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3kGT Brakes... 16" wheels?!?

Boostin21

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Nov 24, 2004
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Wisconsin, USA
Ok i know the VR4 brakes are huge. But i have alos heard that YES! 16's have fit with these brakes... But i know most people say you have to 17's. Well i would like someone to clear this up for me. If 16's do work what offset will i need or rim width?
Thanks
 

kcpaz

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Jan 28, 2006
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Gilbert, AZ
16's will absolutely not work. Here is a picture to prove it...




Those wheels are 17x8 with an offset of 35

There just isn't enough room under a 16in. wheel. You might be able to get a way with a stock size rotor maybe.... but then what's the point?
 

That's a tight fit /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

How much caliper -> spoke clearance do you have?
 

kcpaz

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from caliper to spoke there is about 1/4 inch.
 

Kcpaz: Do the calipers or rotors actually touch those wheels anywhere? If you have 1/4" clearance that's plenty, even for a daily drivers. I have 1/8" and have had no problems over three years.
 

kartorium

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ellensburg,wa
if your wheel still spins and doesn't hang up on the caliper, isn't there enough clearance? Seems to my your wheel isn't gonna change its rotation or shape (unless you manage to bend the crap out of it) and the spokes are very unlikely to change at all. I don't have a whole lot of clearance between my wilwoods and my wheels, but its there and doesn't hang up on the wheel...good enough I'd say /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

cheekychimp

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Yeah, with all due respect guys whilst it would clearly be wrong to suggest ALL 16" wheels would clear these brakes there are exceptions.

When I posted my brake specs people told me I'd need 19" and possibly 20" rims to make them fit, when in fact they work with 18" rims. Wheel design, internal rim diameter, rotor size, offset and spoke design all contribute and in many cases are more important. I have had 17" rims that didn't clear the 3KGT brakes and as Alex says some 16" rims can work with them!
 

Bimmubishi

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Jul 15, 2003
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Boston, Massachusetts
It just depends on rotor size. It obviously works as that link shows them being used on 16" wheels.

Paul, your brakes are manhole covers drilled to fit your hubs. That's why you need 19" wheels.

Talk to the Kiwi guys they'll set you straight on which chromies you need /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

oh and another /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

Everybody now!
 

kcpaz

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Gilbert, AZ
Quote:
Kcpaz: Do the calipers or rotors actually touch those wheels anywhere? If you have 1/4" clearance that's plenty, even for a daily drivers. I have 1/8" and have had no problems over three years.



My clearance is actually probably more like 3/16in. I just said 1/4 because it was more than 1/8. I have no prolblems with rubbing.
 

i had no problem with the brakes on my mr2 and it literally had .010" clearance between the spoke and caliper
 

Boostin21

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OK so my japanese crap on my computer didnt work so, if i were to use these brakes woth STOCK CALIPERS, will i have a problem? I really want to go 16's. So if someone could tell me what rims will work that would be great. I did want to run Rota Slips or Grid. now if i were to run those what kind offset am i looking at? 40, 45?
Or should i just run the 3kGT rears up front and 1g DSM piston in back or vice versa?
Will that work?
Thanks for all the help thus far
Here ya go Bimmubishi /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif Ehh, One more.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif
 

kcpaz

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Gilbert, AZ
I'm totally confused now. What are you trying to do? 3000GT rears in the front? That would be a huge downgrade, and I'm not even sure it would even be possible. You could in theory use the 3000GT turbo (our cars already have the 3000GT NA front brakes)front calipers (these are the 4 pistons) on the stock GVR4 rotors, or maybe a slightly larger rotor from another vehicle, but your money would be better spent on some good slotted stock size rotors, and a nice set of upgraded pads for your stock calipers. And maybe some good racing brake fluid. And don't forget about replacing your stock rubber lines with stainless braided lines, as the stock lines are ticking time bonms by now.

If your goal is road racing, or serious track time, then a full big brake upgrade is in order. Why would you let something like wanting a 16in wheel over a 17in. wheel decide your brake upgrade choice. It should be the other way around. Figure out what brakes you really need for your application, and make your wheel choice according to what you need to clear your brakes. Don't forget, the whole reason people ever started using larger diameter wheels with lower profile tires, was because of the need for clearence for their bigger brakes.

If you are just hell bent on having some blingy, red calipers with "Mitsubishi" written on them, then paint your stockers, and have a some "Mitsubishi" stickers printed.


On a side note, if you really just have to have 16in wheels with larger brakes, then I would suggest the Wilwood brakes that were mentioned earlier. I know those work sith some 16's.

As far as offsets go, like mentioned before, alot of the fitment depends on the spoke design, and shape of the wheel well of the wheel. Every wheel is different.
 

