Nissan GT-R R35 Brake Upgrade Guide: Iron Rotors, Carbon Ceramic Conversion & NISMO Replacement
Updated: Oct 9
A Nissan GT-R R35 brake upgrade isn’t one decision. It’s three, and which one applies depends on what’s behind your wheels right now. If your car has factory iron discs, you can step up to a better floating iron rotor or go all the way to carbon ceramic. If you’ve got a 2020+ NISMO with the factory carbon ceramic brakes, you can replace those discs with ours.
We build all three, so this guide covers what each one fits, what it costs, and how to choose between them.
Start with what’s on your car
Factory iron discs point you to options one and two. Factory carbon ceramic (CCM) discs on a 2020+ NISMO point you to option three. If you’re not sure which you have, email us your VIN and we’ll tell you before you spend a dollar.
Signs your GT-R brakes are due for replacement
On iron discs, you’ll usually notice vibration through the pedal or wheel under braking, deep grooves or scoring on the surface, cracks, or a pronounced lip at the outer edge. Every iron disc also carries a minimum thickness marking. Once you’re at that number, the disc is done no matter how good it looks. Pedal pulsation gets blamed on warped rotors a lot, and our post on the warped rotor myth explains why that’s often not the real story.
Carbon ceramic wears differently and doesn’t always look worn. Chips, cracks or a badly worn surface are easy to spot, but the real test is measuring the disc against its wear limit. Have a shop that knows carbon ceramic do that rather than judging by eye.
Option 1: Floating iron rotors, starting at $1,291
This is the straightforward upgrade. Our R35 rotors are a true two-piece design, with high carbon iron alloy friction rings bolted to 6061-T6 billet aluminum hats. They’re a direct replacement for your factory discs, sized at 390mm by 33mm up front and 380mm by 30mm at the rear. Prices start at $1,291, and you choose your axle on the product page.
Lead time is about 35 days, and they carry a one-year, 36,000-mile warranty against manufacturer defects. If you drive the car hard on the street or do the occasional track day and want a better-built rotor without a big jump in cost, this is where most owners land. See the GT-R floating rotors.
What “floating” actually means
In a one-piece rotor, the friction ring and the hat are a single casting. Heat goes into the ring, the ring wants to grow, and the hat holds it in place. In a floating rotor, the ring is bolted to a separate aluminum hat with hardware that gives it room to move, so it can expand as it heats up instead of fighting the hat. The hat doesn’t do any of the braking, so there’s no reason for it to be heavy iron. We go deeper in our floating brake disc explainer.
Option 2: Carbon ceramic conversion, $10,998
This is the full swap from factory iron to carbon ceramic. It’s a direct bolt-on that works with your factory calipers, sensors and brake electronics, with no modifications.
The discs use our Gen 3 construction: long, continuous carbon fibers in a 3D bonded structure, rather than the chopped fiber you’ll find in OEM carbon ceramic discs. A silicon carbide friction layer sits on top. The kit includes the front and rear discs with matching pads, so you’re not hunting for a compatible pad afterward. Lead time is about 45 days, and customers have rated it 4.9 out of 5 across nine reviews.
Carbon ceramic discs are far lighter than iron, and that’s the whole point of the conversion: less unsprung weight, sharper handling, and a car that feels lighter over bumps. Plan on bedding them in properly, and we’ve written a full guide to bedding in carbon ceramic brakes. See the GT-R R35 carbon ceramic conversion kit.
Option 3: Carbon ceramic replacement for the GT-R NISMO, $11,998
If your 2020+ GT-R NISMO already has factory carbon ceramic brakes, you don’t need a conversion. You need discs. Factory carbon ceramic isn’t cheap to replace, and this is the gap we fill: a direct replacement for the factory CCM discs, sized at 410mm by 38mm at the front and 390mm by 32mm at the rear. No modifications are needed.
They use the same Gen 3 construction as the conversion kit. Lead time is about 45 days, and the warranty is the same one year or 36,000 miles. It’s rated 5.0 out of 5 across nine reviews. The discs are priced on their own, so pads are extra. Email us and we’ll point you to the right ones. The same bedding advice applies as above. See the GT-R NISMO carbon ceramic discs.
Iron or carbon ceramic: what actually changes on a GT-R
Weight is the big one. Carbon ceramic discs are far lighter than iron, and since that weight sits at the wheel, it counts for more than the same weight saved inside the car. We explain why in our post on unsprung weight.
Heat is the next one. Carbon ceramic handles repeated hard stops better than iron, which matters most when you’re lapping the car or driving it hard in the mountains. Our guide to brake fade covers what’s happening when a brake starts to give up, and our post on what changes in stopping distance when you go from iron to carbon ceramic goes into the numbers.
Cost goes the other way. Floating iron rotors are a fraction of the price, and carbon ceramic asks for more money up front and more care with pads and bedding.
Some things don’t change. Your tires still set the limit on how hard you can stop, and your brake fluid still needs to handle the heat. If you’re upgrading the discs, high-performance brake fluid is worth doing in the same visit.
