Budget Big Brake Kit

When most people set out to build a car, the focus almost always starts with power, followed by handling. Braking, unfortunately, tends to get overlooked or pushed to the back burner. But if you’ve ever taken your car to a track day, you know how quickly you can learn the hard way that braking isn’t just important—it’s essential.

Just because your brakes “feel” fine on the street doesn’t mean they’ll hold up under the intense demands of track driving. Nate can tell you this from personal experience. A few weeks ago, we set up a makeshift racecourse on some freshly built roads outside of Vegas that hadn’t opened yet. It was the perfect opportunity to push our cars and ourselves. But by the second lap of our 8-turn track, Nate’s brakes were completely gone—not just fading, but dangerously ineffective. He had no choice but to pull out of the session.

It wasn’t just a missed opportunity to take advantage of those pristine roads before they opened to the public. It was a harsh wake-up call about the importance of having a proper brake setup. At the time, Nate’s car was running eBay cross-drilled/slotted 10.3” EX/SI front rotors with basic AutoZone pads and 1992 Civic SI OEM rear discs paired with unknown, bargain-basement pads. His JDM F20B swap meant he was asking more from his brakes than a stock SOHC engine would, but even with a less demanding setup, those brakes wouldn’t have been up to the task.

The truth is, his parts simply weren’t designed for the rigors of track driving. Brakes that are fine for daily commuting can fall apart—sometimes literally—under extreme heat and pressure. It’s easy to overlook the importance of good brakes when they feel “okay” in everyday use, but as Nate learned, cutting corners here can cost you not just performance but safety.

Investing in a proper brake setup isn’t about overkill; it’s about making sure your car is prepared for the challenges you want to take on. For anyone planning to hit the track, it’s a lesson worth taking to heart.

Let’s face it, not everyone can afford to get a BBK or to go 5 lug on their EF/EG/EK/DA/DC chassis. I mean shit, it took me 15 years to finally get some spoon calipers on my track car. I used to just run a good GSR set up, then was able to upgrade to NSX/Mini cooper set up because Ever upgraded his NSX to spoon calipers, and finally on to my current track car set up of spoon calipers/mini cooper rotors, and project MU club racer pads.

A big brake kit (BBK) can be a game-changer for your car’s performance, and one of the most significant benefits is the increase in rotor size. Larger rotors play a critical role in braking because they improve two key factors: diameter and thickness.

The diameter is the easier of the two to understand and visualize. A larger diameter rotor provides more leverage for stopping a wheel, much like using a longer wrench makes it easier to loosen a bolt. Even if you keep the same calipers and pads, upgrading to a larger rotor increases your stopping power, which is often measured in Newton-meters of torque.

Factory rotor sizes are carefully selected to balance various factors like wheel size, calipers, unsprung weight, tires, and cost. While it might seem logical to simply go for the largest rotor possible, it’s important to consider these factors. A reasonably larger diameter rotor will still improve braking performance, but going too big can lead to diminishing returns, especially if your tires can’t handle the extra force. Remember, better brakes require better tires to take full advantage of the upgrade.

Rotor thickness is a more nuanced aspect but just as important. The thickness of a rotor determines how well it retains and dissipates heat—two opposing needs in braking systems. Thin solid rotors retain more heat, while thicker vented rotors excel at dissipating it. The goal is to choose a rotor that efficiently sheds excess heat while keeping the braking system within the optimal temperature range for your pads.

Brake pads vary significantly in their temperature characteristics, making it important to select the right type for your application. Some pads are optimized for cold performance, making them well-suited for street driving, while others require higher temperatures to work effectively, which is ideal for track use. Pairing the appropriate brake pads with the correct rotor thickness and diameter is crucial for optimal performance.

For instance, a short, technical course like Las Vegas Motor Speedway may require high-temperature pads to handle the intense braking demands. Conversely, a long, fast track like Road America might benefit from lower-temperature pads that retain heat during extended straights. These examples illustrate the importance of matching brake components to the specific demands of a track, though many other factors—such as weather, driving style, type of racing, pad material, rotor composition, and vehicle weight—also play a role in performance.

For street driving or occasional track days, you don’t need to overthink every detail. A solid set of quality pads and rotors will serve you well. Choosing brake pads comes down to personal preference and driving needs—factors like pedal feel, initial bite, operating temperature range, and how progressively the brakes respond to pedal pressure. Avoid the cheapest options from the local auto parts store; instead, invest in a reputable brand. Most manufacturers provide charts or “keys” to help you select pads based on your specific needs, whether it’s street, autocross, or track use.

