2008-2015 Infiniti G37 Brake Upgrade Options

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The best brake upgrade for an Infiniti G37 depends on one thing first: whether your car has the factory Sport Brakes. If it does, a performance pad such as Hawk HPS or EBC Bluestuff NDX, fresh high-boiling-point fluid and good rotors will transform the pedal. If it has the standard brakes, the biggest single jump is moving to the Sport Brake hardware or an aftermarket big brake kit, because the smaller system can only do so much.

Two different brake systems on the G37

Every G37 uses power-assisted vented disc brakes at all four corners with a 4-channel, 4-sensor ABS and Electronic Brake force Distribution, according to Infiniti's own press kits. What changes from car to car is the size of the hardware. Infiniti offered Sport Brakes with larger rotors and fixed multi-piston calipers on the G37 Sport 6MT, on Journey models with the Sport Package and on the Limited Edition. The rest of the sedan lineup used the standard brakes.

Figures are from the 2012 and 2013 G Sedan press kits. The quickest way to tell which system you have is to look through the wheel spokes: the Sport Brake calipers are large fixed units with INFINITI written on them. Pads and rotors are not interchangeable between the two systems, so identify your calipers before you buy anything.

Upgrade 1: performance pads on the Sport Brakes

If your car already has the Sport Brakes, the calipers and rotors are strong enough for hard street driving and occasional track days. The limiting factor is usually the pad compound. Factory-style pads are tuned for low noise and low dust, and they can fade after repeated hard stops from speed. A performance street pad raises the friction level and holds it at higher temperatures.

• Hawk HPS: Hawk describes its HPS compound as giving a smooth braking feel, suiting spirited driving, being gentle on rotors and releasing consistently. The Hawk HPS front brake pad set for the G37 Sport Brake calipers is the choice for a daily driver that sees back roads rather than a race track.
• EBC Bluestuff NDX: a high-friction street and trackday compound. It bites harder than a street pad and is aimed at owners who do track days or autocross and drive the car to the event. We carry both the EBC Bluestuff NDX front pads for the G37 and the matching EBC Bluestuff NDX rear pads.

Upgrade the front and rear together, or at least keep the rear compound close to the front. A very aggressive front pad with a mild rear pad shifts more of the work forward and can make the car feel nose-heavy under hard braking. These performance pads are shaped for specific calipers, so check the fitment notes on each product page against your calipers before ordering.

Upgrade 2: fluid, lines and rotors

Pad fade and fluid fade feel different. Pad fade is a firm pedal that simply stops slowing the car. Fluid fade is a pedal that goes soft and long after several hard stops, because the fluid in the calipers has boiled. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, and water lowers its boiling point.

The federal brake fluid standard, FMVSS 116, sets minimum boiling points for each grade. DOT 3 must boil no lower than 401 F new and 284 F wet; DOT 4 must reach at least 446 F new and 311 F wet. Those are minimums, and many performance fluids go well beyond them. Use the grade printed on your master cylinder reservoir cap or listed in your owner's manual, or a compatible higher-grade glycol fluid, and never add silicone DOT 5. For a car that sees track days, a full flush before each season is cheap insurance.

Stainless braided brake lines replace the factory rubber hoses and cut the small amount of swelling those hoses show under high pressure. The result is a firmer, more consistent pedal. On a G37 that is well over ten years old, new hoses are worth doing for age alone.

For rotors, a quality blank or slotted brake rotor in the correct size is the right match for street pads. Slots help clear gas and debris with aggressive compounds. Replace rotors, or have them measured, whenever you change pad compounds: a rotor carrying a transfer layer from the old pad can cause vibration and uneven bite with the new one.

Upgrade 3: moving a standard-brake G37 up

If your G37 has the standard brakes and you want a real improvement, you have two paths.

1. Convert to the factory Sport Brakes. Because Infiniti built the same car with both systems, a Sport Brake swap is a known conversion. You need the complete set of parts for each axle, not just calipers, and the 14.0-inch front rotors need wheels with enough inner clearance. Sport-equipped G37 sedans came on 18-inch wheels, so test-fit your wheels before committing. Budget for new pads and fluid at the same time.
2. Aftermarket big brake kit. A complete kit with its own calipers, brackets and larger rotors can go beyond the factory Sport Brakes. It is the right answer for serious track use but also the most expensive, and it often needs larger wheels.

If you only drive on the street, a well-chosen pad from our brake pad range, new rotors and fresh fluid on the standard system will fix most complaints about a soft or weak-feeling pedal. Many weak-brake complaints on these cars come down to old fluid and glazed pads rather than hardware size.

What to replace at the same time and how hard the job is

A pad and rotor job on a G37 is a reasonable driveway task with jack stands, a torque wrench and basic hand tools. On fixed calipers the pads are generally removed after taking out the retaining pins and clip, without unbolting the caliper. Changing rotors means removing the caliper from its mount. Torque the caliper bolts and wheel nuts to the values in the factory service manual; do not guess.

With any pad change, inspect the caliper pistons and dust boots, clean and lightly lubricate the pad contact points where the design calls for it, and replace worn clips and pins from our brake hardware kits. Follow the pad maker's bed-in procedure; Hawk publishes bed-in and installation instructions for its pads. A proper bed-in lays down an even transfer layer and prevents the vibration many owners blame on warped rotors.

Before any brake work, run your VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup. When we checked NHTSA recall data for several G37 model years, the recalls listed were for items such as air bags and power windows, not the brake system, but the lookup for your own VIN is the one that counts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my G37 has the Sport Brakes?

Look through the front wheel. Sport Brake calipers are large fixed calipers with INFINITI lettering, paired with 14.0-inch front rotors. Infiniti fitted them to the G37 Sport 6MT, Journey models with the Sport Package and the Limited Edition.

Will Sport Brake pads fit a G37 with standard brakes?

No. The pad shapes differ because the calipers differ. Match the pad to your caliper, not just to the model name.

Are EBC Bluestuff NDX pads too aggressive for daily driving?

They are a street-legal trackday compound, so they work on the street, but expect more noise and dust than a mild street pad. If your car rarely sees a track, Hawk HPS is the more comfortable daily choice.

Do I need new rotors when I upgrade pads?

It is strongly recommended. A new rotor, or one still above the minimum thickness stamped on it and freshly resurfaced, lets the new compound bed in evenly and avoids vibration.

Which brake fluid should I use in a G37?

Use the grade printed on the reservoir cap or in the owner's manual, or a compatible higher-grade glycol fluid if you drive hard. Never use silicone DOT 5 in a system designed for glycol fluid.

Sources

1. INFINITI USA - 2013 G Sedan Press Kit - rotor sizes for standard and Sport Brakes, 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers, ABS and EBD, trims with Sport Brakes
2. INFINITI USA - 2012 G Sedan Press Kit - Sport Brakes on Sport 6MT, Sport Package and Limited Edition; 18-inch wheels on sport models
3. Hawk Performance - HPS Street Brake Pads HB601F.626 - HPS compound characteristics, G37 applications, bed-in instructions
4. 49 CFR 571.116 (FMVSS 116), Cornell Law - minimum dry and wet boiling points for DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluid
5. NHTSA - Recalls lookup - VIN recall check