Boostin21

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Nov 24, 2004
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Wisconsin, USA
NO, i'm sorry. I meant 3kVR4 rears in the rear and OEM 1g DSM Big Brakes or Stock GVR4 in front, good pads like Hawk, good break fluid and of course SS lines. I would like 16's because of the lower more aggressive stance i think they give, plus i've never been big on big rims such as 17's. I would like a taller side walls for drag racing, and drag radials. i dont know its just been a personal preferance.
You said GVR4 brakes were 4 piston calipers? I thought they were 2 unless i misread it and it said 3kVR4. whatever it was.
also its not about "bling" for me i do not care about show i am geared for performance mainly.
and as far as it depends on how big the rotors are. would stock 1g/GVR4 rotors work or replacement drilled/slotted rotors work?
Thank you
Cullen
 
Last edited:

kcpaz

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Jan 28, 2006
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Gilbert, AZ
The stock GVR4 already has the "big DSM" brakes up front. And I don't think you would gain anything from using the 3KGT rear calipers, other than messing up your brake bias, and you would also loose your e-brake. Not to mention you would have to make a custom caliper bracket to make them work.
 

Boostin21

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would i see a substantial amount of increased braking from Hawk pads, good fluid, SS lines, and drilled/slotted rotors? i guess it would just be out of my budget to get wheels for the 3kVR4 big brakes.
i will be sending a PM to you to explain somethings in a bit.
thank you again
 

kcpaz

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Gilbert, AZ
Upgrades...

Performance brake pads will decrease your stopping distance, and have an increased resistance to fade. Also, when buying brake pads, you need to be realistic in their use, and buy accordingly. For example, if your car is going to be a daily driver, you don't want to buy a race compound pad, because their operating temperatures are different. A race pad needs to be warmed up to work properly. You can actually see decreased performance on the street with race pads, when compared to stock. Also keep in mind that performance pads will tend to wear out your rotors faster, and may not last as long as stock pads. They also tend to make more noise.

Brake fluid won't become an issue for a street driven car, but if you plan on going to the track (road course not drag strip), and you put in more than a few minutes of aggressive driving, you will eventually boil cheap, or lesser fluids. In my opinion, if you are going to have your brakes apart for a system rebuild, why not spend the extra money and get some good fluid in there. That way, if you do decide to run a track day in the future, you will be good to go. There are a lot of different performance fluids out there... ATE Super Blue, Motul 600, and Castrol SRF are all good fluids, but expect to pay a little more than the stuff you can get at AutoZone.

Stainless steel lines are probably one of the most important things on the list of things to do. There are several guys on this forum who have had brake line failure from old crusty rubber lines. Talk about a scary experience. The stainless lines also have a lot less flex, and will increase pedal feel.

Slotted, drilled, or dimpled rotors are all good ways to try and keep brake temps down. The idea is that when your brake pad is being pressed against the rotor, the heat caused by friction creates gas, and this gas can become trapped between the rotor and the pads, causing the pads to "float" away from the rotor, which reduces the clamping force. A slotted, or drilled rotor gives the hot gas somewhere to vent. The texture of these rotors also help de-glaze the pads keeping them constantly fresh. The downside of this is decreased pad life. As far as the difference between the 3 styles of performance rotors... slotted rotors do a good job of venting, but the slots don't penetrate to the center of the rotor which is vented itself for cooling. Cross-drilled rotors have holes that go all the way through the rotor into the center of the vented rotor. This may allow for increased cooling, but drilled rotors ALWAYS crack eventually. Even our Porsche street cars with factory drilled rotors will eventually get tiny hairline cracks around the holes. Drilled rotors need to be inspected FREQUENTLY and replace when any signs or cracks appear...especially on a car that sees track time. Because cross-drilled rotors have become a bit of a status symbol, some people have started making dimpled rotors to give that "cross-drilled" look, but still keep the reliability of a stock, or slotted rotor.

I hope this answers all of your questions. My suggestion is this... Take a realistic look at what your car will be used for, and make your decisions based on that. If you are using the car as a daily driver, or daily driver/drag car, then I wouldn't go super crazy on the brakes. If your goal is to build a car that will hold up on a road course, then I personally wouldn't settle for anything less than the safest set-up you can afford.
 

123abc

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Joined
Mar 2, 2007
Messages
144
Location
Winona, MN
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't 1g 3kgt vr4's come with 16 in. wheels factory? 17's were an option I think...
 

Boostdtalon

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Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
913
Location
Buckley, Wa.
NinjaVR4 has 16" Rota slipstreams and Stealth calipers. I'm not sure what rotors his is using but thy might be a start for you. You could also consider the Wilwood street kit. I believe Brianawd has that kit and he's running 16"
 

RedTwo

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Jul 16, 2008
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1,917
Location
New Zealand
I've got 16x8 +30 over mine - that's with larger rotors too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Factory Nissan wheels to boot.

Doesn't help that you guys have two different types of GTO brakes with different size rotors, calipers and wheels.
 
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