Toyota Caliper Hack!

[ozlime240z]

Hi All,

I've done some research into the Toyota Caliper swap and I've decided to go ahead with it.

I've sourced some calipers from the wreckers and done some measuring. I have standard Australian issue 260Z mags, I don't believe the US ever had these. But I would like to keep them and while they are 14" they curve away from the mounting surface enough that they should fit around the caliper.

However.... I've done some measuring, which was hard without removing the original Z caliper from the car, and a bit inaccurate due to not being able to get the measuring stick where I wanted it. I've got 11mm clearance on the mag from the original caliper, and the Toyota caliper seems about 10mm wider than the Z, that leaves 1mm. Maybe.

So my question to all you knowledgeable people out there, the Toyota caliper has a lump on the outside between the top and bottom piston housing, what does this lump do, can I grind it off? Can I even grind a little bit off? I'm sure someone out there has done it before. There is a picture attached showing the lump I want to modify (read remove or reduce).

Thanks in advance
OzLime240Z

[2ManyZs]

Before you do any grinding, you should do a test fit of the caliper on the mount. You will possibly need to shim the caliper to have it centered over the rotor. This may change your relationship to the wheel if you have to shim the rotor inward to center it over the rotor. You may find that after centering the caliper over the wheel you may not have any clearance issues to deal with.

I would not advise grinding on the caliper if at all possible. It may weaken the caliper as it looks to be a web support between the pistons or it may have a fluid port there to equalize the pressure between the pistons. Either way it could have disastrous results.

If you need only an extra millimeter or so to get the clearance you need, I would use a very thin wheel spacer. I'm not usually a fan of wheel spacers, but if they are kept to the absolute minimum, I see no reason not to use them especially on a street car. If you do use a wheel spacer, make sure you have good studs and the lug nuts have the proper thread contact, if a stock type nut does not thread down to a point where all the threads on the nut are used, I would advise using longer studs.

[Britt Boyette]

Tell me more about this swap! Which years and model are they from and what do you have to do to make them fit and work?

Thanks,
Britt Boyette

[sjcurtis]

I am not familliar with this particular calliper, but I have worked on braking systems for over 25 years ( multi-cilinder and multi- disk). If you have an exposed casting like that it usually houses the oil inlet a or balance port between the two cylinder to provide even pressure distribution. the reason for it being where it is, is cost and room. The manufacturer will only used enouh material over the port to cover pressure related failures +10% for regulations. please do not grind that lump off prior to an internal inspection behind both pistons to confirm it is only excess alloy. Grinding material from break systems components only ever becomes a problem when brakes are in very high use at high temp and you become become the news. Sorry about the sermon, but please move the calliper and the disk first.

Best of luck

Steve

[ozlime240z]

It's all good.

I got the, to fit without grinding.

for more information on this caliper upgrade goto:

http://www.zcluboftexas.org/brakes.html

OzLime240Z

[biker]

What Toyota 4WD did you get the calipers off (eg Fourrunner). We like to call our 4WD different things in Oz as opposed to USA.

Is there anymore floating around from where you got yours.

Be interested in costs and any other associated problems that you had.

[smg1404]

I did this conversion.... I used a slightly different caliper. I used the front from a '88 4runner 6 cly.. I had to add 1/8th inch spacers to make the caliper center with the disk.. the only other issue I had was I moved the mounting point on the strut for the break lines... They work great, I always have plenty of stopping power. I may add a proportioning valve some time, if I don't add rear disks first...

[ozlime240z]

Originally posted by biker
What Toyota 4WD did you get the calipers off (eg Fourrunner). We like to call our 4WD different things in Oz as opposed to USA.

Is there anymore floating around from where you got yours.

Be interested in costs and any other associated problems that you had.

In Australia they come off a 79-83 4WD Hilux. Must be the 4WD. They should have S-12 written on the side. Don't get the Wide ones off a 4 runner they have SW-12, and are for wider vented rotors. If you get the S-12 calipers no spacers etc will be needed, just bolt on.

Cost depends on how much else needs to be changed. I started the project because my rotors where shot, and the calipers looked like they could use a rebuild. My car is also going to be used in some sprint racing so good brakes are essential.

The calipers cost me $50 for the pair from a 4x4 wreckers at Redcliffe.

If they are a good set that's all you'll need. Unbolt the old caliper, modify the backing plate with a jig-saw. You need to cut about 1.5cms off each side, bolt the caliper on, reshape the brake lines and you are done.

