R32 GTR Front brakes on 280zx, a few questions.

[Guest nitr0]

I've nearly got all the peices for the conversion (i think) the GTR Calipers and Discs, Z31 Fronts Struts, New Z31 KYB Fronts strut inserts, New 280zx Front springs (all under $1000AU too , using original spring / strut top and braided hoses are on order awaiting measurements.

 

The Calipers have bolted on nicely and actually fitted over the 84-87 front discs without a problem, not sure if its centered but it fits. Swapping the hubs for 87-89 turbo which apparently you can bold the GTR discs directly on to - and i will find out monday when they arrive.

 

My question is - Will i need to upgrade the brake master cylinder / booster / brake bias adjuster? I'm thinking putting the 280zx front brakes on the back too but they look the same? is this the case?

 

Thank-you

[JaYaYsSoHN]

the stock brake master works just fine. alot of 240sx guys use 15/16 masters when they use the z32 calipers same as the skyline calipers so i dont see a problem. why would u use the stock front calipers in the rear? there is really no point.. how would u use your e brake??

[Guest nitr0]

Thanks Jayaysohn, I was going to install a hydraulic E-brake system on there so i could use it in dirt events / drifting, but only if it was worth it, my father had one in his RX3 he used to rally and said they're heaps of fun. Hmmmmm....

[tec280zx]

what year z31 strut housings are you using? I've tried ones off an 85 and ended up with way too much positive camber. I wonder if the later z31 is any different.

[JaYaYsSoHN]

so wouldnt u need vented rotors? i think it would be better and easier to use the z31 rear brakes and rotors..

[Guest nitr0]

Jayaysohn i honestly dont know too much about brakes, thats why i'm asking about them here, the rear isnt really an issue until I have the fronts working, they will have to be 5-lug with the same offset as the front - so probably Z31 300zx your right - unless I get the S13 subframe i've been eyeing off at work

 

tec280zx how much more pos camber are we talking about here? I havent received my 5-lug hubs yet so my projects waiting (since i posted first), but IF i get to work on time i'll get them from the workshop and have a look at why there would be pos camber problems. From what i remember you could almost used an shim style plate under the strut housing to change camber?

[David K]

I think tec means caster. Im awaiting some answers as well

[Guest nitr0]

What were the alignment specs? any pics?

[David K]

What were the alignment specs? any pics?

 

Pics in this thread somewhere

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=100768&highlight=300zx+lug

[tec280zx]

Both caster and camber are affected.

 

This is with the stock springs and z31 strut housings.

 

Even after I lowered it with tokico hp springs the camber is still positive. I even moved the LCA's out about 3/8" and its still not enough.

[David K]

I wonder if the front camber issue can be addressed with adjustable control arm bushings. I have a set from MSA, and would be willing to loan them out for testing purposes if you are interested Tec. You might also want to think about slotting the strut tower sheet metal and bring the top of the spring hat toward the engine a little bit.

[tec280zx]

David, how much adjustment can you get out of the msa bushings? Right now the car is on jackstands in the middle of a manual rack and pinion swap. Maybe i'll try slotting the stut tower to see if that helps Btw, heres a pic with it lowered w/tokicos and lca's moved out 3/8". If I could get a little more camber i'd be happy, otherwise I might swap the stock stuff back on.

 

[JMortensen]

The G Machine bushings are good for about 1º of camber change. You need some adjustable length control arms that are about an inch longer than stock, or you need to go back to the stock strut housing IMHO.

[David K]

You know what Brandon, the pic with the lowering springs and control arm moved out doesnt look that bad. In the first pic above, did you just drop it off the jackstands? I was also thinking about slotting the strut towers to bring the top of the strut assembly inward toward the engine as much as it needs to be for the face of the wheel to be at 90* angle with the ground. My old 77 race car had slotted strut towers, and that car saw a crapload of track time without any failures. If you slot the strut mounting holes, make sure you add a wider lock washer under the nuts so it wont slide through the new hole. Then hit up an alignment shop asap

[JMortensen]

You know what Brandon, the pic with the lowering springs and control arm moved out doesnt look that bad.

I kinda thought that those were not the same car or at least not the same struts. One picture is red, the other is primer. Different wheels too. If they are the same car then it looks OK, and maybe David's suggestion of slotting the towers would be enough. If they aren't then it's going to take something a little more extreme to fix the positive camber on the red car...

[tec280zx]

Yea its same car...about a month difference in time. I liked the look of my iron crosses over the z31 wheels and painted it flat black.

 

Anyways, I just finished up the manual rack swap and hit yet another bump in the road that will kill this swap. First off, in order to use the z31 strut housings you have to use z31 steering knuckles. The z31 steering knuckles angle in quite a bit requiring a lot of toe adjustment. This was no problem with my recirculating ball set up, the adjusting sleeve had a lot of room to play with. Well, after puting in the rack and pinion, it seems I don't have enough room to adjust the toe back out. Basically the tie rods are too long for the steering knuckles.

 

The toe is so far in its not even drivable. It looks like a retard humping a door knob.... Nitro, i'm not sure what year Z you have but it seems that unless you have recirculating ball steering, this swap won't work without alot more work.

[Guest nitr0]

OK I've had a look at the 2 different struts, and from what i can see, the Z31 stub axle is about an inch further foward compared to the 280zx ones, might be the castor problem. Still havent figured out the camber yet.

 

 

Edit : Hope is not lost...

[David K]

Basically the tie rods are too long for the steering knuckles.

 

What part of the tie rod is too long? Would it be the threaded part, or the smooth part/arm? If the threaded part is too long, you might be able to cut some length off and then screw it back in to the coupler.

 

OK I've had a look at the 2 different struts' date=' and from what i can see, the Z31 stub axle is about an inch further foward compared to the 280zx ones, might be the castor problem. Still havent figured out the camber yet.

 

 

Edit : Hope is not lost...[/quote']

 

Would you do us all a favor and see if there is a way to use the 280zx strut assembly with the 5 lug stuff from the z31, as well as using washers etc to fit the caliper in the correct position for the rotor? I just want to know exactly what can be swapped, or simply modded to swap.

[Guest nitr0]

 

Here is the GTR Calipers bolted onto the Z31 Struts, just spoke to Z-Worx and my 5 lug hubs (and bumper parts ) will arrive tomorrow. GF is in hospital so i dont know about getting them installed tomorrow too.

 

The difference between my conversion and tec280zx's, is i have just got the strut housing and not the lower ball joint / steering arm. I've just got the verniers onto my current strut housing and the distance between the bolts is different - so we have definately been looking at this from 2 different perspectives.

 

Without putting my car on the hoise (tonight after work) i wont be able to tell you exactly what i plan on doing, but it will probably involve fabricating a new steering knuckle that bolts onto the strut housing, as this is where the camber / castor / toe problems come into affect.

[tec280zx]

Good luck with the swap. If you're able to fabricate new steering knuckles then I think you'll be able to pull this off. The camber problem is due to the fact that the spindles on the strut housing are at different angles. I didn't measure to be exact, but I put them side by side and its pretty noticable. My only guess is that the z31 has its lca mounting points further apart.

 

What do you guys think of this brake kit for the 280zx? here