It’s also worth considering other factors, like brake dust, noise, and rotor wear. A pad that feels perfect on the track might generate excessive dust for daily driving or wear out your rotors quickly. Similarly, pads with minimal dust might not have the performance you need in spirited driving. The key is to experiment and find what works best for your unique driving style.

At the end of the day, everyone’s needs and preferences are different. Don’t rely solely on advice from forums or others’ experiences—test out different pads and setups to find the combination that suits your car and your goals. Braking isn’t just about stopping; it’s about control, consistency, and confidence behind the wheel.

One of the best things about upgrading to a Big Brake Kit (BBK) is getting better calipers with larger pistons or multiple pistons. Most factory calipers are single-piston designs, which work fine for basic setups. They keep things simple, with fewer moving parts for easier maintenance and better wheel clearance. But they’re not perfect.

Stock calipers are usually made of heavy cast iron, and they often use a slider mechanism. This means the clamping force isn’t always evenly distributed between the inside and outside pads. That’s where multi-piston (or “pot”) calipers shine. With multiple pistons, the clamping force spreads more evenly across the brake pads, giving you better contact and improved braking performance.

Here’s a cool detail: when you move to something like a four-pot caliper, the total brake fluid volume can actually be less than in a single-piston setup. That means you can generate more clamping force with the same amount of brake pedal effort. (It’s all about the physics: P1×V1=P2×V2P_1 \times V_1 = P_2 \times V_2P1​×V1​=P2​×V2​.) Just keep in mind that when upgrading calipers, you need to make sure your master cylinder can handle the new system.

High-quality calipers—whether 4-, 6-, or 8-pot—often have staggered piston sizes. This helps the pads wear more evenly, which means better performance and longer pad life. Also, when choosing a caliper, make sure to get the right orientation (leading or trailing). Calipers are usually marked with the correct disk rotation, and installing them backward can lead to uneven pad wear, annoying noise, or even piston damage.

One last thing: don’t overdo it with calipers and rotors if the rest of your setup can’t keep up. If you’re not running sticky R-compound tires (think 100 treadwear or less), those fancy multi-pot calipers might actually hurt more than they help. The extra braking force won’t matter if your tires can’t put it to the ground.

Bottom line? You don’t need crazy calipers to be fast on the track. A well-balanced car, with everything—brakes, tires, suspension—working together, will usually outperform a car with mismatched, overbuilt parts. Focus on balance and synergy, and you’ll see the best results.

Most of what I said above is all just for racing cars, or people that are tracking every weekend. However, I did it to help you understand the differences, and grasp the concepts of braking upgrades. Fortunately for us, for Hondas, people have already figured out the best recipe’s when it comes to upgrading your brakes. So, all the research and complicated R&D has already been done. I will break down your options below.

• GSR/LS/RS/SI all have a 10.3” (262mm) front rotor with a 9.4” (239mm) rear rotor. The EX will also share the same front rotor size, but have drums in the rear.
• ITR has 11.1” (282mm) front rotor and a 10.2” (260mm) rear rotor
• ITR/NSX/Legend/spoon caliper with the use of a 07-13 mini cooper BASE (not S or JCW) I don’t care what people say, look it up for yourself. The rotor diameter MUST BE 280mm to work with the listed calipers. The cooper S is 294mm and the JCW is 316mm. If you are staying 4 lug you would use the base cooper rotor, If your car is 5 lug just use an ITR rotor.

These are basically the three options you have when upgrading your brakes on an EF/EG/EK/DA/DC chassis. I know there are other actual BBK out there, but they are a lot of money, and honestly it would be more for a cool factor rather than a performance factor. There are PLENTY of fast guys on TYPE R calipers! For how light our cars are it’s just not that necessary, until you are getting into 300plus hp, 17-inch wheels, 245 tires, and major aero.

Moving on to Nate’s car and what we did to keep his brake upgrade on the cheaper side. He was originally going to get Type R calipers, but coming across them used is a challenge, and I’m pretty sure that all new OEM ones are discontinued. So the next best thing in terms of OEM is the Acura Legend calipers. Without opening a can of worms, let me just make this statement: there are two types of Legend calipers: one has a large single piston, and the other has two smaller pistons per caliper (much like the NSX). From my understanding, the 91-92 Legend calipers are the large single piston calipers (like a Type R), and the 93-95 Legend has the two piston calipers (like the NSX). Please don’t hold me to the specific years. Just know that they will both fit on your EX/SI/GSR/LS/RS front spindle. If you’re lucky enough to find the two piston ones at the junkyard, then you’re stoked. Otherwise, you can just use the single piston ones (which are much easier to come across).

