J-55 Brake upgrades?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,749
Likes: 41
J-55 Brake upgrades?
It has come to my understanding since I have the big 13" brakes upfront, and I have the Z-51 for the 88 model year, that I have the J-55 brakes.
Come 2006, I will be looking for a little upgrade from stock, but I dont want to kill the bank, re-Brembo, Willwood etc.....
What are some simple pad/rotor combination that will stop better then it did when it left the general's floor? And I dont mean the C5 brakes for an upgrade.
If you have any links, I would appreciate it for pricing, Thank-you.
Rick.
Come 2006, I will be looking for a little upgrade from stock, but I dont want to kill the bank, re-Brembo, Willwood etc.....
What are some simple pad/rotor combination that will stop better then it did when it left the general's floor? And I dont mean the C5 brakes for an upgrade.
If you have any links, I would appreciate it for pricing, Thank-you.
Rick.
Last edited by 88BlackZ-51; Dec 15, 2005 at 10:26 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 1,801
Likes: 2
From: St. Paul MN
Everything you do will be a compromise. If you get the best grabbing pads for around town driving they won't work the best for high speed lapping on the road course. And vice/versa. Everybody can tell you what works for them for the type of use they use them for and then you just decide. I use my car as my daily driver and take it to the autocrosses and high speed days. I use Performance Friction Z pads on all four corners. I have Grand Sport calipers up front with stainless pistons (a small improvement over the stock J55 calipers). They don't work that well on the street, cold stops the pads don't grab too good. They work great on the high speed. Okay for autocross but not the best. Not a lot of dust either. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,749
Likes: 41
Originally Posted by Bob86ZZ4
Everything you do will be a compromise. If you get the best grabbing pads for around town driving they won't work the best for high speed lapping on the road course. And vice/versa. Everybody can tell you what works for them for the type of use they use them for and then you just decide. I use my car as my daily driver and take it to the autocrosses and high speed days. I use Performance Friction Z pads on all four corners. I have Grand Sport calipers up front with stainless pistons (a small improvement over the stock J55 calipers). They don't work that well on the street, cold stops the pads don't grab too good. They work great on the high speed. Okay for autocross but not the best. Not a lot of dust either. Good luck.
Thanks! I will be looking for something that is good on the steet, and the odd auto-x event. Wont really be tracking the car! I sent you a pm.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,169
Likes: 0
From: Manhattan
Originally Posted by Bob86ZZ4
Everything you do will be a compromise. If you get the best grabbing pads for around town driving they won't work the best for high speed lapping on the road course. And vice/versa. Everybody can tell you what works for them for the type of use they use them for and then you just decide. I use my car as my daily driver and take it to the autocrosses and high speed days. I use Performance Friction Z pads on all four corners. I have Grand Sport calipers up front with stainless pistons (a small improvement over the stock J55 calipers). They don't work that well on the street, cold stops the pads don't grab too good. They work great on the high speed. Okay for autocross but not the best. Not a lot of dust either. Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
I had PFZ pads fade during prolonged hard running, such as that found in track events.
I replaced them with SBC ProTouring Ceramic pad.
(They work just fine on the street, too, if you can put up with minor squealing during easy stops.)
Larry
code5coupe
I replaced them with SBC ProTouring Ceramic pad.
(They work just fine on the street, too, if you can put up with minor squealing during easy stops.)
Larry
code5coupe
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,749
Likes: 41
Originally Posted by rocco16
I had PFZ pads fade during prolonged hard running, such as that found in track events.
I replaced them with SBC ProTouring Ceramic pad.
(They work just fine on the street, too, if you can put up with minor squealing during easy stops.)
Larry
code5coupe
I replaced them with SBC ProTouring Ceramic pad.
(They work just fine on the street, too, if you can put up with minor squealing during easy stops.)
