Car hit 235,000 miles today... and I finally added Akebono 4 piston calipers up front...

[NupeFX35]

get both belts as they're not too expensive and you might as well do them both while you're at it. any parts places should be able to give you the right ones. you may also need to replace the belt tensioner pulleys too if they haven't been changed before. otherwise, you may get squeaking noises with the new belts...

Yeah, I went and bought the belts, and turns out the tensioner pulleys were the problem. Bad bearing in one of them. Also discovered that the radiator is leaking ("coolant leak somewhere" in dealership lingo). Autozone quoted me a new radiator, and gave some tips on how to change it as well. Likely a 2 hour job.

I am also interested in the brakes situation. My FX isn't tuned up or anything, but I have 22" lexani's and rusty pads/calipers etc is not sexy.

 

[NupeFX35]

I bought my '03 FX new just over 14 years ago... I was thinking about getting rid of it recently but because it is worth nothing I decided to keep it... I felt like it was time to improve the braking so I threw on some 4 piston Akebonos up front, slotted and cross drill rotors front and back and all I can say is OMG I should have done this 135,000 miles ago when this was first discovered... it is so cheap to do now I could not resist. The front rebuilt and powder coated calipers were $105 each, the front rotors were $130 each, the rear calipers were $45 each and the rear rotors were $80 each... what a difference in stopping power!!!
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What do you mean when you say core? I replaced my rotors about 1.5 years ago, and I am pretty sure I need new breaks. I see akebono ceramics that I can get, but I keep seeing a "core" reference when talking about calipers and rotors. Can you explain? Does it make sense to get a color caliper without buying a new rotor?

 

[DatMan]

What do you mean when you say core? I replaced my rotors about 1.5 years ago, and I am pretty sure I need new breaks. I see akebono ceramics that I can get, but I keep seeing a "core" reference when talking about calipers and rotors. Can you explain? Does it make sense to get a color caliper without buying a new rotor?

The "core" is your original hardware that they will use to refurbrish another caliper with. No one refurbrishes rotors. If you're getting the same caliper, you don't need to change the rotors, but it's always a good idea to change or turn the rotors when doing brake work... If you're upgrading from stock calipers to the larger AKEBONO style calipers, then you'll need to get new matching rotors.

 

[first year fx]

I got them at Rock Auto... the fronts were $48 each... and they took my single piston caliper as a core!

The pads were almost as much as the calipers...

The rotors are a bit more...

Probably the best buy ever... for my car... funny that someone above mentioned a wheel bearing going out... mine just went bad a few days ago... cost me almost as much for the wheel bearing as the front calipers, pads and rotors... as I can't do that myself (I don't have a press)...

 

[DatMan]

I'm guessing you had to buy online and send back your cores? Looking into this right now as I really want to do this upgrade this summer... I'll need to look into spacers as well so my winters will fit... Gonna go for the full front and back swap since I have the turbocad6 CNC'ed adapters for it and already have SS lines... I have to look at that old thread again cause I think I'll also need to get the FX50 e-brake parts as well...