There were some on-track crashes when the Z first came out. The Akebonos (the brakes on the new Z "Performance" model) were very competent initially, but heat soaked badly and at least one reporter had a bad crash.Do the comments about deficient brake cooling not being addressed apply only to the base model brakes, or to the performance ones as well? And if the latter, how quickly do they overheat on track on the 370Z (IIRC the brakes are being carried over)?
Most of us that track use Motul RBF600 or ATE Blue fluid AND track pads. I can't say about 370Zs out there with Akebonos if additional ducting is needed, but most I see on track have Stoptechs, Brembos, or Wilwoods on them. My way lighter 240Z (caged 2500 lbs) on Wilwoods plus pads and ATE never faded on track days.There were some on-track crashes when the Z first came out. The Akebonos (the brakes on the new Z "Performance" model) were very competent initially, but heat soaked badly and at least one reporter had a bad crash.
Nissan came out with upgraded pads to address the issue, however, according to the tuner industry, the issue with the early 370Zs was that the pads got too hot too quickly, and that caused the brake fluid in the caliper to boil. So, enthusiasts began combining the updated pads or aftermarket performance pads with MOTUL brake fluid, or a high quality DOT4 fluid (it is assumed that the fluid used as OEM was low quality). Most people that track find it a good way to keep the Akebonos.
My Q60 came with (what's probably parts bin) the same brakes designated for the Sport Z, and I upgraded to Akebonos. I do not track my Q60, so I am no expert, I just wanted better looking calipers behind my Enkei wheels. My car weighs about 4000 pounds (AWD) and the Akebonos are strong, but I used regular DOT4 fluid and OEM Infiniti pads, which I think are the old 370Z pads, and I can detect fade if I grenade the brakes several times in a row from high speeds. I didn't want performance pads because the OEMs keep the wheels clean, if I track a Z, I'd use different fluid and pads. Oh, and BTW, changing pads on the Akebonos is super easy!
I'm not so sure it's fair to insist that Nissan provide the car with track-ready braking system, when 98% of the owners will never take it on a track.Most of us that track use Motul RBF600 or ATE Blue fluid AND track pads. I can't say about 370Zs out there with Akebonos if additional ducting is needed, but most I see on track have Stoptechs, Brembos, or Wilwoods on them. My way lighter 240Z (caged 2500 lbs) on Wilwoods plus pads and ATE never faded on track days.
Check this video, about 11:34 in - - he pans around for a few seconds, so viewing it is better than my half-assed screenshotAre there any pics of the underside yet?