Review Z1 2-Piece rotors, braided lines and Nismo pads
02-04-2017, 12:34 AM
#1
Z1 2-Piece rotors, braided lines and Nismo pads
I made a bunch of changes within the period of about a month so it's hard to differentiate between the individual components and their effect on braking performance.
I completely overhauled the entire brake system short of the MC and ABS unit. My OEM brakes were still very fresh and bedded in well but did need a brake fluid change. They had 30K on them and pads looked almost new when I pulled them.
I upgraded using the following parts:
-Z1 front and rear two-piece rotors
-Z1 premium stainless steel braided brake lines
-Nismo pads
-Z1 master cylinder brace.
I do not track the car and don't plan to therefore I went with cross drilled and slotted rotors and felt comfortable choosing the Nismo pads based on a Car & Driver review as well as from forum members over on the370z.
I did install the brakes/pads first, then the lines and brace second. So I had some time to evaluate the rotors and pads before doing the lines and brace.
After bedding everything in, braking force was noticeably stronger but easier to modulate. The pads do not have the initial bite of the stock akebono sport pads but are far more sensitive to braking pressure throughout the pedal's travel. It's just more of a 1:1 correlation with no drop-off. They're very intuitive pads if that makes sense
Knowing my fluid was over two years old, I replaced it, along with the lines. I used Motul 5.1 which works very well with ABS systems as it's elasticity is less than standard brake fluids and it works better in the small passages of the ABS control module. If I were doing track work, I'd go with Castrol SRF.
While I was expecting a drastic improvement in the pedal's firmness, I didn't get that until I bled the brakes a second time a week later. Switching out the braided lines introduces a lot of air into the system and you'll have to bleed them with a level of devotion bordering on obsessive compulsive. And then bleed them again.
Once I had the lines bled properly, I did the Z1 brace and it indeed made a difference. It's a huge PITA to install and you will need the proper tools to do it (namely a round point 5mm allen hex extension).
The sum of the parts is now pretty incredible. The car will stop HARD. Throw you into the dash hard without engaging the ABS. I've also upgraded the rolling stock with wider wheels and stickier rubber which allow the brakes to work at their optimal level. If you continue to push on the pedal, you'll eventually run into the ABS system. It's easy to walk the brakes up to that point and back.
The Z1 rotors are a good deal lighter than stock. The machined hats are works of art and they're very easy to assemble/disassemble if you have to change out rotors in the future. They're coated rotors so the the parts that don't touch the pads will resist rust. If you track them, that coating will burn off. So far that hasn't happened to me. I had zero issues with the rotors, everything seemed to be in spec and I didn't have any new vibrations or noises after installing the rotors when not braking.
As I stated earlier, it's a street car so I went with the cross drilled for wet weather performance. If I were going track-only, I'd do solid disks without a doubt.
The disks have a slight whirring sound when applying the brakes and you can feel it in the pedal. It's not bothersome in any way at all, it just feels different from OEM and it's a good indicator of how much more feel there is through the brake pedal itself.
Initial bite on the Nismo pads is still "softer" than the stock Akebonos but there's just basically more feel and modulation with the pads under any pedal/braking force level and you can just feather the brakes to scrub off slivers of speed when needed.
I'll also say that the hotter the ambient conditions, the more initial bite these pads will have. I went from a 50 degree to a 75 degree day and the initial bite increased by a good amount. They will also bite harder after the first braking application. Rolling out of the driveway backwards on a cold day, the pads will feel soft. They'll squeak a bit after washing the car but that stops quickly.
And the Nismo pads do dust. It's a fairly dramatic increase from the stock Akebonos. So if that's a concern, look elsewhere.
In addition to a big increase in braking performance there's a rather large increase in unsprung weight. In my application, not only did I loose weight via the rotors but the dampers, tires and wheels. All told, I'm in the neighborhood of 15 pounds per corner front and 8 pounds per corner rear. There's lots more traction to take advantage of in the corners and under braking and acceleration but it's made a night and day difference in ride quality. The Michelin PSS is more compliant but I wasn't expecting such a noticeable difference after installing the rotors. I have a much firmer suspension setup but it very close to riding like OEM with all the benefits of a higher end suspension system and spring rate. The car seems more in control over typical road irregularities and the suspension feels softer without actually being any softer from a body control standpoint.
In short, they're more brakes than you'll ever need on the street and they offer a wider margin of reserve braking force vs. the stock setup which can get a bit soft and loose feel on hot days.
Cliff Notes!
