AP RACING BBK Review!
 

Hello all! i have used these AP Racing brakes for the past 4 months and all i can say is wow! it gives me a full smile every time i step on them. there were times that these brakes actually saved my @$$ from getting crushed by a semi truck who suddenly merged into my lane. i slammed on the brakes so hard that my seat belt choked the life out of me lol. AP Racing brakes is my life saver. this is the one of the best upgrade no doubt about it. can't go wrong with this setup. after using these i don't think i can ever use oem brakes again. thank you Stillen and Josh for setting me up with these beautiful brakes. i am enjoying them every time i use my car.

here's some spec's and pictures!


Front Kit - AP5700

Calipers: AP Racing 6 Piston Caliper (CP7041)
• Lightweight, pressure cast aluminum alloy 2-piece body for better pedal feel than typical monoblock calipers
• Fixed radial mount for minimal caliper flex
• Hard anodized, then finished with a tough 2-part paint system
• Differential piston bores minimize pad taper and maximize braking efficiency
• Secondary dust seals for everyday use
• Anti-Rattle clip to eliminate pad knock

Rotors: AP Racing 14.25” x 1.25” (362mm x 32mm)
• Two-piece modular rotor floats on aluminum hat
• Directionally curved vanes for maximum cooling
• Cross-drilled and slotted for aggressive pad bite and better face cooling
• Slotted only rotors optional

Brake Pads: Mintex Xtreme Motorsport Compound
• Xtremely high friction for race pad stopping power
• Excellent grip -- From cold to over 1300°F (700°C)
• Linear & predictable under all conditions

Brackets:
• Aluminum caliper mounting brackets for maximum strength and stiffness
• Anodized for durability and appearance

Brake Lines and Hardware:
• Stainless steel outer braid with PTFE inner


Rear Kit - AP3750

Calipers: AP Racing 4 Piston Caliper (CP5147)
• Lightweight, pressure cast aluminum alloy 2-piece body for better pedal feel than typical monoblock calipers
• Fixed radial mount for minimal caliper flex
• Hard anodized then finished with a tough 2-part paint system
• Differential piston bores minimize pad taper and maximize braking efficiency
• Secondary dust seals for everyday use
• Anti-Rattle clip to eliminate pad knock

Rotors: STILLEN Brake Pros Two-Piece Rotors (330mm x 25.5mm)
• Two-piece rotor design
• Directionally curved vanes for maximum cooling
• Cross-drilled and slotted for aggressive pad bite and better face cooling
• Retains OE parking brake function

Brake Pads: Mintex Xtreme Motorsport Compound
• Xtremely high friction for race pad stopping power
• Excellent grip -- From cold to over 1300°F (700°C)
• Linear & predictable under all conditions

Brake Lines and Hardware:
• Stainless steel outer braid with PTFE liner (DOT compliant)
• High performance hardware included

Brackets:
• Aluminum alloy mounting
6 Piston Fronts
http://i56.tinypic.com/1zclnqh.jpg
4 Piston Rears
http://i54.tinypic.com/11s1d6s.jpg
http://i56.tinypic.com/2mfeo3o.jpg
http://i56.tinypic.com/mcptzo.jpg

nice review

nice review i think these will be going on my list soon. right after the suspension stuff gets done.
Frank

Or can i smell a group buy?

Hey Josh stupid question but what is the life on these. like the rotors and all that. They look like there built strong, but do they last longer then oem pads, and rotors. Stupid question i know.
Frank

Hard question to answer Frank.. they are wear items, and it all depends on how you're driving, are you tracking, are you driving the street like it's a race track..

These aren't something that are going to wear out significantly faster than OE components, but just like gas mileage can decrease when performance items are added (because of a heavy foot), if you're using the brakes, they will wear.

Nice part about the replacement side is you don't have to purchase new hats each time, just the actual rotor and hardware, and pads, with the AP calipers being such a staple in the racing community your pad options are virtually endless, everybody makes something for that shape.

