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240 SX Caliper swap question


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I have a question in which I need an answer quick! With the braided lines supplied in the Modern Motorsports 240SX/300ZX swap do you need to use teflon tape on the lines where they connect to the caliper? Those connections are a bit different than the traditional Z car connerctor that's why I ask.

 

Ross I would have emailed you directly but by now there should be a few of us that have done or are in the middle of this swap so I figured that I would get a faster answer here :-D I will probably be finished with my swap onto the 76 Z today. I will be going to pick up the 20" section of hard line in a few so maybe with some luck I will be driving the Z with the sweet disks in the rear on Christmas Eve!

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Doesnt brake fluid eat thru teflon?Not sure. I would put a dab of loctite on them and just lock em down like any other brake fitting, should be fine.

Im about to do this swap, just need to order the brackets and lines, pls tell us how you like it!!!!

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Seems to me brake fittings are hard enough at the best of times to get apart, even without loctite. I would not add "loctite" (of which there are a bazillion different types, for very different applications from thread locking, to sealing, to releasing, to...) to a brake line. Brake fluid does not eat teflon, which is why stainless braided brake lines have a core made from teflon.

 

Teflon tape is widely misused, and should only be used on a tapered thread. If the thread is doing the sealing for the fluid being transferred, then teflon tape is used. If the line seals in a different manner (flare, ferroule, etc) then all the threaded portion does is hold the parts together tightly, and they never are exposed to the fluid... hence teflon tape does nothing in that application.

 

I've yet to see a brake system use a tapered thread anywhere, instead using flares to seal, so teflon tape isn't needed.

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Instructions for my buddies master cylinder specifically said a dab of loctite to the threads. It isnt needed but they recommended it.

Thanx to my Datsuns, everytime I go to pop a fitting loose I buy spare hardline and proceed with the vicegrips and pliers, I havent yet been able to get one loose with a tube wrench.

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Here's a trick for brake line fittings. Get a cheap flare nut wrench, cut the end off, and grind some shallow grooves in the outside. Put that on the fitting, then grab it with the Vise Grips. The Vise Grips will prevent the end of the wrench from spreading. Works good.

 

Jon

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Thanks guys, I had to take a break from the job. I was getting to the point of being frustrated enough to through one of those massive 300ZX disks through the garage door.

 

Alot of busted dirty knuckles on this one fellas. That brake line that runs to the driver's side had me cussing trying to get that sucker off, but now she is off and my new 20" section is hooked up.

 

 

Back to work back to work!!!

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I'm also in the process on my rear disc conversion. Teflon tape nor locktite is going on the fittings, I have never used any of that on a brake system. There is sufficent clamping force and the connections should not leak or come loose if everything is as it should be. The swaping of sides on the emergency brake cables works like a charm. I had to cut 3/4 in off the spacer for the sway bar link and get a shorter bolt so that there would be no interference with the calipers ability to move as needed, other than that the kit from Ross is well thought out and is simple R&R. The challenge now is removing the stock proportioning valve and plumbing the wilwood adjustable bias valve. Does anyone know where to get a set of fittings that are male 1/8 27NPT and female inverted flare 10M X1.0? I'd post a pic but have not figured out how to do it...yet.

 

Rusty

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Teflon tape is widely misused' date=' and should only be used on a tapered thread. If the thread is doing the sealing for the fluid being transferred, then teflon tape is used. If the line seals in a different manner (flare, ferroule, etc) then all the threaded portion does is hold the parts together tightly, and they never are exposed to the fluid... hence teflon tape does nothing in that application.

[/quote']

 

Thank you Drax for pointing this up. I get so frustrated in my chosen profession, air conditioning, when I find over and over sealant on the threads of flare fittings and none on the flare itself. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to explain this to other techs only to get incredulous looks. This even happend while watching another tech do this and then the fitting leaked. When I explained why he just huffed and overtightened the fitting, permenantly swagging the schader core making it unserviceable. :x

More than once I have had apprentices tell me this is how the union taught them. (shaking my head in disgust)

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Well done! Did you modify, by-pass or eliminate the stock proportioning valve in your system? Did you upgrade to a 79-81 ZX master cylinder? Have you had a chance to try the car on the road with your new brakes?

 

The reason I ask is that I too recently completed a rear disc conversion, installed a ZX master cylinder but not yet solved the propotioning valve plumbing problem. The inverted flare union to mate the 2 male 10M X 1.0 lines for the front brakes was not a problem but I have not been able to find the 10M X 1.0 female inverted flare to a 1/8 27NPT fittings for the wilwood bias valve. I'm looking at having some custom lines made if I cannot locate the fittings.

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I used the stock parts already on the Z with the exception of the 280ZX booster and master cylinder. They were already on the Z when I started the conversion.

 

I did take my car for a spin and everything appeared to be fine. The e-brake works like a charm and by the way guys make sure you cross the e- brake lines in the back. This will make them the right length.

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Does anyone know where to get a set of fittings that are male 1/8 27NPT and female inverted flare 10M X1.0? I'd post a pic but have not figured out how to do it...yet.

Rusty

 

Same place that set you up with your satisfactory rear brake setup Rusty :)

http://www.modern-motorsports.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=53&PHPSESSID=4906a57aacfbc1a1d42d7a136f5179d1

 

As you know, it's not an easy solution and in the past many had to create their own custom flared lines to go from SAE to metric, this package makes it easy. Glad you got your install complete and working fine :) If you do the adjustable bias valve you'll have it all optimized :)

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