Installation Ease (1 easiest, 10 hardest)
Brake rotors 2
Pads 3
Brake Lines 7
Z1 MC Brace 6 (MUST HAVE PROPER TOOLS and a calm head)
Pro's
-Better modulation
-Higher braking torque
-Shorter stopping distances
-Weight loss you can feel
-Firm pedal with little or no dead spot
-Rotors are easily replaceable and the cost is reasonable
Cons
-Cost. A full setup isn't cheap but it's still far less than a quality BBK
-Installation time, effort and ease. If you do everything, it'll take you all day and purging the lines is a real PITA even with a power bleeder.
-Might not have the initial bite you're looking for in cold conditions (that's actually a benefit) so consider other pads.
-Need to constantly check rearview mirror to make sure others aren't following too closely.
-Fear of being rear-ended.
-Pads need ducting to be track worthy.
-Dusting is more than OEM by a significant amount and is noticeable in just a few days use.
-Need for quality tires to take advantage of the increase in braking potential
Rear brake rotor DIY: https://www.myg37.com/forums/d-i-y-i...-and-pads.html
Z1 Premium Brake Line DIY: https://www.myg37.com/forums/d-i-y-i...ake-lines.html
I completely overhauled the entire brake system short of the MC and ABS unit. My OEM brakes were still very fresh and bedded in well but did need a brake fluid change. They had 30K on them and pads looked almost new when I pulled them.
I upgraded using the following parts:
-Z1 front and rear two-piece rotors
-Z1 premium stainless steel braided brake lines
-Nismo pads
-Z1 master cylinder brace.
I do not track the car and don't plan to therefore I went with cross drilled and slotted rotors and felt comfortable choosing the Nismo pads based on a Car & Driver review as well as from forum members over on the370z.
I did install the brakes/pads first, then the lines and brace second. So I had some time to evaluate the rotors and pads before doing the lines and brace.
After bedding everything in, braking force was noticeably stronger but easier to modulate. The pads do not have the initial bite of the stock akebono sport pads but are far more sensitive to braking pressure throughout the pedal's travel. It's just more of a 1:1 correlation with no drop-off. They're very intuitive pads if that makes sense
Knowing my fluid was over two years old, I replaced it, along with the lines. I used Motul 5.1 which works very well with ABS systems as it's elasticity is less than standard brake fluids and it works better in the small passages of the ABS control module. If I were doing track work, I'd go with Castrol SRF.
While I was expecting a drastic improvement in the pedal's firmness, I didn't get that until I bled the brakes a second time a week later. Switching out the braided lines introduces a lot of air into the system and you'll have to bleed them with a level of devotion bordering on obsessive compulsive. And then bleed them again.
Once I had the lines bled properly, I did the Z1 brace and it indeed made a difference. It's a huge PITA to install and you will need the proper tools to do it (namely a round point 5mm allen hex extension).
The sum of the parts is now pretty incredible. The car will stop HARD. Throw you into the dash hard without engaging the ABS. I've also upgraded the rolling stock with wider wheels and stickier rubber which allow the brakes to work at their optimal level. If you continue to push on the pedal, you'll eventually run into the ABS system. It's easy to walk the brakes up to that point and back.
The Z1 rotors are a good deal lighter than stock. The machined hats are works of art and they're very easy to assemble/disassemble if you have to change out rotors in the future. They're coated rotors so the the parts that don't touch the pads will resist rust. If you track them, that coating will burn off. So far that hasn't happened to me. I had zero issues with the rotors, everything seemed to be in spec and I didn't have any new vibrations or noises after installing the rotors when not braking.
As I stated earlier, it's a street car so I went with the cross drilled for wet weather performance. If I were going track-only, I'd do solid disks without a doubt.
The disks have a slight whirring sound when applying the brakes and you can feel it in the pedal. It's not bothersome in any way at all, it just feels different from OEM and it's a good indicator of how much more feel there is through the brake pedal itself.
Initial bite on the Nismo pads is still "softer" than the stock Akebonos but there's just basically more feel and modulation with the pads under any pedal/braking force level and you can just feather the brakes to scrub off slivers of speed when needed.
I'll also say that the hotter the ambient conditions, the more initial bite these pads will have. I went from a 50 degree to a 75 degree day and the initial bite increased by a good amount. They will also bite harder after the first braking application. Rolling out of the driveway backwards on a cold day, the pads will feel soft. They'll squeak a bit after washing the car but that stops quickly.
And the Nismo pads do dust. It's a fairly dramatic increase from the stock Akebonos. So if that's a concern, look elsewhere.
