bjhines Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I have used stock 240Z brake calipers, Non vented Toyota calipers, Toyota Vented calipers w/ 84 300ZX rotors and spacers, and I am building a car that will have Willwoods installed. A little information on Race pad sizes and availability..... The stock 240Z calipers have a number of different options available for RACE brake pads.... I need not mention them all.... The early Toyota NON-vented type, bolt on calipers use a slightly SMALLER PAD than the later Toyota vented caliper set ups. There are several manufacturers of performance pads that fit the EARLY NON VENTED calipers... though they are not always in stock... Here is a comparison between the early VS late Toyota pad sizes... they are not interchangable... The later VENTED Toyota claipers work with the first year 1984 300ZX 4-lug rotors and a spacer... I had a little trouble finding readily available race pads for this set up... there are quite a few choices out there but they are rarely stocked... You can use the 1991-1996 300ZX pads in these S12W calipers... I actually think they fit better than the Toyota truck pads.... they also appear to have a little larger friction surface.... and the 300ZX pads use more of the outer edge of the rotor than the truck pads.. the truck pads leave 3/8" outer rotor edge untouched Here is a comparison between the 300ZX pad on the left and the Vented Toyota pad on the right... both of these pads will require a tiny amount of trimming in the areas near the wear squealer tabs... Here is a shot of the 300ZX pads with the squealer removed and the corners notched to allow fitment of the trimmed pad on the inboard side of the caliper... I know that the squealers usually mount on the outbaord side of the caliper... but in this situation the middle tab has clearance on the inboard side only... this arrangement involved the least trimming for fit... ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 A little extra info. Looking at Advance Auto Parts pictures, the 89 and the 92 forerunner both use S12W calipers. According to my EBC Master parts list, the 89 uses FMSI D436, which is 119x64x15mm 92 uses FMSI D502, which is 119x72x15mm The 300zx uses FMSI D647, which is 120x70x14mm SO the 89 has 7616 sq mm of pad surface The 92 pad has 8568 sq mm and the Z pad has 8400 sq mm. The 92 pad has the most surface area and is an extra 1mm thick. Interesting to see that they all interchange though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxjoeyxxeb Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Anybody know of some good pads for the S12+8 vented calipers? I just bought a pair loaded, but later on down the road will want better pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 are those overall backing plate measurements??? because it appears that the 300ZX has more actual pad area... 300ZX on left.. stock Toyota on right... Both are the same brand from Autozone. Here is a comparison of 2 different Toyota pads for the same vented caliper... The one on the left is Hawk HP+ for the Toyota application... The one on the right is off the shelf street from Autozone... I do have to trim the stock Toyota application pads to clear strut mount tabs on the inboard positions... As you can see... the Toyota race pad on the left has a smaller overall height than the untrimmed stock Toyota pad on the right... All of the pads have the same overall width and pin spacing.. this must be the same in order for them to work... I have had to file the edges of stock Toyota application pads in the past.. the paint and sheared lip made them too wide to fit easily.... You can see in the picture above that the race pads have more friction material than the Autozone pads... and the race pads place the material lower on the backing plate than the stock pads... It seems to me that you will get quite a bit a variation from one manufacturer to the next... disclaimer... some of the edge clearances in these pics are misleading.. the pictures are not always directly overhead... The comparison between the Hawk pads and the Autozone pads is accurate along the bottom edge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 Carbotech USA makes (has) pads to fit the early Toyota truck calipers... http://www.carbotecheng.com/prod-ct-compounds.htm toll free (877)-899-5024 Call them to order yours... specify make and year of your calipers... for the non vented pads... 1984 Toyota Four Runner would be the application. I have used their Panther Plus and XP9 compounds... they work very well but you will boil fluid and crack rotors if you drive it to it's fade point with race pads... I strongly suggest you add brake ducts... ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zed240au Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 when i first changed to hilux calipers the guy i dealt with at local speed shop recomend some carbon pads said they where to suit skyline GTR man they where awsome but the discs only lasted 1500 km with them in When i changed to another speed shop they looked up there pad book said the biggest area pad they could find was Land cruiser not sure on year but they fitted fine got them in feredo brand pads havent tried them yet but they fit fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I'm not sure if the measurements are for the backing plate or the pad. If its the plate, then I assume the pad size could change between manufacturers. On my 350z I always had to trim the backing plates with Hawk pads to fit the brembo brakes. Its one of the things I didn't like about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNeedForZ Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 Nice writeup, good to know. I have a pair of S12W(4 equally large pistons) not installed yet . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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