(and if there is interest on a group buy, I'm sure we can accommodate.. :))

Im getting mine in a few months :)

Nice Review.

+1 Can't wait.

Are the two piece rotors noisy (clanging) at all, especially when cold?

Not at all, sometimes it might squeak a bit when it's cold out or after a car wash but it goes away quickly.

Be careful out there. We're not responsible for air bags going off if you stop too hard!

Nice write up!

^ funny. I'm trying to hold out another month for these but it might not happen. It's going to be one of my best mod next to the LSD.

do it! you won't regret it i guarantee.:p

sexy

good write up... nothing but satisfied customers with these brakes! :)

Josh or AP-Chris, what's the difference between the AP5700R/AP3750R and the AP5700RS/AP3750RS parts numbers? The application notes don't specify a difference.

...and what's this you mentioned about a group buy? :tup:

The R is for Red and the S is for slotted rotors. With just the R the rotors will be cross-drilled where as SR will be slotted.

I will bug josh tomorrow and get more details out of him for the group buy. Like how many we need to get a nice price. I would imagine maybe around 5 people and if we gt 10 then super savings lol.

I want these brakes so damn bad but I have to wait till the first of the month before i could think about doing it. Spent alot this month already.
Frank

man, if Stillen is really doing a group buy on this set you guys should jump on them immediately.

Thanks! :tup:

Nice write up. I am glad you like them. The kit looks quite impressive.

Were the piston sizes matched for the master cylinders? What are the piston diameters? What is the calculated impact on f/r brake bias? Assuming same pads f/r. Is there any shift to the bias? Is the pedal travel any deeper (or shallower) to account for more (or less) fluid needed to clamp the pads?

Anti-rattle clips have no impact on pad knock. To fix pad knock, you need springs behind the pistons (track only feature). Or you can prevent hub flex, but that is not a bbk feature.

There are some arguments that monoblocks are just as rigid as 2 piece calipers.

Drilled rotors are not good for track use. Were these drilled? or were they cast with the holes?

Or did you just buy them for bling? I which case they do look really good.

Hmm, can we get better pricing than what we talked about Josh?
:icon18:

The caliper/rotor combinations chosen work very well with the OE master cylinder. Bias is shifted slightly rearward as OE is too biased too heavily on the front. Most owners lower their cars, often using stiffer springs and better dampers. This decreases weight transfer to the front under braking, allowing the rear brakes to contribute more. Pedal travel is reduced as compared to stock, mostly due to stiffer components and stainless steel brake lines.

True, but there are also other caliper features that can decrease pad knockback than just springs. Knockback is not an issue at all with AP Racing brake kits on the 370Z. Also, there are several AP Racing street calipers that use anti-knockback springs as needed. The setup in question here is not one of them.

Possibly, in certain cases. There is no blanket answer. The stiffest monoblocks ever made used very expensive and very eco-unfriendly materials that have been banned in most racing series. Kits which cost less than $12k per axle would not have those type of monoblocks. At "normal" BBK prices, many monoblock caliper designs have a very difficult time competing against the better designed and manufactured 2-piece calipers.

The kits are available with slotted-only or cross-drilled AND slotted discs. For heavy track use, slotted-only is recommended. Cast-in holes are a Internet myth.

I think weiboi718 should answer that one! But his review highlights some of the benefits he has already enjoyed.

i chose AP Racing definately not for the looks. they have a history of racing heritage. if i wanted BLING i could've gotten Alliance or Phatboi Brakes.

How much rearward, would this be a problem with stock suspension/ if someone wasn't planning on lowering the car or changing the springs?

Chris, regarding the addition of more relative clamping force in the rear - makes a lot of sense with ABS off, but given this car's tendency to go into ABS "ice mode" (IMO typically set off by rear wheels) I wonder if the factory has the right idea? That's why I ended up switching to a more conservative compound on rears... My preference would be to go back to a stronger rear compound so I could use brakes to induce a little rotation, but it's just not worth the hazard of 'ice mode'... another approach that I am considering is to just leave the damned ABS off for good... thoughts?