Nate went to the junkyard and got a pair (left, right) single piston 91 Acura Legend calipers.

He ordered Oriley’s/AC Delco blank rotors for a 07 Mini Cooper base model. Yes, the metal quality isn’t going to be as good as some high-end aftermarket brake companies. However, I know plenty of people that run AutoZone or similarly cheap rotors on their track car without incident. Brake rotor material affects its thermal characteristics, friction, and wear properties. So, at a high-level wheel-to-wheel racing, this will matter more, but for most of us that don’t see the track more than a few times a year, these will be fine. They will wear out a little bit quicker with the use of an aggressive “racing” pad, but that’s why you get the “lifetime warranty.” You can just keep bringing them back. Keep in mind that all rotors (OEM, aftermarket, racing) will develop small hairline cracks, just make sure you are keeping an eye on this. He also got Aletheia Motorsports rotor shims, so he doesn’t have that slop in the rotor, since the Honda wheel studs are a smaller diameter than the Mini Cooper ones. Check them out on Instagram @aletheiamotorsports. (Note these are not necessary, and lots of people have used this setup on track without the shims, but it will just give you peace of mind.)

He bought Goodridge SS brake lines F/R. ATE DOT 4 brake fluid, and Winmax W3 front brake pads for a 04-10 TSX (must be this pad, or you will have a slight pad overhang if you use an ITR pad) To be honest I’m not exactly sure why I can run ITR pads on my NSX calipers with mini cooper rotors and have no overhang. But regardless his set up works perfectly with the TSX pads. just trust the process!

(OPTIONAL) New rear bake rotors, and Duralast ceramic rear pads.

Lets total all that up!

• Front calipers 40 bucks
• Mini cooper (07 Base model 280mm) rotors 80 bucks
• Aletheia motorsports rotor shims 50 bucks
• Goodridge SS brake lines 120 bucks
• ATE brake fluid 15 bucks
• Winmax W3 front pads (for TSX) 135 bucks
• (OPTIONAL) rear pads, and rotors 75 bucks

Grand total: 515 bucks! or a whopping 440 bucks! if you don’t do the rear. (which would be fine, and you would still notice a huge difference) plus you could always do them a little later.

This is a great option if you’re looking to upgrade your whole brake system, and just think about it…  for about another 200 bucks you could have Winmax pads in the rear, and front “Aftermarket” slotted rotors with more superior metal for better thermal characteristics

He also had previously installed a 15/16 brake master cylinder, with the OEM 40/30 prop valve, and stock booster. Another side note is that he opted to go with the Winmax W3 pads because they will work cold or “no temp” up to 600*C (or 1112*F) as compared to the W4 pad that needs to have a little heat for them to work 50*C (112*F) up to 650*C (1202*F) just because he drives his car on the street more than he does on the track, and in Vegas its gets pretty damn cold in the winter.

Now I bet you’re all excited, and why shouldn’t you be? You can literally redo your whole brake system for 515/715 bucks depending on what you get. This set up will allow you to get out on the track and have tons of confidence that your braking set up is ready for the abuse you will be giving it. See, you don’t really need all these bling bling baller parts on your car to have a good set up. You can spend all that money you’re saving on track days so you can get the MOD that matters most “Driver mod.”

Now that you have all your parts let’s move on to the install process.

Step 1:

Break lugs loose, jack up the car and place on 4 jack stands (one at each corner of the car), and remove wheels.

Front Step 2:

remove the calipers that are on the car, X2 17mm bolts are holding the caliper on to the spindle. We just let the caliper hang since we were replacing the brake lines anyway. We left it all attached until we had all the new stuff bolted on so brake fluid wasn’t leaking everywhere. Remember that if you run the brake master cylinder dry, you will have to bench bleed the master cylinder to completely evacuate all the air. So just keep an eye on the fluid level throughout the brake line replacement process.

Front Step 3:

Remove the old rotor and cut the dust shield to fit the new larger caliper. his rotors didn’t have the screws holding them to the hubs, so it came off super easy. Just had to tap it medium/hard with a rubber mallet to free it up due to rust, and corrosion that fuse the rotor on to the hub.

Front Step 4:

slide the new rotor on, add the Aletheia motorsports shims, and clean new rotor thoroughly with brake cleaner to remove the oils the manufacture put on it during shipping and storage, so it doesn’t rust.

No shims.

Shims

Above you can see the before and after of no shims and shims. Also, the screws that hold the rotor will no longer be able to be used since the rotor is not for this car, so use a lug nut like so to keep the rotor as flat as possible which will make for easier installation of the caliper and pads. This will just keep the frustration levels down.