The three options side by side
Floating iron rotors | Carbon ceramic conversion | NISMO CCM replacement | |
Replaces | Factory iron discs | Factory iron discs | Factory carbon ceramic discs |
Size | 390x33mm front, 380x30mm rear | Direct bolt-on, confirmed by VIN | 410x38mm front, 390x32mm rear (2020+ NISMO) |
Price | Starts at $1,291 (select your axle) | $10,998 | $11,998 |
Pads | Sold separately | Included | Sold separately |
Lead time | About 35 days | About 45 days | About 45 days |
Which Nissan GT-R R35 brake upgrade should you pick?
Start with how you actually use the car.
If it’s mostly a road car with the occasional hard drive or track day, floating iron rotors are the right call. You get a better-built rotor at a fraction of what carbon ceramic costs, and you can keep the pad choice simple.
If you track the car regularly, it gets more interesting. Lots of track cars run iron, and it works fine when it’s set up properly. Carbon ceramic starts to earn its price when you’re lapping often, you want the lightest setup, and you’d rather not think about heat. Our post on setting up your brakes for track days covers the pad and fluid side of that.
If you want the lightest setup and you’re ready to spend for it, go with the conversion. Compare like for like, though: the kit’s $10,998 includes pads, while the floating rotors and the NISMO discs don’t.
If you’ve already got factory carbon ceramic on a 2020+ NISMO, the replacement discs are the only one of the three that makes sense, because they put you back on the same type of disc.
What about pads?
The conversion kit comes with pads. For the floating rotors, we sell GT-R pads at $645 for a front and rear set, with a choice of compound at checkout. For other model years, and for the NISMO discs, email us and we’ll match a pad to your car and how you drive it. See the GT-R brake pads.
Pad choice changes how the car feels as much as the discs do. If you’re on iron, our breakdown of semi-metallic, ceramic and carbon ceramic pads will help you pick a compound. If you’re on carbon ceramic, use pads made for it, and our guide to the best pads for carbon ceramic brakes covers that.
Installing them
Have a shop that knows the GT-R do the work. Fit new pads at the same time as new discs, follow the factory service procedure, clean the hub faces, and torque everything to spec. Carbon ceramic discs and new pads then need a proper bed-in, which is the part people skip. Our bedding-in guide walks through it.
What to send us before you order
Your model year, trim, VIN, and what’s on the car now. That’s all we need to confirm fitment, and it’s worth the two-minute email. The carbon ceramic order form asks for the same details, so you can skip a step by having them ready.
Frequently asked questions
Will these fit my GT-R?
Each one is built as a direct replacement for the R35 brakes it’s listed for. The floating rotors are 390mm by 33mm at the front and 380mm by 30mm at the rear, and the NISMO discs are 410mm by 38mm at the front and 390mm by 32mm at the rear. Send us your model year, trim and VIN and we’ll confirm before you order.
How much does a GT-R brake upgrade cost?
It depends on the route. Floating iron rotors start at $1,291, and you choose your axle on the product page. The carbon ceramic conversion kit is $10,998 and includes pads. The NISMO carbon ceramic replacement discs are $11,998, with pads extra. GT-R pads for 2009 to 2014 cars are $345 for a front and rear set.
Is carbon ceramic worth it on a GT-R?
It depends on how you drive. If you track the car often and want the lightest setup, it can be. If you drive mostly on the street and want a better disc than stock, floating iron rotors get you there for far less.
Do I need new calipers for the carbon ceramic conversion?
No. The conversion kit is designed to work with your factory calipers, brake lines, ABS and stability control, with no modifications.
Do the discs come with pads?
The carbon ceramic conversion kit includes matching pads. The floating iron rotors and the NISMO carbon ceramic discs are sold without them. We sell pads for 2009 to 2014 GT-Rs, and for other model years you can email us for a recommendation.
Should I replace the pads when I replace the discs?
Yes. New pads on new discs bed together properly, and you avoid running worn pads against a fresh surface.
Will the NISMO replacement discs fit my car?
They’re listed for 2020 and newer GT-R NISMO models with the factory carbon ceramic (CCM) brakes. If you’re not sure what your car has, email us your VIN and we’ll check.
How long does delivery take?
The floating iron rotors take about 35 days, the carbon ceramic conversion kit about 45 days, and the NISMO carbon ceramic discs about 65 days.
What’s the warranty and return policy?
The discs carry a one-year, 36,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first) against manufacturer defects. Only unopened and unused rotors can be returned, with a 20% restocking fee plus shipping.
Do carbon ceramic discs need to be bedded in?
Yes. New carbon ceramic discs and pads should be bedded in properly before hard use, and we’ve written a full guide on how to do it.
How long do GT-R brake discs last?
There’s no single number. Hard driving and track use wear discs and pads faster than easy road driving. Go by measured thickness against the wear limit rather than mileage.
The bottom line
For most GT-R owners with iron discs, the floating rotors are the sensible Nissan GT-R R35 brake upgrade. If you want the full carbon ceramic setup, the conversion gets you there as a bolt-on. And if you’re on factory carbon ceramic, the NISMO replacement discs keep you on the same type of brake. Tell us what you drive and how you use it, and we’ll point you to the right one.
Questions? Email info@tritonmotorsportsusa.com or call +1-469-553-0077.
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