2009-2021 Nissan 370z Brake Upgrade Options

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The best brake upgrade for a 2009-2021 Nissan 370Z depends on which factory brakes your car already has. Cars with Nissan Sport Brakes (14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors with 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers) get the most from better rotors, pads and fluid, while base cars with the smaller standard rotors are the ones where a caliper-and-rotor swap makes a real difference. Start by identifying your system, then upgrade the parts that are actually limiting you.

Two Factory Brake Systems on the 370Z

Nissan built the 370Z with two different brake packages, and nearly every upgrade decision comes back to which one is on your car. Nissan's 2009 press kit describes the standard car as having a 4-wheel vented disc system with ABS, Electronic Brake force Distribution and Brake Assist, plus a variable ratio brake pedal meant to give a more direct pedal stroke. The optional Sport Package added Nissan Sport Brakes: larger rotors and multi-piston aluminum calipers.

Nissan's 2019 press kit lists the Sport Brakes on the Sport and Sport Touring models with red-finish calipers and describes the standard rotors as 12.6 inches front and rear, so the rear size quoted by Nissan changed over the model run. On the NISMO 370Z, Nissan Sport Brakes were standard equipment. If you are not sure what your car has, pull a wheel: a 4-piston front caliper wrapped around a 14-inch rotor means Sport Brakes. Measuring the rotor face across its full diameter settles it.

Upgrade Path 1: Better Rotors on Sport Brake Cars

On a Sport Brake car the calipers are already strong. What usually lets owners down is the rotor: heat cracks and uneven pad deposits after hard driving, and a pulsing pedal after track days or long canyon runs. Replacing the stock one-piece rotors with a performance rotor is the most direct upgrade.

Front: two-piece slotted rotor

The DBA 5000 Series T3 front slotted 2-piece rotor for the 2009-2021 370Z with Sport Brakes is a direct replacement for the 14-inch front rotor. DBA builds the 5000 Series with a high carbon cast iron ring bolted to an aerospace grade 6061-T6 aluminum hat using National Aerospace Standards bolts and crimp nuts. DBA says the aluminum hat cuts unsprung weight, lets the iron ring expand evenly as it heats, and reduces heat transfer into the hub. The T3 slot pattern is bi-directional, so the same part fits either side of the car, and DBA rates its Kangaroo Paw vane design for up to 20 percent better heat dissipation. The rings also carry thermographic paint that changes color at set temperatures, which is a useful way to see how hot your brakes are really getting. Another advantage of a two-piece design is that DBA sells the hat and ring as separate components, so later replacements can be just the worn ring.

Rear: slotted direct replacement

The rear brakes do less of the work, so a two-piece rotor is rarely worth it there. The DBA Street Series T2 slotted rear rotor for the 2009-2020 370Z with Sport Brakes is a direct OE-style replacement with DBA's T2 slot design: CNC machined bi-symmetrical slots that give friction dust and gases a way out, which DBA says improves pad bite and gives a quieter, more responsive pedal. Pairing a two-piece front with a quality one-piece rear keeps the cost reasonable while putting the money where the heat is.

Both rotors fit only the Sport Brake system. They will not fit a base 370Z with the smaller standard rotors.

Upgrade Path 2: Pads and Fluid

New rotors deserve new pads. Never install fresh rotors against old, glazed pads; bed the new pads and rotors together following the pad maker's procedure. Pick the compound by how you drive:

• Daily driving: a low-dust ceramic street pad keeps wheels clean and stays quiet. See our ceramic brake pads.
• Spirited street and occasional autocross: a performance street pad with a higher working temperature range. Browse our brake pads by vehicle.
• Track days: a dedicated track compound, often swapped in only for events, because track pads can be noisy and dusty and may bite poorly when cold.

Fluid is the cheapest upgrade on the list and the one most often ignored. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point; boiled fluid is what causes a long, soft pedal late in a hard session. Use the fluid type printed on your master cylinder cap and in the owner's manual, flush it on the schedule Nissan gives, and flush it before any track event. Stainless braided brake lines can also firm up pedal feel by reducing hose expansion under pressure.

