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280ZX brake options.


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I am considering a few options and need some more info before i make my decision. And yes i have searched, both here and on the net.

 

What is the front rotor size of a Z32?

 

the options i am considering are either a Z31 hub + brake conversion, then upgrade to Z32 brakes on the front, which i believe is easy once you have the Z31 hubs, am i right?.

 

or a kit from hopperstoppers over here in OZ that will give me 300x28mm rotors and twin piston PBR calipers. this kit includes new slotted (DBA) rotors, calipers, pads, hubs, bearings, seals, grease caps, brackets, spacers and hoses all totally bolt on with no mods.

 

either way i will be doing a Z31 rear brake swap and end up with 5 lug wheels all around.

 

i will also be getting a 1" master cylinder that is bolt on and SS braided lines.

 

which option do you think i would be better off going with?

 

Cheers for any input you have.

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...What is the front rotor size of a Z32?...

 

I can only inform you about the USA version of the Z32. The Z32 rotor came in two different thicknesses:

 

Diameter = 280mm

Thickness = 26mm (1990 non-turbo)

Thickness = 30mm (1990 turbo, 1991-96 turbo and non-turbo)

 

...the options i am considering are either a Z31 hub + brake conversion, then upgrade to Z32 brakes on the front, which i believe is easy once you have the Z31 hubs, am i right?. ...

 

Only if you get the 1989 Z31 hub. The Z32 rotors will only fit on the 1989 Z31 hub. This is the standard modern “rotor-on-the-hat” design (rotor is placed over the wheel studs). The 1984-88 Z31 hubs are a different design and the rotor is attached to the inner surface of the hub (like on the S30 and S130).

 

Even then, you will have a problem finding a caliper that will fit on the ZX strut that will work with the Z32 rotor. The caliper mounting holes have a spacing of 3.5 inches like the S30, but the there are no threads in the caliper mounting holes on the strut so you can’t use the Toyota calipers on the ZX. The Z32 caliper mounting holes have a wider spacing.

 

I looked into an “easy” front brake upgrade for the ZX a few years ago but I was unsuccessful.

 

...or a kit from hopperstoppers over here in OZ that will give me 300x28mm rotors and twin piston PBR calipers. this kit includes new slotted (DBA) rotors, calipers, pads, hubs, bearings, seals, grease caps, brackets, spacers and hoses all totally bolt on with no mods.

 

If someone already has a “bolt-on” kit, then I would recommend going that route.

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cheers for the input. that is exactly the sort of response i was looking for.

 

looks like it will be Z31 rears and hopperstoppers front with 300mm rotors.

 

 

 

100_1356.JPG

 

See the diffrence !!!

Next is adding some progressive lowering .. but i had to test first!! well it works !

 

100_1360.JPG

 

i know that black goo on the innerfender !! we need that in holland

 

these will be the wheels on her .. but i have to buy some new lugnuts :(

 

100_1357.JPG

 

100_1370.JPG

 

100_1359.JPG

 

When you use the z31 plates .. no problems ... ( well apart from the fact that your wheels stand like this / )

The lower ones are the stock s130's

 

And i put new boots on the balljoints.. ( not on in the picture it was a test fit)

 

Anyway the z31 in holland of a 2+2 turbo are 32cm Not the 30 of the twin you see in the US.

 

I used the uppermount of a stock set up spaced on the perches of the z31.

I did it using parts from 3 models of z' s130 z31 z31 type two, and a 1,5" lowering spring ..

now haha i have 16" 5 lugs upfront and 15" 4 lugs in the rear :(

 

Normal car's negative camber is something between 0.5 and 2 degrees. and i would like to be in the 2/3 degree region, for progressive street use/track events to be hounest .. from the size of the springs a camberplate is not going to do much ( it IS tight as prom night !!)

 

My camber now is -1 degree .. not what i like however good for now .. a controllable a arm will take this problem away.

Next is coil over set up to free some space for camber control.

 

Anyway from what i heard r32 4 pistons work well with the z31 set up.

 

Hope this helps ..

The rears are being done as we speak, and im fiddling around with some diffrent spring ideas for the front.. however it is quite easy done

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i am looking forward to seeing what you do with the rears.

I have already decided on my fronts, i will be going with the hopper stoppers kit.

 

I will also be setting up coilovers in it form an S13, which is going to happen first.

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from what i what i hear, the rears are a hub swap.. im removing them from the z31's a arms now, and then it is measuring time, coilovers will happen for me too, or i will use a set of s14 springs i have to go with the koni adjustables that are in there now.

i would have to weld on the perches of the s14, but it would save me some cash for now .. as i first want to see if this set up brings anything ( get some miles on it!)

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  • 5 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Hey frank,

 

Man i beat around the bush with this conversion months ago and didnt wanna continue with it because the camber and caster issues. Are you saying with the parts in your pictures, you converted to 5 lug with no other issues than negative camber? I have these adjustable camber bushings ive never used, do you think that would correct it? http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/PSDC07A

 

If thats about it, ill finish this conversion, i have like half the parts already.

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Well today i finished the rear hubs it is a direct swap you need to run the z31 cv's though. Good part is that apart from the hubs being a direct swap, so are the bearings, brake disk ( 88 vented) and calipers!! Get this NO fabbing!!