It's not a huge shift. Again, the OE brakes are slightly bias too much to the front (like all cars are from the factory). It works fine with the OE suspension setup. However, lowering the car helps them work even better.

I understand your concern. We are attempting to work with Nissan to help understand what is going on with the ABS. We've recorded some interesting data that shows some things they may or may not be aware of. It's not earth-shattering, but there is a little room for improvement. Hopefully, progress can be made, although I have no idea if they will adjust anything or whether they will change vehicles already in the field. That costs money!

If it were my car, I would not track with the ABS on. But you do what is right for you. As I'm sure you know, initial turn-in can be tuned by means other than brakes, such as tire pressures, damper settings, Ackerman, etc.

I agree, every AP kit I have seen is hard core. But I have also seen Alcon B type calipers on a car with spinners. They look sooooo good and the they function well.

No dis-respect intended.

You can do whatever you want with your money and your car. I just get wary of some kits. Stoptech sold a kit for last car I owned that increased braking distance since the piston were mis-matched and moved the bias WAY back. I had an Alcon set.

none taken lol!

I want them for the Bling i will never use these to there full capabilities lol
Frank

Travis, you are a really good driver so I wouldn't be surprised if you do just as well with ABS if not better after some acclimation.

When I finally get my act together in the brakes department, I would go with nothing else over AP Racing. I was reminded about my brakes after seeing plumes of smoke coming off my base brakes after reaching the bottom of Mulholland chasing an M3 and a GTR haha. Not a whole lot of fade though!

TY kindly sir! I think I lost nearly a second in bravery on my first track day without ABS! Not sure there's enough improvement to make up for that! But then at another track with fewer concrete walls, my times magically improved! go figure!

I wish the factory would provide even more options on brakes... doesn't seem like something that would cost them much... it's not like an engine or transmission where the choice they make there has huge implications for supply chain... brakes is something where they could offer three levels of performance... wonder what % of us would take AP Racing brakes from the factory if it were an option? just curious

You have to remember that pennies make differences on assembly lines, and the percentage of "true" enthusiasts 0.01% of your level will push the car too..

You have 90% of people driving your exact car will complain about brake squeaks.. interior rattles.. road noise.. intake noise.. and everything under the sun you LOOK FOR in the same car..

And both Brembo and Akebono could produce (and do) much better systems.. but when you bring the bean counters into the equation.. everything gets compromised..

Which is also why you only see AP traditionally on supercars, where those compromises turn into selling points.

I think we're up to 9 out of 10 cars on the UK Top Gear test track are running AP Racing.. but that list can change here and there. But you're dealing with the Zonda's and Gumperts and Bugatti's of the world. Cost goes out the equation..

I'm assuming that the base 18" 370z wheels will not clear this brake kit?

Spacers will be your best friend if it doesn't clear. These brakes clear my g37 sport brakes with lot's of clearance

Josh, how about that AP Racing group buy mentioned last week? ;)

We've talked about it.. as with anything it's about the numbers.. if we can get 5 guys together.. a great price.. 10.. do a lot better..

We're definitely down to do it.. perhaps we should see how many are serious and start staging some interest, and then we can create an official thread?

I'm very interested. I will own this kit reguardless. But it will be April at the latest for me. That's when my funds come in. Spending to much on other stuff at the moment. Good thing Stillen seems to have the best deals on AP anyways. Going to want a six pot 2pc kit with grey calipers.

I could be persuaded into a group buy :D... I don't even know what we're talking about but it doesn't matter :rofl2:
I know I will want to upgrade my brakes this summer, assuming I can find an organization that will even let me race :facepalm: But anyway, depending on the time frame I am probably in.
Of course I'll need to know a price, and what I'm buying :cool:

:happydance:

i just asked the guys at myg37 if they're interested or not.