Upgrade Path 3: Base Car to Sport Brakes

If your 370Z has the standard brakes and you want real extra stopping capacity, rotors and pads alone will only go so far. The bigger step is moving to the Sport Brake hardware: 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors with the 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers. Many owners do this with factory Sport Brake calipers and matching rotors because the parts were engineered for this chassis and work with the factory ABS.

Things to confirm before you buy:

• Wheel clearance. The Sport Package came with 19-inch wheels, and a 14-inch rotor with a 4-piston caliper needs room inside the wheel barrel and around the spokes. Check that your wheels clear the larger caliper before ordering.
• Complete hardware. Plan on calipers, rotors, pads, caliper mounting hardware and the correct hoses for every corner you convert. See our brake hardware kits and brake hoses.
• Front and rear balance. Upgrading only the front changes the front-to-rear brake balance. The factory system was designed as a matched set, so a front-only swap should be followed by careful testing in a safe place.
• Fastener torque. Torque caliper bracket bolts, caliper bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual for your year.

Upgrade Path 4: Aftermarket Big Brake Kits

Aftermarket big brake kits with more pistons and rotors larger than the factory 14-inch front are built mainly for heavy track use. For most street 370Zs, including many that see a few track days a year, a Sport Brake car with two-piece front rotors, good pads and fresh fluid is enough. A big brake kit makes sense when you have already done those things and still overheat the brakes, and it usually needs larger wheels and careful attention to front-to-rear balance.

How Hard Is the Job?

Rotor and pad replacement on a 370Z is a straightforward DIY job with basic tools, a torque wrench and jack stands. Remove the caliper and bracket, swap the rotor, clean the hub face so the new rotor sits flat, reinstall with the correct torque, and bed the pads. A caliper swap adds opening the hydraulic system, which means bleeding the brakes afterward; if the pedal stays soft after a normal bleed, have a shop with a scan tool finish the ABS bleed. If you are not comfortable with hydraulic work, rotors and pads are the safe place to start, and the full selection is in our brake rotors collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my 370Z has Sport Brakes?

Look through the front wheel. Sport Brake cars have a 4-piston aluminum front caliper and a 14.0-inch front rotor. Nissan fitted them to Sport Package cars, Sport and Sport Touring trims and every NISMO 370Z. Base cars have smaller 12.6-inch front rotors.

Will Sport Brake rotors fit a base 370Z?

No. The 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors need the matching Sport Brake calipers and brackets. To use them on a base car you must swap the calipers and hardware too, and confirm your wheels clear them.

Are two-piece rotors worth it on a street 370Z?

They are worth it if you drive hard or do track days. The aluminum hat lowers unsprung weight and cuts heat flow into the hub, and you can replace just the iron ring later. For a daily driver that is never pushed, a quality one-piece rotor is enough.

Should I upgrade the rear rotors too?

Replace the rear rotors when they are worn or heat-damaged, but the front does most of the braking. A slotted one-piece rear rotor paired with a two-piece front is a common, balanced setup.

Do slotted rotors wear pads faster?

Slots give dust and gases a way to escape and improve pad bite, and they can add some pad wear compared with a smooth rotor. For a performance car the added consistency is usually a fair trade.

Sources

1. Nissan USA Newsroom - 2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe Press Kit - standard vs Sport Brake rotor sizes, 4-piston/2-piston calipers, ABS/EBD/Brake Assist, variable ratio pedal, 19-inch Sport Package wheels, NISMO Sport Brakes standard
2. Nissan USA Newsroom - 2019 Nissan 370Z Coupe Press Kit - Sport Brakes on Sport and Sport Touring trims, red-finish calipers, 12.6-inch standard rotors front and rear
3. DBA - 5000 Series Rotors - two-piece construction, 6061-T6 aluminum hat, NAS bolts, T3 slots, Kangaroo Paw vanes, thermographic paint
4. DBA - Street Series Rotors - T2 slot design and its effect on pedal feel and pad bite