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General Category => Modifications => Topic started by: gregh on December 19, 2020, 09:07:47 AM

Title: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: gregh on December 19, 2020, 09:07:47 AM
Hi, I want to upgrade to drilled stainless rotors and hi performance pads with braided brake lines on my 87 FJ1200.  I am considering EBC and Brembo.  Any thoughts or recommendations?
Thanks for your advice!
Greg
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: fj1289 on December 19, 2020, 04:25:58 PM
Everyone seems to speak highly of these - no personal experience though:

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=17240.msg173581#msg173581 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=17240.msg173581#msg173581)

Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: Pat Conlon on December 19, 2020, 06:31:27 PM
Hello Greg, so you want to replace your thick double faced vented rotors with single faced stainless?

3 options:

1) Most folks do the '89-95 fork leg conversion to use the 17" front rim with Yamaha's gold/silver/blue spot mono block calipers and the single faced 89-95 FJ rotors....or aftermarket Arashi rotors from eBay.

2) A couple folks continued to use their 16" rim and oem fork legs and bought the extra thick non vented EBC rotor. Remember, your oem rotor is thick but double faced and vented, meaning relatively light..but that aftermarket EBC rotor is solid thick and heavy.

Perhaps Robert or Randy can chime in. RPM sells the thick EBC replacement steel rotors for the '84-87 FJ's http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=brakes%3AEbcERotor (http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=brakes%3AEbcERotor)
Robert or Randy, do you remember the weight difference between the EBC rotor and the oem?

IMHO you are better off with your lighter oem rotors than the heavier aftermarket thick rotors.
You are best off with the fork conversion which gives you a lighter front 17" rim, lighter Ashari rotors and superior 4 piston mono block calipers.

3) There are brackets you can buy that allow you to mount the Yamaha mono block calipers or Suzuki Hayabusa 6 piston calipers to your early 84-87 fork legs. If you can find those you can use the lighter Arashi rotors with your 16" rim.
Here's the info on the Hayabusa brake calipers:
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=13762.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=13762.0)
Here's the info. on the brackets used for the Yamaha mono block calipers. They are expensive. http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5342.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5342.0)


Cheers. Pat

Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: Paul.1478 on December 20, 2020, 09:12:24 AM

1) Most folks do the '89-95 fork leg conversion to use the 17" front rim with Yamaha's gold/silver/blue spot mono block calipers and the single faced 89-95 FJ rotors....or aftermarket Arashi rotors from eBay.

I did the blue spot calipers with FJR master and braded lines. This is such a huge upgrade and not all that expensive. I already had the 17 inch wheels so that helped keep the cost down. WELL worth it. Even after a few months now I am still surprised how much better this is and I still have the stock rotors.

Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: aviationfred on December 20, 2020, 11:50:38 AM
I pulled the following photo from one of the Facebook FJ pages. I can share some info, but I have not received any response to questions pertaining to the brackets.

What I do know...
The wheel, rotors and calipers are from a Ducati 900ss. I did a little research with the calipers and found that the year range may be 1992-1998.

What i don't know. .
Where did the adaptor brackets come from. I asked the person who posted the photo if there was a link for a website and I have not received a response. I don't know if the Ducati wheel/bearings/spacers and speedo drive need any modification. If I get any more info, I will definitely pass it on.


Fred

PS.    I do have first hand knowledge of the Ducati Brembo calipers. They work extremely well and are a HUGE improvement over the stock Nissan calipers. The same Brembos are an easy mod for my VFR750. The brackets are an off the shelf item and these Brembos are for a 1996 Ducati 916. The key thing to identify the correct caliper is the mounting holes are 40mm center to center.
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: Waiex191 on December 20, 2020, 12:29:19 PM
Quote from: Paul.1478 on December 20, 2020, 09:12:24 AM


1) Most folks do the '89-95 fork leg conversion to use the 17" front rim with Yamaha's gold/silver/blue spot mono block calipers and the single faced 89-95 FJ rotors....or aftermarket Arashi rotors from eBay.

I did the blue spot calipers with FJR master and braded lines. This is such a huge upgrade and not all that expensive. I already had the 17 inch wheels so that helped keep the cost down. WELL worth it. Even after a few months now I am still surprised how much better this is and I still have the stock rotors.

I bought EBC rotors somewhere along the line, and upgraded to FZ1 Blue Spots & master cylinder earlier this year.  The brakes are awesome now.  I don't even have braided lines yet.
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: RPM - Robert on December 21, 2020, 10:24:49 AM
Quote from: Pat Conlon on December 19, 2020, 06:31:27 PM

Perhaps Robert or Randy can chime in. RPM sells the thick EBC replacement steel rotors for the '84-87 FJ's http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=brakes%3AEbcERotor (http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=brakes%3AEbcERotor)
Robert or Randy, do you remember the weight difference between the EBC rotor and the oem?


I do not have a stock rotor to weigh, with out taking a bike apart, but the later model EBC rotor is 3 lb. 2 oz. The earlier model thick rotor is 4 lbs. 8 oz.
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: Pat Conlon on December 21, 2020, 11:16:22 AM
Thanks Robert!  :good:
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: Sparky84 on December 21, 2020, 05:46:37 PM
Quote from: RPM - Robert on December 21, 2020, 10:24:49 AM
Quote from: Pat Conlon on December 19, 2020, 06:31:27 PM

Perhaps Robert or Randy can chime in. RPM sells the thick EBC replacement steel rotors for the '84-87 FJ's http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=brakes%3AEbcERotor (http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=brakes%3AEbcERotor)
Robert or Randy, do you remember the weight difference between the EBC rotor and the oem?


I do not have a stock rotor to weigh, with out taking a bike apart, but the later model EBC rotor is 3 lb. 2 oz. The earlier model thick rotor is 4 lbs. 8 oz.
Unused stock, still in packet
1488g with rotor thickness 7.60mm

Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: RPM - Robert on December 21, 2020, 05:50:39 PM
Stock would seem to be about 3 lbs. with out packaging probably. EBC wins the heavy weight title by 1 lb. 8 oz. per side
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: Sparky84 on December 21, 2020, 06:56:14 PM
Quote from: RPM - Robert on December 21, 2020, 05:50:39 PM
Stock would seem to be about 3 lbs. with out packaging probably. EBC wins the heavy weight title by 1 lb. 8 oz. per side
Sorry Robert for confusion, it was weighed without packaging  :sorry:
Title: Re: brake rotor upgrade
Post by: RPM - Robert on December 21, 2020, 11:16:48 PM
No worries, it's still over a lb. of savings, per side.