Brakes, Calipers and Rotors

[TKDx00]

Since I didn't see a thread....

Started thinking about replacing the front Calipers/Rotors and rear drums. Anyone gone aftermarket on these yet? Any suggestions?

 

[Silver dude]

You could go, Stillen drilled rotors, EBC yellow stuff pads, stainless braided hoses.

Could go as far as swapping your drums to rear disks from a early pathfinder.

I'm running green stuff EBC I can't say they made a huge difference. The biggest issues with performance brakes are noise and increased wear.

 

[TKDx00]

You could go, Stillen drilled rotors, EBC yellow stuff pads, stainless braided hoses.
Could go as far as swapping your drums to rear disks from a early pathfinder.
I'm running green stuff EBC I can't say they made a huge difference. The biggest issues with performance brakes are noise and increased wear.

I would love to change the rears to disk...those I can work on. Drums are a different story, big fingers and little springs don't mix too well...lol. Thanks will look into the fronts firsts.

Stillen rotors:$302/pr
SS Braided hoses: $98
Autozone Loaded Front Caliper: $117 ea.

 

[Mirage]

You can buy the seal kit from nissan for cheap (or a parts store, but I recommend OEM here) and rebuild the calipers yourself, instead of paying for rebuilt ones. As long as the pistons aren't messed up, your just putting in your own elbow grease to clean up the calipers. I wouldn't recommend anything EBC, and definitely not anything crosscracked, err crossdrilled. Akebono has real nice ceramic pads (and they have been an OE supplier for Nissan before). You could go disc in the rear using WD21 Pathfinder SE stuff, involves pressing the backing plates off the axle shaft and the disc ones back on.

 

[TKDx00]

You can buy the seal kit from nissan for cheap (or a parts store, but I recommend OEM here) and rebuild the calipers yourself, instead of paying for rebuilt ones. As long as the pistons aren't messed up, your just putting in your own elbow grease to clean up the calipers. I wouldn't recommend anything EBC, and definitely not anything crosscracked, err crossdrilled. Akebono has real nice ceramic pads (and they have been an OE supplier for Nissan before). You could go disc in the rear using WD21 Pathfinder SE stuff, involves pressing the backing plates off the axle shaft and the disc ones back on.

I don't have a problem using my elbow...lol
What does EBC stand for?
While reading up on the rotors I came to the conclusion they are for high speed breaking. Well that just NOT gonna happen in an X...lol
As far as the rear...I'm not ready to get into looking for new axles just yet, someday yea but other stuff come first. So I'll just have to learn how to replace my own rear brakes and restore the drums for now.

 

[Silver dude]

Yeah I went down the same road. I want to upgrade........ cause the brakes are worn. Did the math, weighed the options. Went with replacement parts as unless you wanna spill major effort and coin there is no "big" gains. I don't find the braking to be that bad. With aftermarket "upgrade" pads you have to deal with the sharp ceramic squeal, increased rotor wear, brake dust and high replacement cost for what I would consider mild to minimal gains in the actual braking performance. The rear disk swap though cool requires special tools and a whole bunch of custom hose and cable rigging. Not wanting to toy with my trucks safety features, I just found some good quality semi metallic pads and shoes.

 

[rjr162]

I've used EBC pads before without issue (used on my DD which also doubled as an SCCA Solo II car)

As for ceramics... you'll get less and lighter brake dust, less break fade, and they don't all cost an arm and a leg. BUT you will experience rotor wear, especially if you use rotors not designed for ceramics (if you get the duralast rotors from autozone or the wearever ones from advance auto and harder ceramic pads, you'll notice the rotors wearing down)

 

[TKDx00]

FRONT Brake help question here folks...

I'll get a pic soon but there is a cluster of wires or a thick cable (surrounded by rubber) running from each wheel (through a clip) back up into the engine bay. It seems on my X they will not stay in the clip and are rubbing against the rim. This rubbing has eaten thru the protective casing and exposed the wire(s). I believe this is causing a "shorting out" effect when wet and the exposed wire(s) touch metal. WHAT DA HELL IS THIS? I can't find any documentation where this is indicated. ABS? I need to replace both sides.

Is this what it is?
http://www.courtesyparts.com/47911-sensor-assy-anti-skidfront-xterra-wd22-2000-w2wd-cyl-2000-w4wd-p-4492.html?cPath=532_14_76_445&

 

[Silver dude]

ABS wheel sensors....


Looks like the right harness to me. Hard to say. Never really disected my sensors. Make sure the wires are not part of the indivdual sensors then order.

 

[Ricel]

To keep on one post..

Went ceramic and try ate my rotors.

Also, anyone know if the rubber plunger things the calipers attach to move?

 

[Muadeeb]

anyone know if the rubber plunger things the calipers attach to move?

Yeah. As the major pistons in the caliper push out on the inner pad, the bolts with the rubber boots pull the outer pad toward the rotor. If they're not moving, pull them off, clean thoroughly, grease with some silicon brake grease and re-insert. When I did mine last, I got a couple of packs of the brake lube from Autozone and used a pack per side.

 

[Bklyn.X]

My 2 cents;
I think our OEM rotors and calipers are beefy and do the job well.
The SS braided lines make a big difference front and rear that you can feel and are a relatively inexpensive/easy to install mod.
I don’t care for slotted or drilled rotors for an off-road vehicle; the mud/dirt/rocks get stuck in there and eat up your pads prematurely.
As far as a rear disc conversion; because of the cost/gain I wouldn’t do it. You’d need to change out your master cylinder as well to be able to push enough pressure into the whole system for it to work. I don’t see the point unless, maybe, it was part of a SAS.

 

[NismoFire]

So what about for shoe/drum replacement? My shoes are about worn. Beginning to hear squeakage now.

 

[Muadeeb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTpKpkxJjLQ&feature=plcp
Here's a video on doing it. Yes, it's for an Odyssey, but brakes are brakes for the most part.