Front Step 5:

Installing the calipers. You are going to have to install the L caliper on the Right side of the car, and the R caliper on the Left side of the car. This is because the bleeder screws must be on top of the caliper, or you will not be able to properly bleed the air out. You will also have to use the 17mm caliper bolts that came off your car. DO NOT USE the caliper bolts from the legend. they are too long as seen below.

You will also have to remove the center brake pad clip, This will rub on the rotor if you don’t remove it. The two side clips can remain.

Before you install the caliper, you must push the piston back into the caliper. I use a C clamp to do this. Yes, I know there is proper tools for this exact thing, but my method works just fine.

Make sure you put thread lock on the two 17mm bolts holding the caliper to the spindle.

Now bolt your caliper on

Front Step 6:

Grease the caliper slide pins. Leave the caliper bracket bolted to the spindle and use a 14mm to remove the 2 bolts that hold the caliper to the bracket.

hang caliper out of the way.

carefully slide the pins off the rubber bushings, making sure you don’t tear the rubber.

Take note on the picture above that the pins are flat where his thumb and index finger are. these flat parts must be on the top and bottom of the pin, If not, the caliper won’t line up and you will not get it back on. Once you slide the pin back in and the caliper back on you will notice that the flat part of the pin will line up with the caliper and allow it to properly seat. This is so the pin doesn’t spin as you re install the bolts. I know I didn’t really explain that too well. But if you just look at the caliper you are working on you will figure it out.

Clean off all old grease, reapply new grease to the pins, and slide both the upper and lower pins back in.

Final product all back together. We chose to do it once we were all the way done with the whole project, that’s why you see the SS lines installed. We probably should have just done this while the calipers were out of the car on the work bench.  * below you can also see how the flat part of the pins sit against the caliper, allowing the pin to not spin while tightening the bolt.

Do these exact same steps for the other side of the car.

The Front is all done, but before we move on to the rear, let me address a few things. Using the Mini Cooper rotor will allow you to use either a Legend, Type R (DC2/EK9), NSX, or Spoon caliper. It just depends on how baller you are. You must use an EX/SI/GSR/LS/RS front spindle. A DX/LX/VX/CX/HX will not work. If you don’t already have the correct spindles, then you will have to go to the junkyard and pick some of those up too. If you are going to use an NSX caliper, I have heard that you must use a 23T caliper bracket (the one off the Type R, or a Legend). This is for proper caliper spacing, so the pads don’t wear unevenly. BUUUUT, I have NSX calipers on my car, and I didn’t change the caliper bracket. I’m using 91 NSX calipers with ITR pads, so I don’t know if that matters, and I’ve gotten over 20K miles on them with no issue.

Here are some comparison pictures between the EX/SI 10.3-inch rotor and the Mini Cooper 11.02-inch rotor

Rear Step 1:

Let the E Brake off and remove the two 14 mm bolts that hold the caliper to the rear trailing arm. you can still leave the E brake cable connected at the caliper.

Rear Step 2:

Taking off the rotor will require you to unscrew the two Philips screws that hold the rotor to the hub. This is also the same for the front, unfortunately his front didn’t have them so we couldn’t show you how to do it. It’s not uncommon for the screws to not be utilized, and there are no performance issues either way. After all, once the wheel is bolted on it will hold the rotor where it needs to be. Removing these screws can be a super PIA, so be careful as they strip out easily and you will have to end up drilling them out if they strip. You can use and impact screwdriver (the one where you hit it with a hammer, and it spins the screw off) I just use an impact gun; it uses the same sort of “jolt” to initially loosen the screw. If you use the gun, just make sure you are applying pressure firmly inwards so that it is less likely to strip/round out the screw head.

Rear Step 3:

Once it’s all removed you will need to manually thread the rear piston back into the caliper, much like the front where we used the C clamp. This again is because you are using new pads and you will not be able to fit them on if you don’t screw it back in. This will make the gap between the pads large enough to go over the rotor. There are tools specifically designed for this, but I just take some needle nose pliers and open them enough to the get each end of the tips to span the horizontal line across the piston, and simply twist Clockwise back in. you can also use a very large headed flat head screwdriver, or a smaller chisel.

Rear Step 4:

Slide the new rotor on, clean with brake clean, make sure you have threaded the piston all the way back in, slide in the new brake pads, re install the X2 14mm bolts that hold the caliper to the rear trailing arm, DON’T FORGET thread lock! Just reassemble in reverse of disassembly. the rear is very easy, just don’t forget to clean the new rotors with brake cleaner thoroughly.