 

this information i found in the archives and found very helpfull, i remeasured this and it is correct information:

 

Note that because the Z31 stub axle is tapered, use the Z31 'B' piece (bearing spacer) as the Z31 'B' spacer is the same length (55.95mm) as the ZX 'M' spacer. If your 280ZX rear lower control arm housing needs the “N” length spacer (55.85mm) use the corresponding Z31 “A” spacer and if you require the “P” length spacer (56.05mm) use the corresponding Z31 “C” spacer.

 

This opens up a lot of possibilities for 280ZX applications as the Z31 stub axle came in three different varieties: a four-lug hub, a five-lug hub and a five-lug hub that used a vented rotor (which has a thicker wheel mounting flange). Utilizing either the turbo or the non-turbo Z31 companion flange you can use either the ZX CV axles (3 bearing joint) or the stronger Z31 turbo CV axles (with the 5 bearing joint).

 

Strange but I noticed that the diameter of the ZX stub axle is actually smaller (30mm vs. 32mm) than the first generation 1970-78 Z cars. The Z31 stub axle starts out at a 30mm diameter but then it tapers out to a diameter of 35mm where the wheel flange is. Nice upgrade.

 

( you need to run a brake line from a zx the z31 is to short to reach the hard line)

As i widened my track in the front ( read why below) .

The 16" 8j rims in are now still 40MM to the fender i will use a 30MM spacer in the rear to let it fill out the fenders. and to widen the track there.

 

 

What i did is lengthen my 'control' arm with 30MM this is enough to get camber control without your car camber plates being maxed out to either side.

with a stock arm you do not get enough camber.

Given if i would put allot of miles on her i would go for 25MM.

 

So yeah these parts, two 25 or 30 MM spacers. camber plates, lowering springs (or coilovers) and 30 mm extension of the Control arm arm.

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  • 1 year later...
Well today i finished the rear hubs it is a direct swap you need to run the z31 cv's though. Good part is that apart from the hubs being a direct swap, so are the bearings, brake disk ( 88 vented) and calipers!! Get this NO fabbing!!

 

this information i found in the archives and found very helpfull, i remeasured this and it is correct information:

 

Note that because the Z31 stub axle is tapered, use the Z31 'B' piece (bearing spacer) as the Z31 'B' spacer is the same length (55.95mm) as the ZX 'M' spacer. If your 280ZX rear lower control arm housing needs the “N†length spacer (55.85mm) use the corresponding Z31 “A†spacer and if you require the “P†length spacer (56.05mm) use the corresponding Z31 “C†spacer.

 

This opens up a lot of possibilities for 280ZX applications as the Z31 stub axle came in three different varieties: a four-lug hub, a five-lug hub and a five-lug hub that used a vented rotor (which has a thicker wheel mounting flange). Utilizing either the turbo or the non-turbo Z31 companion flange you can use either the ZX CV axles (3 bearing joint) or the stronger Z31 turbo CV axles (with the 5 bearing joint).

 

Strange but I noticed that the diameter of the ZX stub axle is actually smaller (30mm vs. 32mm) than the first generation 1970-78 Z cars. The Z31 stub axle starts out at a 30mm diameter but then it tapers out to a diameter of 35mm where the wheel flange is. Nice upgrade.

 

( you need to run a brake line from a zx the z31 is to short to reach the hard line)

As i widened my track in the front ( read why below) .

The 16" 8j rims in are now still 40MM to the fender i will use a 30MM spacer in the rear to let it fill out the fenders. and to widen the track there.

 

 

What i did is lengthen my 'control' arm with 30MM this is enough to get camber control without your car camber plates being maxed out to either side.

with a stock arm you do not get enough camber.

Given if i would put allot of miles on her i would go for 25MM.

 

So yeah these parts, two 25 or 30 MM spacers. camber plates, lowering springs (or coilovers) and 30 mm extension of the Control arm arm.

 

I have a set of z31 rear brakes (from an 88, vented) and my calipers don't line up at all. Does anybody have any pictures of this no fab swap? I must have the wrong calipers or something. Any help or insight is appreciated.

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So if I get a set of later Lower contol arms will they bolt onto my s130?

 

Yes they will. Only difference is the brake caliper mount. But it is easier to just swap out the entire rear suspension crossmember with the lower control arms.

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But it is easier to just swap out the entire rear suspension crossmember with the lower control arms.

 

No its not. If hes just swapping the control arms, thats all he has to do. He can replace the bushings while hes in there as well. Swapping the entire rear suspension crossmember requires removing the diff, suspension, sway bar, etc etc etc big pain in the butt just to change the control arms.

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No its not. If hes just swapping the control arms, thats all he has to do. He can replace the bushings while hes in there as well. Swapping the entire rear suspension crossmember requires removing the diff, suspension, sway bar, etc etc etc big pain in the butt just to change the control arms.

 

Well I doubt you will find a junk yard just willing to sell the lower control arms. They are more willing to sell the entire rear suspension clip.

 

The differential does not have to be removed. You unbolt it from the suspension crossmember and let it hang from its rear mount.

 

The rear sway is attached to the crossmember and the control arms. So it comes off when you drop the entire rear suspension clip. No need to remove it separately.

 

Remember, we are talking about a 280ZX here….

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