Nissan 370Z Forum - Review: Z1 rotors and PFC

Just got back from a 2 day track event at CMP, which is a course that is very demanding of brakes. I have multiple friends that have eaten through their pads after an HPDE there. Before I went to the track, I installed Z1's Performance Rotors, PFC 08 compound pads, and PFC 665 fluid. Reviews are below. My car is a mostly stock 370Z with sport package. I am in no way affiliated with either company, although in full disclosure I get huge hook ups on PFC.

Z1 Performance rotors
Z1 370Z / G37 (Sport) Performance Rotors - Akebono
Purchased from Z1, retail is ~200$
Purchased these to use on the track only as I didn't want to tear up my OEM rotors. These were packaged well in the box, and I have no CLUE how I ordered them one evening and the next day when I got home from work they were waiting on me. First thing I noticed was that these brakes had a weird finish on the hat and outside of the rotor, not sure why this finish was there. When I sprayed brake cleaner on the rotors, the finish started coming off and running down the rotors :confused: I ordered these rotors slotted, not cross drilled.

Short rant about brake discs:
1) Heat is the killer of brake systems, especially brake pads. The rotor is the main heat sink of the brake system. The heavier the rotor in general, the more heat it can soak up and keep the total system cooler. This makes brake pads last much longer since heat is what eats up pads. So heavier = better. Lightening rotational mass is nice and all, but being able to use your brake pads because they aren't burned down to the backing plate is better.
2) Slotted rotors are designed to help limit buildup on the rotor. Buildup on the rotor is what causes the steering wheel to shake when you hit the brake, I think it's kind of hard to actually warp a huge hunk of steel (I'm sure at temps as high as brakes get you can though. The vanes in rotors help cool them. Slots do not.
3) Cross drilled rotors make no sense to me. I already said rotors are a heat sink, and the more mass the more heat a rotor can soak up. Why would you drill holes in a rotor to lighten it then? Worse though is that cross drilled rotors crack.

Okay, now after that rant. I went with slotted rotors. I did not weight the OEM brake rotors or the Z1 rotors (totally forgot) but they feel about the same weight. Good. On the track these did great. No concerns, no cracks. Great product for the price from what I can tell.

UPDATE: after 6 track days at VIR/CMP I have noticed some tiny cracks over the surface of these discs. My instructor/friends who saw this said at this point they are not enough to cause any problems and they would still be fine running them, but it might be good for me to go ahead and step up to a bit more durable rotor. Also since these are slotted, many shops around my area can't resurface them on a normal lathe.

Performance Friction 08 Pads
Performance Friction - Brake Pads, Rotors and Calipers for Racing, Street and Fleet Applications
http://www.performancefriction.com/m...criptions.aspx
Until a few of my friends started working at this company I hadn't heard of them. Apparently they supply a number of NASCAR, Indy, Sportscar Racing, and Offroad teams (including the deltawing). From internet searches they seem to be popular with the bimmer track guys. After talking to some instructors and other TT guys at the track, they say these are the best pads and they would kill for them. They are pricey from what I hear. I honestly payed almost nothing for them. The pads I got for the Z were made to order, and I also ordered the 01 compound although I haven't run this yet. So far it is the only set of 01 compound for the 370Z the company has made . . . that makes me cool right? Anyways, the 08 pad that I ran is their endurance race pad. I did install these pads the day before I went to the track and drove about an hour to the track, and back and fourth for another few hundred miles over the past few days. These pads are not made for the street, and this can be dangerous since the pads are made to have heat in them. That said, besides being loud as hell, the pads did fine on the street. Once I got a few laps in at the track and the brakes heated up these were amazing. They do have a good initial bite, but are also easy to modulate and give ball crunching stopping power. Much more stopping power than my Kumho XSs can handle although that never really came into play. After 2 days the pads still have a good amount of life left in them (I just quickly looked and haven't measured the mm). Note that 50% pad material remaining is about equal to 30% pad life remaining.

UPDATE: after 6 track days, these pads are still doing great and have a ton of life to go. (I don't drive 10/10 though)

Performance Friction (RH)665 fluid
$26 for 500mL, 2 needed for the 370Z
I had ATE TYP 200 in the car, drove with the new pfc pads for a day, then switched to PFC 665 fluid. The pedal did feel different, it felt firmer with the TYP 200 during everyday driving. This may have to do with the viscosity or compressibility of the fluids. At the track, the 665 did wonderfully and I experienced no brake fade at all, and I was able to modulate braking very well and had good feedback for threshold braking. Dry/Wet boiling points are listed as 617D 383W. I have had brake failure before from crap fluid at an autocross and really didn't want to experience that in triple digit speeds.

Hope this information helps. Also, if you track your Z make sure you check the caliper bleed screws. Mine were very tight but at the end of both days I had leaked a small amount of fluid down the calipers from the bleeders. This setup in total cost me about $200 and I was out braking most other cars out there on street tires and OEM brakes.