what have you guys done to upgrade your brakes??? currently, i have the nx2000 upgrade, but that isn't much... have any of you guys tried the HP RACING brake upgrade as mentioned in the newest issue of TURBO magazine... does brembo or any other big brake manufacturers have big brake upgrades??? what is the price on these babies??? thanks for any help...

I have the smc on mine, but they are almost impossible to get now, I believe fastbrakes makes a kit now, and it is actually somewhat affordable. iirc it is around $850 or so.

I thing Brembo does make one. If you end up getting rid of those NX2000 brake calipers e-mail me at modoc3@cox.net Thanks.

You do not need anything more than the NX brakes. Contrary to what Sport Compact tells you, big brakes will not stop a car faster. The only thing that stops your car faster is better tires.

Try better pads and SS lines before spending all that money on brakes. I've researched kits and so far the NX upgrade is not that expensive compared to others, so why bother spending all that money when you don't have to

or good pads, SS lines and good tires = improved braking and handling all for less $$$

two questions:

1. how much boost are you runnin'?

2. what kind of tires are you ridin' on?

just as maddmatt said, and i fully agree, better tires will stop you faster. i mean having a 6 pot caliper doesn't hurt anything...but tires is where the friction is.

well... before i was just running 7psi but i'm getting major work done and should be boosting 14+ psi soon... i also thought the nx2000 brake upgrade was fine at 7psi, but at 14+ psi i was thinking maybe i need bigger rotors and better calipers... and i'm running nitto 450's... and i'm also in the process of buying new wheels so the size of the bigger rotors and calipers won't matter...

i'd say stay w/ some VERY sticky rubber; try Axxis Metal Master pads or even sumthin' a little more aggressive and put some Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided Brake lines on all the way around. if you still don't think you're stopping in a safe distance, plunk down the $$ for a wilwood or brembo kit. i won't hurt anything...other than yer wallet. ;)

Use KVR pads they are very good!!

i also thought the nx2000 brake upgrade was fine at 7psi, but at 14+ psi i was thinking maybe i need bigger rotors and better calipers...


The weight of your car is not changing.
The speed limit of California is not changing.
Why do you think you need more brake when you go more boost?

I can stop my car ALL DAY LONG from 125+mph on track with nothing more than the NX brakes.

If you've just got hundreds of dollars burning a hole in your wallet you could always just give ME the money :)

*** got a web site for fastbrakes? How bout a phone#?

*** got a web site for fastbrakes? How bout a phone#?

www.fastbrakes.com

-saaby

I had a feelin that would be it, but i am lazy..... but sumetimes my stupidity surprises me!

and i'm running Nitto 450's

Right there is problem #1 why you're not braking too well. I had 450s 2 years ago (came with a set of wheels), and can honestly tell you that you'll stop SO much better with just about ANY other tire available on this planet.

In short: Nitto 450s suck big-time when it comes to braking and turning.

Invest in some quality, sticky tires, and I guarantee you'll notice a marked improvement in your car's braking ability. Guaranteed.

Or, you can throw $20 bills out the window of your SE-R while driving down the freeway. That and buying a big brake kit are basically one in the same, IMHO.

Or, you can throw $20 bills out the window of your SE-R while driving down the freeway. That and buying a big brake kit are basically one in the same, IMHO.

:p

Originally posted by MaddMatt
You do not need anything more than the NX brakes. Contrary to what Sport Compact tells you, big brakes will not stop a car faster. The only thing that stops your car faster is better tires.

OK, you can believe Matt or you can believe automotive engineers. It's your life.

A little snippy, huh George? Surely, you know better than what you're alluding to, in regard to brakes.

Or am I reading your remarks wrong?

Hmmm.

OK, you can believe Matt or you can believe automotive engineers. It's your life.

I have spent 2 years futzing with the brakes on my car in an effort to stop it consistently lap after lap. The only real need for big brakes is to have some place for the heat to go when speeds start increasing.

I ended up with NX brakes because they were affordable and a good damn bit heavier than the stock brakes. In an upset, I cannot stop one bit faster than I could with the stock brakes, but I don't crack rotors and burn up expensive brake pads in a weekend like I used to.

And these are the words of an automotive brake engineer and proven by Grassroots Motorsports a few issues ago.

Go here:http://www.sr20deforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12619&highlight=brakes

You can get the mentioned issue from GRM if you don't believe me.

Originally posted by MaddMatt
And these are the words of an automotive brake engineer and proven by Grassroots Motorsports a few issues ago.

Go here:http://www.sr20deforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12619&highlight=brakes

You can get the mentioned issue from GRM if you don't believe me.

I'm interested in reading it. Not because I don't believe you, but by genuinely being interested.

I'm assuming there was a different pad on the two set-ups (since the link you provided said they used stock pads on the stock set-up). Interestingly though the gap in performance increased with more stops. I would have expected that to be opposite. The pads in BABK usually are more aggressive and improve with heat.

Did they test doing stops from 100+ mph? I would expect the bigger brakes to show an advantage from high speed for a number of reasons.

All in all an interesting test.

Originally posted by MaddMatt

In an upset, I cannot stop one bit faster than I could with the stock brakes, but I don't crack rotors and burn up expensive brake pads in a weekend like I used to.


Sort of the same here -- the NX2000 brakes didn't help my old SE-R stop any faster, but I didn't have to bleed the brakes as much (i.e., never) during a weekend at the track. =)

Matt, when those people send you the x-drilled rotors for your braking tests (x-drilled rotors vs. regular rotors), you should also test the stock brakes vs. the NX2000 brakes. ;)