Larry
code5coupe
why would they squeal during easy stops in town?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,816
Likes: 2
From: Austin, TX
Finally, someone not sucked in by the C5 upgrade hype! (flame on everyone 
)
I think you're definitely going in the right direction. For pads, I'd also recommend PFC z-pads. As others have said, they don't have the cold bite that stock pads do, but otherwise, they're great. A couple alternatives would be the 'normal' PFC pads. A little better on the street, but don't hold up to as high temps as the z pads do. Also Hawk HPS (high perf street) pads work well -- similar to PFC z pads.
For rotors, definitely stick with stock. Drilled rotors are for looks only and will do nothing to help stopping power.
Another thing to consider would be good braided stainless brake lines. Especially if your stock rubber lines are old. They'll help to firm up the pedel a little (they don't flex under pressure like the stock ones do). It's not a night and day difference, but it does help.
The biggest thing would be to make sure you do a full fluid flush / bleed when you're done. It's amazing how much it helps.
Good luck!
)I think you're definitely going in the right direction. For pads, I'd also recommend PFC z-pads. As others have said, they don't have the cold bite that stock pads do, but otherwise, they're great. A couple alternatives would be the 'normal' PFC pads. A little better on the street, but don't hold up to as high temps as the z pads do. Also Hawk HPS (high perf street) pads work well -- similar to PFC z pads.
For rotors, definitely stick with stock. Drilled rotors are for looks only and will do nothing to help stopping power.
Another thing to consider would be good braided stainless brake lines. Especially if your stock rubber lines are old. They'll help to firm up the pedel a little (they don't flex under pressure like the stock ones do). It's not a night and day difference, but it does help.
The biggest thing would be to make sure you do a full fluid flush / bleed when you're done. It's amazing how much it helps.
Good luck!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
From: Utica NY
I run the pfc-z pads on my J55 brakes, theye are much better than the raybestos pads they replaced. they are a little wierd tho at first, cold they feel hard and not too gripy, they warm up fast tho and bite like crazy. I have autoX them and they didnt fade at all. havent done a track day with them yet, so I cant comment on that.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,816
Likes: 2
From: Austin, TX
Originally Posted by 88BlackZ-51
why would they squeal during easy stops in town?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,749
Likes: 41
Originally Posted by MarkBychowski
Finally, someone not sucked in by the C5 upgrade hype! (flame on everyone )
I think you're definitely going in the right direction. For pads, I'd also recommend PFC z-pads. As others have said, they don't have the cold bite that stock pads do, but otherwise, they're great. A couple alternatives would be the 'normal' PFC pads. A little better on the street, but don't hold up to as high temps as the z pads do. Also Hawk HPS (high perf street) pads work well -- similar to PFC z pads.
For rotors, definitely stick with stock. Drilled rotors are for looks only and will do nothing to help stopping power.
Another thing to consider would be good braided stainless brake lines. Especially if your stock rubber lines are old. They'll help to firm up the pedel a little (they don't flex under pressure like the stock ones do). It's not a night and day difference, but it does help.
The biggest thing would be to make sure you do a full fluid flush / bleed when you're done. It's amazing how much it helps.
Good luck!
)I think you're definitely going in the right direction. For pads, I'd also recommend PFC z-pads. As others have said, they don't have the cold bite that stock pads do, but otherwise, they're great. A couple alternatives would be the 'normal' PFC pads. A little better on the street, but don't hold up to as high temps as the z pads do. Also Hawk HPS (high perf street) pads work well -- similar to PFC z pads.
For rotors, definitely stick with stock. Drilled rotors are for looks only and will do nothing to help stopping power.
Another thing to consider would be good braided stainless brake lines. Especially if your stock rubber lines are old. They'll help to firm up the pedel a little (they don't flex under pressure like the stock ones do). It's not a night and day difference, but it does help.
The biggest thing would be to make sure you do a full fluid flush / bleed when you're done. It's amazing how much it helps.
Good luck!
Yeah after my head/cam/intake swap is done, I will be looking to upgrading my J55 brakes. I kinda want to work with what I have and improve on it. I have been auto crossing once, actually it was more like a slalom track, it was 3000 ft long. The stock brakes seem to perform o.k., but I know there is room for improvement.