to brake or not to brake/ upgrade?

[GrayZ]

Greetings, I am considering a brake upgrade for my90 zr-1, didn't really wanna spend 3k, any other options out there? p.s. don't tell my wife

[Mystic ZR-1]

Depending on what kind of driving you plan on doing, good pads,
like Hawk HPS, braided lines and a good flush/bleed with type 4
brake fluid will see ya through in most situations. Assuming you’ve
got good rotors and tires of course.
You’ll be surprised what just the good flush/bleed will do for you....

[Paul Workman]

I agree^^^^, including aggressive twisties (on mountainous roads). The stock iron discs with Hawk HSP pads and braided brake lines make for a nice and practical upgrade w/o breaking the bank.

I found for a nice upgrade, the HSPs will reduce the amount of pedal pressure and will grip going into mountain road curves hard enough to result in tire slip and activate the ABS. Once the tires start to skid, stock brakes work just as well as multi $K upgrades.

Others can speak to tracking the Zs on road coarses, but short of that, I agree 100% with the "Mystic".

[Young1]

Get the stock system in tip top shape. Like was mentioned the limit is tire slip and ABS. Spend the money on a street performance pad. It makes a difference for sure. Check out Power Stop Z26 on Rock Auto. Track day pads have to heat up before they work well. Not recommended for street.

[EvanZR1]

Agree with everyone else, if you're just street driving (or even autox), the stock system is good enough. Things I'd recommend:

• Replace stock rubber brake lines with stainless
• Swap the stock bias spring for the DRM unit. This will make a noticeable difference in how the car brakes.
• Fully flush the system with fresh fluid
• Pick good brake pads. I'm currently running Powerstop Z26 ceramics so I don't have to worry about brake dust as much, as others have mentioned the Hawk HPS has always been a good choice of performance pad for our cars.

[RussMcB]

Yeah, no need to spend $3k unless you are finding your current parts (assuming they are fresh), aren't stopping the car like you need.

Tell us about the problem you're trying to solve, and when you experience it.

[GrayZ]

I noticed, that a lot of owners, had upgraded their brakes, the wilwood and baer brake kits, give the car a little more curb appeal, is it possible to upgrade the front brakes to wilwood slotted rotors and calipers, and leave the stock on the back ? I have no mechanical skills

[EvanZR1]

Yes, you can upgrade just the front if you want. You can also do slotted/drilled rotors with the stock system. The previous owner on mine did slotted & drilled rotors, which while they look good are not something I'm a huge fan of. For looks they are fine, but for real track use drilled rotors are actually not something you want. The drilled holes are stress points that will crack and can lead to catastrophic failure in rare cases. It always surprises me how many people do aftermarket brake systems and then run drilled rotors. You're basically telling anybody knowledgeable on the subject that you like spending money for something you're never going to use.

If you're just looking for curb appeal, then I would suggest the C5 front brake setup. It's way cheaper than doing Wilwood or other aftermarket, and will look good. You can get everything you need here for $700.

[RussMcB]

There are a few (maybe many) members here who need and use upgraded brakes with more performance, in racing, track day events, and high spirited driving where you push the limits of braking. I also think there are many who have upgraded for looks.

I've done some track days at places where you can really use the brakes hard. When I first got my car the brakes weren't as good as I liked, so I did minor upgrades: new rotors, better pads, DRM upgrades to the stock calipers and steel braided hoses. My brakes are better now and I'm happy with them. I probably spent < $500.

[Young1]

Get the DRM brake bias spring for the master cylinder. Significant difference in stopping ability and control. Great mod for 20 bucks.