I'm so poor... help me decide on my next brake upgrade :D

[Guest bastaad525]

Okay guys quick question. I don't have a lot of money to spend right now, but I really want to upgrade my braking system in one way or another. I'm looking at two options that are both pretty low-cost, and figure I can do one of them for now, and then the other at a later time. I'm just wondering which one would make the more noticeable difference in my cars pedal feel and ability to stop.

 

I can either a) buy a set of the Toyota 4x4 calipers, a friend of mine bought some used for $60 for the pair, + cost of new pads. All told it came out to well under $100, bought and installed. Or I can buy some of the braided stainless brake lines, the set of four costs $70 + shipping from MSA (does anyone know where I can get them cheaper??? $70 seems awefully steep to me).

 

I'm sorta leaning towards the lines first, since the main thing I'm trying to cure is a soft pedal. And also because I actually just recently replaced my front calipers with rebuilt stock ones, and new Nissan factory pads (not cheap!). I figure I wouldn't have TOO hard of a time selling the set over at Zcar.com, since they are practically brand new with only a couple hundred miles on them. Or at least I hope.

 

Also, I've heard from a few people that the Toyota caliper upgrade doesn't 'feel' right until you also upgrade either the master cylinder or the brake booster (can someone clarify which one it is??).

 

So which would you guys do first and why?

[Clifton]

If you are looking for an upgrade I would get rid of those stock Nissan made for Joe blow pads and get some real pads. I'm sure John C could recomend something good. Running more pad (Toy) and the stock solid rotor isn't reslly much of an upgrade. The Toy calipers aren't going to do much either if you ran them with cheapo pads too. I have run the Toy calipers. The pedal felt fine, not soft. Even with my, at the time cracking rubber lines. Maybe you have some air in there.

[zguitar71]

Get a set of realy sticky tires. That will shorten your stoping distances, assuming your brake system is properly operating. If that is not good enough go to a stickier pad. The steel lines are an upgrade in feel not stoping ability, I have them and love the feel. I have crappy pads on the stock system. My street tires suck and the ability to stop the car sucks too. When I put on my race tires the car stops with authority. This tells me the stock system is just fine. Good tires change the car for the better in many ways.

[AK-Z]

if you have soft pedal, I would check to see if something needs tightening and breed your brakes. Also check if your brake booster is leaking. Thats what happend with mine on one of my 280z.

[JMortensen]

I'd get some stainless lines and try some Porterfield R4S or Hawk HP or KVR pads. What the bigger calipers will do is be a slightly larger heat sink, meaning it will take a little longer to boil the fluid. Since that isn't a normal problem for you (since you got your brakes bled, right?) I'd focus on the more aggressive pad material and the lines to make the pedal feel better.

[EZ-E]

Also if you did want to go the Toyota route, I think it is Autozone that has a loaded set of those calipers that fit the stock rotor for only 75.99. You can return anything as a core as they never bother to look.

[Guest bastaad525]

yep I've bled them several times and finally was so convinced I was doing something wrong I finally took it down to midas and watched them bleed them. In the end the pedal was just still too soft for me.

 

So... upgrade the pads to increase stopping ability and upgrade to stainless braided lines to stiffen up the pedal feel. Sounds good. And I guess I can hold off on the caliper upgrade, since the car is only ever street/freeway driven anyways, I SHOULDN"T be able to boil the fluid (though I have at least once it seems). Thanks guys