 

I asked Juan, and he said someone on Hybrid Z used red calipers, but wasn't sure what the brand was.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

-Eric

[Guest Looking for apt in Alb Ny]

And I still don't know Here is something to remember. My setup uses 3.5 mounting by 1.25 wide rotors. Just look for calipers in those dimensions. Thanks! Juan

oh make sure to compare those calipers with the wilwoods to make sure they are compatible. its just as easy as juggling between windows online and their specifications.

Heck if you wanted to go 13's you can and stick your own caliper but you'll need to make your own bracket. I haven't made any other brackets except for the 12.19 by 1.25 rotors. Maybe down the road I will just been busy doing the other needed thingies. Thanks Juan

[Modern Motorsports Ltd]

And I still don't know Here is something to remember. My setup uses 3.5 mounting by 1.25 wide rotors. Just look for calipers in those dimensions. Thanks! Juan

oh make sure to compare those calipers with the wilwoods to make sure they are compatible. its just as easy as juggling between windows online and their specifications.

 

Juan, I've been very hands off with your threads, perhaps too much so as I've received many direct emails I've responded to relaying technical/functional differences etc b/t packages. I've got some serious points I've been holding back but feel I should ethically toss out here for the benefit of all.

 

You note above to just look for a caliper in those dimensions?? I find this very alarming as the sum of guidance in completing a critical system such as our brakes. Who's engineering caliper suggestions and if no one, I assume you're comfortable with the capability of those using your product to engineer their own appropriate bias/caliper/piston sizing/pad type balancing etc?

 

I searched your web and did not find any guidelines on this in any way, perhaps I missed it?

 

Perhaps it's quite different in the US but I doubt it, here in Canada I'd be under scrutiny with my professional assocations VERY quickly if I were to be so 'assuming' in initiating a critical function package for owners in such a manner without telling them how to properly select the key components, calipers and rotors. Disclaimers have their function but they're only respected to a reasonable assumption in court of law. They're not respected as an extremely general cover all in any way shape or form regardless of their verbage.

 

I noted your webshop uses the $42 10 lb rotors along with $100 calipers as examples one could purchase for such a package. I'm interested (and perhaps this has been discussed) in who's successfully used these lightweight (perhaps too light) rotors and under what conditions? Personally I've not heard positive feedback on these lines. Similarly as for those calipers as I have vendors that won't even sell those as they had return issues on the lower end wilwoods let alone the flex many have measured under load. Some higher end wilwoods are more suitable products but I don't believe they're the ones commonly purchased. Aftermarket or OEM, you still generally get what you pay for.

 

Don't get me wrong, from the limited pics of your machinig etc the parts look great and the open attitude is great for enthusiasts as well. But please do understand the parts you couple them with and engineer some safe recommendations. It just alarms me 'DIY' brakes without informed guidelines. It's not a simple task to do this very well, my own spreadsheet for a basic system balance is very involved. MC bores/calipers bores/radial locations/rotor thickness/mass/pad size/swept area/line pressure/pedal configuration etc....

 

I'm not speaking out as a potential competitor, I've not yet lost any business via an informed customer that I'm aware of. And if I do no big deal, I feel more involved helps to broaden the enthusiasts awareness of Z enjoyment and potential. I'm speaking up as an engineering professional that takes safety very seriously, has enjoyed the Z community for a long time and want to see Z owners safely enjoy their rides. This is a critical function/system for which I've taken serious efforts to understand and comprehend the overall factors. With the effort I've put into any of my packages, I'm confident if something is not working for them it's not due to any aspect of my package so we can look outside at other factors. IMO vendors should support their complete product lineup with strong customer support to understand the customers needs/requirements and that dictates the direction to which a plan is formed. Perhaps I expect too much, but I see too many dissapointed with how their rides evolve with mismatched parts and I'd rather see them start with proper packages and avoid the frustration that I've seen many experience. Not intended to target your parts, just wanting it to be known that it's VERY easy to have a mismatched brake setup and one vocal customer or one experiencing an incident can flip things upside down on a vendor very fast.