Rear Step 5:

Re grease the caliper slide pins (just like you did up front) There are two 12mm bolts that hold the caliper to the bracket.

Clean off all old grease and apply new grease.

Slide the pins back in, remembering just like the front pins the rear are flattened (picture below has the pin in the wrong orientation) flat spots must be on top and bottom of pin.

Again follow these same steps for the opposite side.

Installing the SS brake lines is very straightforward, and I don’t have any pictures of the installation process. Just do one corner at a time so you don’t leak fluid everywhere, keeping an eye on the fluid level in the reservoir, so you don’t have to bench bleed the master because it ran dry. Make sure you use a flare nut end wrench to loosen the hard line from the rubber line in the wheel wells. This nut also strips out super easily, so be careful. If you strip it, most likely you will have to go to the junkyard and get another hard line. Make sure you’re using all the new hardware supplied with the kit. Ensure you use the copper crush washers on both sides of the banjo bolt, and make sure the old ones have come completely off the caliper, so you don’t stack crush washers. Sometimes the SS line brackets won’t bolt completely to the car; this is no big deal; just make sure you get at least one bracket bolted on. Make sure you route the lines so they won’t kink, bind, or rub on anything. *Pro tip: turn the steering wheel lock to lock, and have someone watch to make sure nothing is binding. Then when you put the wheel on, check to make sure the line won’t rub on the tire/wheel at full lock in either direction.

Lastly you will need to bleed the brakes, I have already done a write up on this. you can click the link below to read how to do it.

10k words about brakes! everything you need to know about every part of your brake system.

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Here are some pictures comparing the old and new brakes.

You can see that it really fills the wheel a lot more. It’s also worth noting that you need to make sure your wheels will fit the new larger brakes. Nate had to buy new wheels just to fit the new brake set up. Previously he had Enkei RPF1 15×7 +42 and there was no way in hell it was going to clear (we had previously tested it on my 4 door ek since I’m running the NSX caliper mini cooper rotor) RPF1’s are notorious for not being able to fit larger brakes, due to the stepped inner barrel they have. So, he had to/wanted to upgrade to a 15×8 +35 wheel. I used to run a Kosei K1 15×7 +36 wheel and they cleared my NSX set up. just be aware and do your research to see if your wheels will clear this upgrade.

Here’s a comparison without the wheels, you can use the dust shield as a reference for size.

And here is the caliper number for reference

And then a few artsy shots

Don’t forget to tighten your wheels

Summing this upgrade up… I wish this was an option when I first started upgrading Hondas. Technically, people were doing all these calipers before, but they were having to re-drill Prelude rotors, thus making it a little more challenging to do. You couldn’t just buy over-the-counter parts. Thank god for the Mini Cooper, AMIRITE? I run Spoon calipers with the Mini Cooper rotor and ITR pads on my track EG. I run NSX calipers on my four-door EK with the Mini Cooper rotor and ITR pads, and now Nate is running the Legend calipers with the Mini Cooper rotors and TSX pads on his car. Sure, I have the Spoon calipers and the NSX calipers, but honestly, the setup on Nate’s car is all anyone will need to run respectable times at the track and still maintain the daily driver aspect of your car. Of course, you could always upgrade to a more aggressive pad that would yield a little bit better performance under extreme track conditions, but for the regular enthusiast, this setup is perfect. Nate couldn’t be happier with the upgrade. He says, “I didn’t even know my brakes were that bad until I did this upgrade.” He now enjoys driving his car every morning on his commute because he can drive more spiritedly. He now also feels like his car is more balanced in the sense that he had good suspension, good tires, a good motor, and now good brakes. “It really rounds out the whole car’s performance and breathes new life into it.” Even for myself, I have my EK with the SOHC motor and it’s slow as hell, but it’s a lot of fun being able to out-brake people on the streets. Plus, just having the confidence that your whole brake system is top-notch really gives you that extra confidence when driving spiritedly. If you have a Honda, I HIGHLY recommend doing this upgrade. It will be such a huge improvement compared to what you have now; I guarantee it. If you have a little more money to spend, I would spring for the Winmax pads in the rear as well. Another great pad option would be the CarboTech Xp8/Xp10 depending on your tire setup.

I hope you enjoyed reading about ways to improve your car’s overall performance, and if you have any questions related to this or anything else, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, either on Instagram @FUNCTIONTHEORY, via email at Billy@functiontheory.com, or just post a comment on this post. Also, if you like what you’re reading, please share and like so that more people can learn how to improve their cars.