Jumbo's BBK Thread

jumbosrule

jumbosrule

Fully FX Invested
Premium
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
Car
2003 FX35T
Name
Brad
Been on a brake researching spree for the last few months. I did most of my research away from this forum for this buy - mostly because I work with a big Supra guy that does all his own car work. He offered to help me with the selection and installation of a brake kit since the most I have ever done with brakes was change out the pads on my first car - 1987 Toyota Camry. :wub:

Anyway, my FX end game plan has always been to do a turbo kit. I wanted brakes that can handle that eventual install. My research taught me the rear brakes are about 20% of the braking power. 80% is in the fronts.

So I decided on the StopTech BBK - 14" front, drilled rotors, six piston calipers and stainless steel lines. For the back, I'm upgrading to stoptech's stock size drilled rotors, hawk pads and stainless steel lines. I'll paint the rear OEM calipers with G2 paint to match the stoptech calipers.:cool:

View attachment 167858

View attachment 167860

Shipped, the order was $2980.00 The shipment was supposed to be here at the end of last week. When I called for a tracking number yesterday, they told me that they were fabricating the front brackets for my FX. They had none in stock. They plan to ship the whole kit this Friday, pushing out my install plans for one more week.:mad:

Also, I'm flushing the brake system fluid and replacing it with ATE Super Blue. I ordered 3 cans of the fluid and the G2 caliper paint kit from TireRack, shipped for $90.00.

Photos of the install to follow...:biggrin:
 
Last edited:
So you have had both stoptech and AP on your FX?

Thanks for the price tip, but IMO this application is better than the AP kit. I did look at AP vs the Stoptech. Maintenance, repair records, warranty claims, returns - I think the price is a reflection of the quality in this case. It's close - I'm not saying Stoptech blows AP out of the water. Just justifying my choice, which is a done deal. I did my due diligence for research.

And then of course I don't want what "everybody" has. The value that this thread provides to the site is another data point and another brake option for FX owners looking to upgrade OEM brakes. Just posting it cuz I want to share with some other people that can appreciate it. I don't get a lot of ooohs and aaahhs from my wife and kid.
 
Last edited:
dopie said:
spacers needed for stocks doesnt he?
Click to expand...

Oooh - that would be a show stopper. It would suck to install the kit and not be able install the wheels!

I'm pretty sure it will fit. I talked to StopTech a couple times and there should still be clearance inside the stock rims. That's something I'll try really hard to confirm before install day. The stoptech website has an application guide that includes a print-out template to check fitment. I have that mounted to cardboard and will check the wheel before opening the BBK.
 
Last edited:
I did the 6 piston rotora fronts initially, I think there all pretty much on par with each other, a 2 piece 14" rotor & a 6 piston caliper is a really nice diference no matter who makes it. did you get the drilled & slotted? I like the way they sound, you hear the brakes but in a good way really, you actually hear the brakres pull the car down with so little pedal effort... super brakes compared to stock...

I would try to talk you out of painting the stock single piston rears & the slide bracket, but many have done it & many love it so I'll just be quiet about that :wink:
 
jumbosrule said:
Oooh - that would be a show stopper. It would suck to install the kit and not be able install the wheels!

I'm pretty sure it will fit. I talked to StopTech a couple times and there should still be clearance inside the stock rims. That's something I'll try really hard to confirm before install day...
Click to expand...


yea cause i thought all bbk kits need spacers for the clearence but hey i might be wrong
 
jumbosrule said:
So you have had both stoptech and AP on your FX?

The front kit is 6 piston (the picture above isn't the actual kit). Rear stays OEM, but doesn't require anywhere near the stopping power of the front.

Thanks for the price tip, but IMO this application is better than the AP kit. I did look at AP vs the Stoptech. Maintenance, repair records, warranty claims, returns - I think the price is a reflection of the quality in this case. It's close - I'm not saying Stoptech blows AP out of the water. Just justifying my choice, which is a done deal. I did my due diligence for research.

I don't want what "everybody" has. That's why I got a Laser Red FX. And that's why I'm doing mods. The value that this thread provides to the site is another data point and another brake option for FX owners looking to upgrade OEM brakes.
Click to expand...

Hi Jumbosrule,

Can you share your due diligence if you get a chance? I'm don't know where to start to look at maintenance, repair records, etc... as you mentioned.

I think someone on the org mentioned that the AP Racing brakes were bad in the winter but fine in the other seasons. Feedback like this would help future BBK buyers as you mentioned.

Thanks.
 
Ched- I tried to think about exactly what I could use. With FI, a VQ35DE can achieve 400-450whp without having to build the engine. That is my goal for my FX. I just want a bad-ass SUV, capable of showing up all the other luxury rides out there. I'm not dragging with this thing. I might go to the track just to get some baseline numbers, but this is a hobby for me and is just for fun.

SO. I found that all the stopping power I really need will be in the front brakes. The rears don't aid very much in stopping, but they do play a huge part in control.

Using 450 whp as my baseline, I started checking to see what kind of brakes all the 350Z guys are using. Of course, we're heavier than they are, so I took that into by looking at some heavier American cars and what's popular with them.

In terms of performance, AP, Stoptech, Brembo, Rotura (all 6 piston) - they are all close to each other. There might be a 10-15% difference in performance. So I called each company to ask about repair records and warranty claims. Again, all pretty close, but I needed to make a decision and Stoptech & Brembo had an edge in the quality department. Price was the final factor.

I also talked to several Stoptech owners (on other cars) and they gave me a couple endorsements about the feel and response.
 
Last edited:
Judging by all the research you did, I would be very surprised if it doesn't end up being the right decision. BTW, when were you planning on going FI?
 
StuLax18 said:
Judging by all the research you did, I would be very surprised if it doesn't end up being the right decision. BTW, when were you planning on going FI?
Click to expand...

I gotta believe you are right! Really I think I would have been happy with any of the choices in terms of performance.

FI is still being worked out with T1 racing - Tony owes me a quote. I want to get my transmission work done first - hopefully next month. Talking to Secret Services here in Houston for the tranny work. I had told Tony I was aiming for FI in July, but that might be a little optimistic. Probably by the end of the summer.
 
ATE Super Blue, G2 Paint and Hawk rear pads arrived! I am totally SHOCKED at how small the rear pads are. Had no idea. Anybody else make this observation? Makes me want to do a kit in the back. Guess I'll have to see how it performs first.

Still waiting for the front BBK, SS lines and rear rotors.
 
Last edited:
fronts can't be used on the rears & yeah, rears are tiny... that's why I originally did the fx50/g37 brake out back to begin with, to match my front rotora 6 pot, then I did all around fx50 so they matched each other, now I'm going back to rotora & adding there rear kit too :rofl:...

bbk fronts alone do a great job increasing stopping power big time, but the rears are pretty lacking as well... this is why I wouldn't paint the stock rears personally with a front bbk, makes them look even more puny & inadiquate to me...
 
I'm with you. Might have to give it a photoshop run to make sure painting the rears are the right thing. I have seen some painted stock calipers and I really thought they looked pretty good. The rear caliper obviously does a good job of hiding the tiny little brake pad.

Like you, I might end up going through a couple set-ups before settling on what works the best, especially after I go FI. Before FI, no doubt this upgrade will be a huge improvement.
 
StuLax18 said:
Personally I would want a Project Mu BBK. I mean it has Mu on the caliper, so you know it stops well!
Click to expand...

I agree on the Project Mu but I called and they said they don't have any for us at the time unless our config is exactly as a G35 which I don't think it is....... We can't even retro fit G BBK kits...... Sucks!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top