Mike C Posted August 3, 2001 Share Posted August 3, 2001 Bought a complete 83 Maxima rear disc setup this morning. Both caliper brackets, calipers and rotors. $65 for the setup seemed fair although I'm sure the calipers will need a rebuild and am not sure if rotors will turn or not. Anything I need to be aware of doing this conversion? It is for my '72 240 but I think I will rebuild the rear struts from my '75 parts car and install all brake parts on that and then swap the assembly into my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 3, 2001 Share Posted August 3, 2001 I don't know if the calipers are the same as the ZX calipers but I vaguely remember having to swap left for right in order to mount them correctly. Other than that, all you have to do is figure out the e-brake. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted August 4, 2001 Author Share Posted August 4, 2001 Thanks. I have the parts now, but I was under the impression that the maxima brackets boted on. Hmmm. These are welded to the blankety blank lower control arm. Anyhow, I own the whole shootin' match now. Do all of the maximas have cv shafts or are they u-joints? The one my parts were off of were cv. I think I'll try and see if the Maxima cv halfshaft flanges will work with the ZX half shafts and the 240 stub axles? I'm going to try and detach these brackets with my hot wrench and a grinder. Hopefully I haven't poured my hard earned $ down a gopher hole. Anybody offer me more tips on this? Thanks, mc [ August 03, 2001: Message edited by: Mike C ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Welded on...word is there are two types of this bracket. The welded on and the bolted on, which I have from an '83 Max. I guess you could cut these off but I think your choice of calipers and rotors are limited, other than the Maxima ones. Seems like the Max brackets would be like the JCR ones which Mike Kelley had before? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Hrm, the "bolt-on" brackets are supposed to be as rare as hen's teeth - this is why Ross is going to have a CNC shop MAKe the brackets instead. You may end up wanting to contact Ross. If you search on Maxima I think you'll find many frustrated posts about this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted August 4, 2001 Author Share Posted August 4, 2001 Hmm. For 2 years I've heard snippets about this setup, and not once had anyone said anything about weld on brackets. I'll still try and get them apart. I was under the impression that just finding the maxima setup was the hard part and not a particular one. Oh well $100 down the tube maybe? Anybody know if the CV adapter will work? Uncharted territoy as usual... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scca Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 the weld on brackets are DIFFERENT.... they are closer to flat they are not a big stepped bracket like the correct maxima one is..... i have ONE pair of new maxima brackets here $150 pr....(new in nissan boxes) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted August 4, 2001 Share Posted August 4, 2001 Do a search here on Maxima - you'll find Mike and others have really tried hard to find the bolt-on brackets. I'm not sure where you looked but the trials of several people trying to find the brackets are documented here. There are also several other rear disk options here with everything from weld-on tabs to CNC cut custom brackets using bilet calipers. You've got options... P.S. That $100 for the calipers is pretty good IMO. Even if they just end up being cores for rebuilt inits you're probably bux ahead of the game so don't feel too bad. [ August 04, 2001: Message edited by: BLKMGK ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Just to let u guys know. 81' Maxima is a Datsun car (instead of nissan on the trunk) this year used the same calipers from a 79' 280zx. 82' maxima (now nissan on the truck) used the 80'-83' rear caliper. these two yrs of maxima both have the bolt on caliper! the difference is the 81' bracket has a wider and longer bolt patern for the 79' caliper and deep rotor. the 82' used the later model zx calipers and shallow rotors. these brakets too are bolt on. 83' maxima (nissan on trunk) have welded brakets. the bolt on style is not hard to find, u just have to know what to look for. but they are hard to remove. i went out to only one yard and found two datsun maximas with bolt on's. don't tell me they are hard to find! IMO most of the older farts on this site have great guts, but are far to proud to hunt in the yard for the goods, but thats IMO. didn't mean to hurt any feelings... as for the diff swap... me too! i just stuck with the r200 u-joints (with upgrades) and shafts (fit like a glove). IMO they will last longer and take more abuse. if cv is so good, why is it not used on the drive shaft? write me and i'll fill u in with the details, or we can chat on the phone nbucholz@imageworksarch.com (916)631-0391 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 LOL, I'll admit I've nto spent time in the yards but I know that at least a few folks here have spent QUITE a bit of time in yards looking for thos esuckers. Knowing th epossible years - exectly - that these are supposed to have been used on will sure help. I've heard all sorts of different stories on which is the magic year both here and on Zcar! I think I liek th eones Mike made for me but an E-brake sure will be nice when that's done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 "I just stuck with the r200 u-joints...if cv is so good, why is it not used on the drive shaft? " negligible angularity on your driveshaft vs. your halfshafts which are involved in suspension travel/greater angularity etc... HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 quoteIMO most of the older farts on this site have great guts, but are far to proud to hunt in the yard for the goods, but thats IMO Not sure why you would make a statement like that. I probably cannot speak for all the old farts on this forum , but I personally bought mine from Nissan after probably spending the same amount of money in gas and tolls scrounging every junkyard in Central Florida. Wont even mention time and busted knuckles to jack up rusted-out Maximas with flats to check the brakes. My advice to everyone looking to do this swap is to spend the $90-100 and get them from Nissan and not waste your time searching junkyards for them. I have yet to hear someone pin down the exact year Maxima. I sometimes think folks do not understand and appreciate how inexpensive it is for us to do a disc brake conversion compared to other cars. [ August 09, 2001: Message edited by: Scottie-GNZ ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Bleah, the CNC brackets going on with the grup buy are probably easier Scottie. Depending on what dealer you talk to that brack is unubtanium from them too Ross and Mike's bracket looks to fix that... Considering some of the truly whacky parts cobos folks around here come up with I'd say that some have spent TOO much time in the junkyards. Supra brakes? AMC halfshafts? Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromio Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Second that. Also, brackets are one thing, but then there's the calipers. As Terry O has pointed out, the slip piston design is prone to sticking. Mine certainly seem to be stuck - hell I took mine apart (they looked great BTW), soaked them in solvent for a week and didn't even see that the piston was a 2 piece thing! IOWs, salvage yard 280ZX rear calipers are gonna be good only as cores, and rebuilt units are very pricey. Ross C's setup looks like the whole sombrero. And Nic, you may be right about the brackets being findable in Cali, but I doubt there are any at all on the east coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Hey guys/ gals. i didn't mean to frill any feathers. It is just that on my first day out I found two brakets (which i have) in about two hours, for less than $50. Just to let you know the braket from the 82' maxima (or the 82-3' 280zx) will fit a 90-up' 300zx rear caliper. of course you would need to modify a vented rotor. but the hurdel will hit much further down the road. As for the cv/u-joint topic. the multi-dimensional travel is a very good point. so is there a limiting angular factor to the rotational geo. of the half shafts? do u have any specs. to help me understand the tolerances of the cv's? also what is the stress level diffrences? and why didn't chev. use them on the vettes? what does porche use? . so many questions...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 "As for the cv/u-joint topic...why didn't chev. use them on the vettes?" Nissan/Datsun's require telescoping halfshafts, Vettes actually use the halfshaft as a structural susp. pieceA-arm (ie. it's got large U-joints/fixed length) so have no need to telescope. It's the telescoping issue that stops many from bolting in a vetteb IRS as the skill of marrying halfshafts/custom ones is beyond the typical DIY fabricator/modifier looking to do it cheaply. Grayzee: to know how much you can gain by a mod I've found it's best to experience the next closest thing in another car...any car with that system as strong suit of the car...I rode in a 928S modified porsche at an autox a few years ago and loved it all and thought/yeah this is my car in fuction EXCEPT for the brakes/this cars unreal! I swore every corner he took I thought he was going to blow thru it...NOW I have a step up on him (ignoring his ABS & driver skill ) Autox's/lapping days etc are great places to ride with as many other drivers/cars as you can & can give you a great concept of what you'd enjoy for your own ride. Our BCZR event on Sept. 8/9 in Vancouver has an autox on the Saturday held on a local airport runway that's quite a safe and fun area...great time for rides...British Columbia Z Registry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Looking at everything, I think Ross's new setup is superior to the old maxima bracket anyway. 240sx rears, and a bolt on bracket that doesn't require dissasembly of the rear end to put it on. I looked for the old maxima stuff up here a while ago and had ZERO luck. Its just not worth the hassle when there is another option that is the same price and easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted August 10, 2001 Author Share Posted August 10, 2001 Gray Zee, You are in luck as you can swap the easily found welded bracket control arms in your car and TADA, you've got 'em! I want discs for aesthetic reasons as much as anything. I have heard that switching to cast iron drums makes a big difference in braking performance with a minimum of cost and trouble. Their are definitely gains in changing both ends. Vented discs and the ZX or Toy 4x4 calipers in front and solid discs in back. Ross' bracket and 11+ inch rotors seem to be the best deal to me as well now. (I have sent my $!) It also seems to be keeping with the trend of newer sports cars like the camaro and 'vette where the rear discs are actually larger than the fronts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 I swear I pulled my brackets off an '83. I looked and looked at so many '81s and for the heck of it just looked at and '83 and found them! One day someone will sort all this info out... I found 2 1983's side by side but didn't have time to pull the second set cuz it was already starting to drizzle. Plus the yard I was at was 2 hours away from my house. Just go with the group buy and then the Nissan units as a second chance, it's really not worth it. So what's about a 300ZX caliper fitting these brackets? I'm always listening for new info! Someone point me to a thread or something. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twentyfourouncer Posted August 11, 2001 Share Posted August 11, 2001 Hi there, My first message to the forum, and since this was a topic that I have gone through some pains with I thought I would share. I have looked through many a picknpull for these brackets and haven't found a one. I have however found that there are both welded on AND bolted on brackets that will NOT work. I finally got mine from nissanautoparts.com for about $40 a piece brand new. It took them a while at first, but if you tell them that you own a Maxima and you can't drive it because you need this part, they will put through a special order called a VOR (vehicle off road) which is the highest priority and you will usually get any part within 1-2 days. Somehow they find these parts that even Japan doesn't have. Just my 2¢. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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