 

I just hope you take these considerations for your parts/semi packages seriously as well for your own peace of mind and the safety of those you're working with. This was intended to be constructive for all.

 

If I'm way off base please feel free to let me know. I'm interested in all ideers/comments.

 

Cheers,

[Guest Looking for apt in Alb Ny]

I think it was Blake if I remember who chose another caliper besides Wilwood. Sorry I can't remember but he felt the calipers were better to use. Give him an email Blax240Z@att.net Thanks

Juan

[Afshin]

There are two aspects to any brake package, safety (stopping distance, resistance to fade..) and performance (e.g modulation, feedback,..)

First let’s talk safety. The issue of bracket strength had come up before, and it seems that the brackets are plenty strong and should not break off. Now Ross brings up the lack of proper packaging/recommendation from JSK and raises safety issues. I fail to see any safety issues with the use of ANY wilwood calipers. Event the lower models do not fail and have will have much more clamping force over stock (assuming 1.38 or 1.75 diameter pistons). The wilwood II’s are used on professional sponsored track cars. Also any of the 12.19 rotors from wildwood will be safe and provide significantly more braking torque and cooling than the smaller stock rotors.

So there is no safety concern that I can see.

Second the issue of performance (brake feel, modulation..) here the selection of different wildwood components will have a greater effect. A higher end caliper will be stiffer providing better feel, a curved vane rotor with higher mass may provide better cooling, and too much caliper piston and master cylinder size mismatch will affect brake travel and pedal pressure needed for stopping. However, 1.75 (or 1.38â€) caliper pistons with a popular Nissan 15/16 master cylinder will work great. And the cheaper wilwood caliper will still be much better than the stock. I spoke with various track parts retailers and got good feedback about the wildwood II calipers as well as the 10lbs rotors. Since JSK is not selling the calipers and there is not a “dangerous one†that bolts on to the kit, it is reasonable to have the buyer do their homework and email or talk to wildwood or precisions brakes or pitstop or afco racing brake techs. I actually contacted all of them and got uniform recommendations given my driving parameters (3000lbs, 300hp, aggressive street and open track events every few months). According to all of them, wilwood II with 1.75†and ultralight rotors are very well suited for my car. They thought that higher end calipers would not be useful (just heavier)and the “best choice†caliper was the new replacement for the wilwood II, the forged billet superlites. After all every HybridZ car is so different based on Hp, weight and driving use, how can any pre-selected package be best for all.

We pick our cars, engine to put in, mods to every driving and handling component, we can surely choose our own caliper (since all of them are better than stock). Could JSK provide more info or links to websites for choosing calipers, pads.., sure (as could Ross’s website). Is there a safety concern with the JSK brakes, NO they will be safer because they will be so much better than stock brakes.

My safety concern, especially for a HybridZ car and driver, is the stock brakes. Affordable highly flexible kits that will allow more cars to get modern brakes are strongly welcomed (in addition to Ross’s excellent and thought out comprehensive kit).

Well that’s my long 2 cents

[Guest Cusp]

70z opened this thread asking what his options were in regards to using alternative equipment to what JSK designed the adapter for. If Juan at JSK had been selling these on his site with sales pitches like "use any calipers in these dimensions" I could see cause for alarm, but 70z obviously wants to do this 'outside the box', so to say. Juan seems to have given him the data he'd need to find his own caliper, nothing more, nothing less. I think Juan is a great asset to the Z community, and his contributions may someday reach the level of your own Ross.

 

Juan could have easily said "use the damn search function", but I'm sure 70z appreciates the info rather than the dismissal. It does more to lend direction than to reprimand.

 

I do empathize with your position though, Ross. Since you and JSK do make some competing products, I see how you may have taken the high road, biting your tongue in the past. You are absolutely entitled to your opinions, perhaps more than most, regarding your level of expertise (on the subject of Z car braking, especially).