proportioning valve toyota front brakes MM rear discs

[zgeezer]

I'm at that stage where I'm replacing all my brake lines.  I have the Modern Motorsport rear disc brake kit.  I gutted the proportioning valve in the back [series 1 240z] and am about to replace the front brakes with the vented Toyota calipers.

 

This vehicle will be a daily driver... no race days... .  I understand that the front Toyota calipers simply "overpower" the rear discs and that using a proportioning valve on the back discs, simply does not balance front for back.  Is this imbalance a real safety issue or more of a track issue?

 

Does it make sense to use an adjustable proportioning valve on the front calipers?  Something like this.  Or am I better off just running the Front/Back circuits without any proportioning valve.

 

G

 

 

 

[Miles]

Been discussed many times. Do not put a proportioning valve on your front brakes.  That would be bad. You want the front brakes to lock first. 

 

There are many many posts dealing with the 240SX - Toyota 4x4 brake combination and complaints of it being unbalanced such that the rears do not keep up with the Toyota front calipers. A proportioning valve will not help the rears work better. Just spend more time in the brake section and you will see.

 

I had the 240SX - Toyota  setup for three years and, after experimenting with pad combinations, I replaced the  Toyota calipers with stock calipers. For a daily driver my 240Z w/SBC stops just fine.

 

You will not need a proportioning valve for the rear.

 

Just keep the front brakes stock and use some good street pads such as Hawk blues.

 

Opinion: return the MM 240SX kit and maintain your stock drums.  And BTW the 240SX calipers have there own set of problems (new out of the box leaking or sticking pistons - Napa & Cardone).

 

You will receive other opinions. Do more research before you cut off your drums.

[Nigel]

As mentioned, do NOT use a proportioning valve on the front brakes. A proportioning valve does not provide a fixed reduction in pressure across the entire range. The harder you push, the less brake force you'll have! 

 

You could go with the '88 4-Runner 4 cylinder calipers, which have two 43 mm pistons and two 34 mm pistons, instead of the V6 caliper which has all 4 pistons at 43mm. They both work with the same vented rotor. You'll have a better front/rear brake balance that wouldn't be that far off from stock, but still give you a bit of extra brake torque, and the benefits of a vented rotor.

 

The SX rear calipers aren't really suited for much more than stock front brakes, but they may be livable with the 4 cylinder 4-Runner calipers and the right pad combination.

 

Nigel