In addition to a big increase in braking performance there's a rather large increase in unsprung weight. In my application, not only did I loose weight via the rotors but the dampers, tires and wheels. All told, I'm in the neighborhood of 15 pounds per corner front and 8 pounds per corner rear. There's lots more traction to take advantage of in the corners and under braking and acceleration but it's made a night and day difference in ride quality. The Michelin PSS is more compliant but I wasn't expecting such a noticeable difference after installing the rotors. I have a much firmer suspension setup but it very close to riding like OEM with all the benefits of a higher end suspension system and spring rate. The car seems more in control over typical road irregularities and the suspension feels softer without actually being any softer from a body control standpoint.
In short, they're more brakes than you'll ever need on the street and they offer a wider margin of reserve braking force vs. the stock setup which can get a bit soft and loose feel on hot days.
Cliff Notes!
Installation Ease (1 easiest, 10 hardest)
Brake rotors 2
Pads 3
Brake Lines 7
Z1 MC Brace 6 (MUST HAVE PROPER TOOLS and a calm head)
Pro's
-Better modulation
-Higher braking torque
-Shorter stopping distances
-Weight loss you can feel
-Firm pedal with little or no dead spot
-Rotors are easily replaceable and the cost is reasonable
Cons
-Cost. A full setup isn't cheap but it's still far less than a quality BBK
-Installation time, effort and ease. If you do everything, it'll take you all day and purging the lines is a real PITA even with a power bleeder.
-Might not have the initial bite you're looking for in cold conditions (that's actually a benefit) so consider other pads.
-Need to constantly check rearview mirror to make sure others aren't following too closely.
-Fear of being rear-ended.
-Pads need ducting to be track worthy.
-Dusting is more than OEM by a significant amount and is noticeable in just a few days use.
-Need for quality tires to take advantage of the increase in braking potential
Rear brake rotor DIY: https://www.myg37.com/forums/d-i-y-i...-and-pads.html
Z1 Premium Brake Line DIY: https://www.myg37.com/forums/d-i-y-i...ake-lines.html
Last edited by Ape Factory; 02-04-2017 at 12:43 AM.
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02-06-2017, 07:50 PM
#2
Registered Member
Nice read. 
I honestly think, that if you were to do only ONE of these mods, it would be to do the master cylinder brace. It's easily the best $90 you'll spend on the car. If you can deal with the massive headaches trying to install the damn thing.
I honestly think, that if you were to do only ONE of these mods, it would be to do the master cylinder brace. It's easily the best $90 you'll spend on the car. If you can deal with the massive headaches trying to install the damn thing.
The following users liked this post:
zer099 (02-07-2017)
04-06-2017, 09:44 PM
#3
Registered Member
I just got my hawk slotted rotors, when they are installed, I will give a review. I ordered Akebono AST pads. You almost don't realize how big the rotors are until you have the box in front of you. Yeah, they are 30 lbs. I got them for 100 a pair vs at least 500. The pads I ordered from Advanced Auto got a good deal at $65. I plan on getting new fluid as well. Haven't decided which fluid, something dot 4 and quality.
04-07-2017, 08:34 AM
#5
After having it in for a month or more now I can't say Ibreally notice it. Maybe if I were to remove it but daily I don't. The Nismo pads have grown on me, dusting isn't as severe and I feel like they've picked up in strength while having exceptional modulation.
04-07-2017, 09:26 AM
#7
I don't have experience with the brace yet, but I would agree with this assessment, especially the more aggressive pads, in my experience thy make the biggest difference for actual braking (along with stickier rubber).... I would speculate that the brace is more of a modulation/pedal feel upgrade like stainless lines, but again i'm speculating....still I read some more people complaining about the install being a pain on the 370 forum and the tinkerer in me wants to try it that much more.
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04-07-2017, 10:35 AM
#9
Registered Member
Does anyone have a recommendation for the fluid, I am looking for the best bang per buck. Some of them supposedly recommend changing once a year, so I am looking for something that can be changed ever 2 or more years.
04-07-2017, 02:58 PM
#12
Registered Member
I don't have experience with the brace yet, but I would agree with this assessment, especially the more aggressive pads, in my experience thy make the biggest difference for actual braking (along with stickier rubber).... I would speculate that the brace is more of a modulation/pedal feel upgrade like stainless lines, but again i'm speculating....still I read some more people complaining about the install being a pain on the 370 forum and the tinkerer in me wants to try it that much more.
Also, 2pc rotors are very pretty.
