Hello all, so I have been searching but not found much. My question relates to what people think is optimal vs overkill for rotors. I am going to buy some Endless BBK kit but they have a few options. I am in Australian and the cost from Japan at the moment is pretty good so putting aside other brands, I can get a small 6 pot that will do the stock size rotor (310mmx32) and has a similar pad size. I can go up to the full size 6 pot and get 324x30mm or 345x32mm disk options. I have read that the standard disk size is ok for track work (310) so my question is is there any need for the largest rotor or is it not worth the extra unsprung weight? This is for track, time attack etc. Small 6 pot and stock size 2 piece is about $1000 cheaper than the largest option. (note the US stock rotor is 294mm I believe, I have the smaller rotor so going to 310 or bigger). Would love to hear from anyone with experience.

 

They'll all stop the car just fine. The available thermal mass you gain by increasing your rotor diameter means that you might be able to get away with a less aggressive pad selection. You'll also be able to use less pressure on the brakes for the same rate of deceleration as the torque along the swept surface of the rotor (annulus) is greater.

I would probably avoid the stock size one as I have been advised that while the OE sized rotors will get the job done, their replacement interval is significantly higher than the other options. Of course, this is all contingent on how often you plan on doing track events.

I personally went with a 356x32mm for the performance friction setup I am working on. In many instances with two piece rotors, you might actually have it come out to about the same or less weight than the stock set up.

Hope that helps.

 

Great thanks, yes you are correct, the larger 6 pot caliper are still lighter than stock at 3.2kg and the rotors might not be that different as you say. I might just go the 345 then. I can get smaller rings on replacement if there is any issue I suppose. Appreciate your help.

 

Honestly, just buy factory big brake calipers/rear bracket and Mazda or aftermarket rotors from Marcus. At least they are readily available from multiple sources and compatible with factory gear. I'll be fitting mine when the car is running again.

May be worth having a chat to Ric Shaw about your use case, people do track them with standard hardware but I absolutely cooked mine with AR1M pads a few years back (factory turbos, exhaust, tune), calipers rebuilt afterwards, if doing a track day use proper race pads.

 

Non of that is cheap so I was happy to spend a few grand, to get something decent. If I had the larger stock set up already I probably wouldnt bother and just get some project Mu 2 piece..

 

I had discussed brakes with Rick a while ago, I was aiming for a Targa Tas build at the time and he said stock will work (the larger) with Hawk pads but suggested a willwood kit as a cheap alternative/improvement. Since Endless are priced ok at the moment and subjectively better than willwood (not cheap either) thats where I was headed.

 

What size wheels do you plan on running? that might be a limitation on the brake size.

 

+1

The 324mm diameter rotors should be sufficient for heavy road use and track days. They should fit well under 17" wheels too.

I don't have much of an opinion on calipers and brands and number of pistons. 4 piston calipers proved more than adequate for me for track days. Wilwoods have proven adequate for many people for track day use. For more advanced drivers and actual w2w racing, there are some advantages to the more race oriented calipers like the AP in the US and larger disks but it does not sound like something you need.

The larger brakes from the 99+ cars are good but the aftermarket calipers offer better feel and are a lot easier to change pads. I would definitely get the aftermarket calipers for that alone if budget allows.

 

There's a guy in Tassie who runs in that targa gt class they have down there selling a PFC set-up for 5k on FB hopefully not cooked! Endless 6 pot fronts alone will probably run close to that landed.

Time attack to trackday is quite the spread,1 lap wonder to........? A heavy, 1200kg+ endurance car, 378x36mm rotors would be good if they fit, a light 1000kg FD doing a lap, probably something sub 300x28. If the car is dual purpose registered, you'll become quite accomplished at replacing dust boots and seals with street based calipers - but then again, less than ideal running something without them on the street.

Biggest issue with the stockers, relatively small pad which can be used up quickly and limited "good" pad availability........best we ever had were cut down PFC01 pads, they'd basically do a day, prac, qual and a race or two before ready for the bin.

 

Thanks, I have 18s so no issue with size, I just didnt want to spend unnecessarily but also go to the effort but not go far enough.

 

Wow, well spotted. I did a few FB searches but clearly not well enough..

 

Got a link? I can't find them..

 

Link didn't seem to redirect yesterday, at least for me. Down the page a bit - https://www.facebook.com/groups/FDRX7Australia/ - going by a hidden comment in the body of the ad - other than by the vendor - sold.

Edit: Weird, even the page it's on, displays as removed/ sold - try FDRX7 parts for sale in Oz

 

Ah ok, as far as the Endless go, it starts at $2700 landed with smaller 6 pot and up to 3800 landed for the largest rotors (345) and calipers. The monoblock are 5000 for the kit but I was going for the 2 piece.

 

Endless brakes are really cool for the heritage and mad jdm cred they have.

I hadnt realized with the weak yen they were pretty attainavle now.
RHDJapan lists the 345mm 6 pot kit at $2,400.

• SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: Endless
Product: System Inch Up Kit-2 Brake Caliper Set 6-Pot Front TYPE R Pads - RX-7 FD3S 17 Inch
Part Num.: ECZ6YFD3S17_R

SPECIFICATIONS:
Caliper Type: 6-Pot
Caliper Weight (g): 3280
Caliper Dimensions (mm): 288.5W x 79H x 156D
Brake Rotors:
-Size (mm):
-Diameter: 345
-Thickness: 32
Construction: 2 Piece Curving Slit
Brake Pad Shape: RCP152
Pad Compound: Type R

 

If you want to track often, make sure whatever brand you get you can get individual spare parts and rebuild kits for quickly and easily.

For me in the US, that and the price (used to be $1,600, now $2,000) the best part about the Wilwood 355mm kit I got.

I would probably get the $3,000 380mm Alcon kit over the Endless 345mm kit for longer maint intervals and fill the 18" better (my 355mm kit looks good w/ 17" wheels) and still have a reputation and name I can fanboy over.

 

Yes it's RHD but Aud. I was going to get the alcon setup but the company offering here closed down and the price is now much higher. For pricing here it's usually cheaper to import so would be looking at mail order parts anyhow regardless of what I get most likely. Definitely nothing local anymore sadly. I'll double check the alcon again though. Out of all my price/location options I think Endless is probably the best because unlike any other option bar Project Mu, I can get on my computer and find 5 shops to order parts from with a price and fast shipping (from japan) anything else I am going through a 4th party, have to call, have to find parts/numbers and prices and generally am going to get fleeced.

 

BD? Dodged a bullet there if intending to order from them!

Not sure how good Endless are for support locally, AP and Brembo are probably better that way. I've bought from Murray Motorsport and Demon Tweeks for AP stuff, if you were capable of making mounts and bells, there's fairly frequent discount offers and shipping rates are ok because of volume.

As economy options, one V8 Rx7 that was fairly quick locally used BA Falcon Brembos, with AP rings, which I think ran $1100/pair in 32x355. I've never used them for brakes, this mob sells some fairly high end stuff https://www.facebook.com/sriperformance/.....dice roll with used calipers going soft though.

 

Ha, yeh it was BD, I thought it would be good as local, clearly not.. There is a guy who makes various kits from Brembo for the FD but I dont know anything about the various brembo oem models or how they compare.. The kits are fairly priced though. I just pulled a wheel and measured the ID, not great as I didn't realise Meisters have a stepped barrel and the space is not the same as a cast wheel. Reduces caliper/rotor combo options, I think 355 would need a 4 pot and a 6 pot would be limited to 330mm. New wheels...

 

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