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Help! What brake options are available for S30 Z cars?


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I have been trying to find some answers as to what needs to be done to run the 280ZX calipers in the front of my 72 240Z? It seems like I read a thread on this before however I cannot find it. If I remember correctly the 280ZX calipers bolt right on then you use a 300ZX rotor that has to be machined to decrease its diameter.

This to me seems like a much better solution for me than using the heavy truck calipers.

I hope I am right on this also by using the rear 280ZX brakes you can use the 280ZX master cylinder as well as the proportioning valve. Allowing for better brake balance. This setup should be good for a car with appx 250HP

Any help on this would be appreciated

 

Take a look at Terry Oxandales great article here http://www.zhome.com/rnt/FordPower/BrakeUpdate.html

 

And this article http://240z.jeromio.com/brakes.html

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everyone. I just did a short search and came up with nothing, I am looking for blueprints for the rear caliper mounting bracket. If anyone has Machined these themselves and is willing to share, I'd be forever grateful. If not, I guess it's me and my Vernier :mrgreen::mrgreen: - I will of course still measure things up I am just curious to see what's available.

 

Thanks to everyone...:burnout:

 

Tim

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which caliper are you talking about?

 

I was considering the 240sx caliper however, if you've got a better suggestion I am all ears. Basically I am planning this part of the conversion and it seems the mounting bracket is the main fabrication so I figured I would deal with it first. As I understand it there are a multitude of calipers that can be used?? Am I on the right track to be thinking 240SX?

 

Thanks a lot for you reply!

 

T

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it depends on what you have in the front. if your front is going to be stock then you should use the maxima or 240sx caliper. what do you plan on running in the front?

 

Well I was thinking (:wc:) I would like to run the Toyota 4X4 4 piston. Currently I have the stock however the car is on stands and about 80% along the way to paint etc. So it's no big whoop really. Why does it matter what I am running up front anyway and forgive me if the answer is obvious, I just finished drywalling upstairs; a job straight from hell in this case. :flamedevi:mrgreen::mrgreen: Exhaustion is my middle name...

 

T

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The more brake you have up front, the more you need in the back. In fact, you really want to land up with the rears locking up a little before the fronts, so that you can then tune that out with an adjustable prop valve ultimately resulting in the fronts locking up first. I went with the Toyota 4x4 vented up front and 240sx in the rears and the only way I was able to get enough braking in the rear was to go with a pad material in the rear with a higher coefficient of friction than the front.

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The more brake you have up front, the more you need in the back. In fact, you really want to land up with the rears locking up a little before the fronts, so that you can then tune that out with an adjustable prop valve ultimately resulting in the fronts locking up first. I went with the Toyota 4x4 vented up front and 240sx in the rears and the only way I was able to get enough braking in the rear was to go with a pad material in the rear with a higher coefficient of friction than the front.

 

wow, sounds like an unnecessary pain in the rear, pardon the pun. :mrgreen:

 

What if I went with the 280zx rears mounted on opposite sides...? Would that help simplify things?

 

Again, if people have a blue print I would greatly appreciate it. However, starting to look like I am on my own here and will be drawing my own...oh well, worth a try.

 

t

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What if I went with the 280zx rears mounted on opposite sides...? Would that help simplify things?
It might simplify things, but I don't think you'll have enough rear brake bias as the rotors for the 280zx rears are smaller in diameter than the 240sx.

 

I can't help you with bracket drawings as I bought mine from Ross at Modern Motorsports. Everything bolted on as expected.

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wow, sounds like an unnecessary pain in the rear, pardon the pun. :mrgreen:

 

What if I went with the 280zx rears mounted on opposite sides...? Would that help simplify things?

 

Again, if people have a blue print I would greatly appreciate it. However, starting to look like I am on my own here and will be drawing my own...oh well, worth a try.

 

t

 

I would not recommend using S12W calipers. Use S12+8 instead. They have less piston area and will be a better balance for the rear brakes.

 

280ZX rear brakes won't be as much of an upgrade as the 300ZX rears. Z31 rotors have a larger diameter which means more leverage.

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I would not recommend using S12W calipers. Use S12+8 instead. They have less piston area and will be a better balance for the rear brakes.
Just keep in mind that there are very few performance brake pads available for the S12+8 caliper. With the S12W, you can use 300ZX pads and grind off the tab. This opens up a lot of choices for track pads that don't exist for the S12+8. (Remember, these calipers came from a Toyota 4x4 truck and the pad materials available reflect that.)
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Just keep in mind that there are very few performance brake pads available for the S12+8 caliper. With the S12W, you can use 300ZX pads and grind off the tab. This opens up a lot of choices for track pads that don't exist for the S12+8. (Remember, these calipers came from a Toyota 4x4 truck and the pad materials available reflect that.)

 

You can still get Porterfield R4-S and R-4.

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All of this brake upgrade talk is fantastic, but I have one question: You speak of Z31 conversions, but I was really fond of the brakes on my Z32. Does anyone know if it is possible to run Z32 stopping power? How about the diff? Sorry, I'm all Z32, and now it's time to learn for my 260Z.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have a complete brake set from a 350z( calipers, lines, rotors) I tried searching if anyone has ever put this setup on an S30. I have seen a couple of members cars with the orange brembo caliper setup, but not the stock oem 350z setup. I know it can be done, but do you guys think it is cheaper to just buy the toyota calipers or have 350z brakes fabricated to install on my 280z? Anyone with any suggestions or opinions please help. And if anyone knows someone who can do this swap in LA area let me know. Thanks in advance.

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