Of course, if you really want to get serious, it will cost you more than that...... so here's what I did. All costs are is Australian Dollars, and included delivery etc if mail ordered. To convert to US dollars you pretty much just halve it.

Calipers - $50
Calipers totally re-built with new pistons, seals, bleeders etc to as new condition - $160ea ($320)
Replacement rotors - $150ea for slotted ones ($300)
New caliper pins, springs and lock clips - $45.
New wheel bearings and seals - $40
New flexible brake hoses - $60
New hard hoses that go to the calipers - $40
New Metal King DB288 Pads - $60
Added brake venting ports to Backing plates - $0

So If you add that up its - $915AU ($460US) for a totally new and upgraded front braking system with slotted rotors, big calipers and new hoses.

The cost of the calipers alone, which is all you need in most cases. $370AU..... totally rebuilt, as new, new pistons seals etc. And will bolt straight on. Sounds like allot, but if your Z calipers are in need of attention like mine where they will cost about $130ea ($260 total) to get rebuilt. So for an extra $110AU you can get the bigger calipers, and still have the Z ones as spares.

So what problems did I have... none... well OK... the only thing I found truly frustrating was shaping the hard brake line between the strut mount and the caliper. I got new ones and they where really really hard metal, not the normal hard brake line material and my father and I spent about an hour a side getting the fit right. If you re-use the old ones you still need to reshape them a bit as where the line goes into the caliper is different from the Z caliper.

I took some photos of things as I did the upgrade so I will post them if anyone would find that useful.

Hope all this info is useful, else I just wasted 20mins typing.
Seeya Round
OzLime240Z.

[halz]

So after all that you forgot the most important part: how good is your braking now?!?

[ozlime240z]

Originally posted by halz
So after all that you forgot the most important part: how good is your braking now?!?

Well, I only got it all back together last night. I Tightened everything up and bled the system. Every thing seemed good. Firm Pedal etc... So fired up the engine to get some vacuum in the master cyclinder boost. Still had a firm pedal. Put my bum in the back of the seat firmly and pushed really hard on the brake pedal, just to be sure.

And the bloody thing slowly dropped to the ground... Doh! Shut down and got out of the car. Couldn't find any leaks at all around any of the new parts at the front.. what's goin one? .... then, a saw a puddle of fluid at the back of the car, and sure enough, brake fluid. It apears there is now a pin hole leak in one of the rear flexy hoses. They where due to be replaced but I would have like to have at least taken the new fronts for a spin......

New lines for the back are now on order should have them tommorow, on tommorow night, and should be able to report on the brakes by thursday.

So in answer to the "What problems did you have with this upgrade?" I should have answered....

"Stupid friggin leaky back friggin... friggin brakes."

Why is it nothing ever works out easy.

OzLime240Z

to be continued...... [insert back to the future style music here]

[smg1404]

The spacing I did was only 1/8th" and was easy I found hardened washers that met the bill perfectly... My stopping power is now very good the brakes do not fade period.

[biker]

Many thanks for the quick and detailed response for the Oz info. Finally got up off the floor and back into the chair after reading the costs involved though.

[smg1404]

I spent about $250.00 , that includes 80.00 for cores I bought online. and the rest for rebuilt calipers and misc parts from the local auto parts store.



My daughter wanted to see the bunny

[ozlime240z]

Originally posted by smg1404
I spent about $250.00 , that includes 80.00 for cores I bought online. and the rest for rebuilt calipers and misc parts from the local auto parts store.

That's $250US I assume, and I assume that you didn't replace the rotors. $250US is about $500 Australian.

If I where to have only changed the calipers with as new rebuilt calipers it would have cost me $185US, or $370 Australian.

That's all most people would need to replace.

Sorry, I'm just trying to keep this Thread in Australian Dollars as it is Australian People asking me the questions.

biker
Many thanks for the quick and detailed response for the Oz info. Finally got up off the floor and back into the chair after reading the costs involved though.

Good brakes aren't cheap. But they are the most important part of the car. With the Z calipers and standard rotors my brake pedal was on the floor after 6 Laps of Queensland raceway. I could pull away from a WRX down the straight but he'd get me on the turns because my brakes where shot.

L28, Ported head, Triple Delhortos, goes quick but wouldn't stop. Now hopefully it will.

Chris (biker) are you going to Noosa Hill Climb? I'll be there as a spectator as I haven't joined a CAMS club yet. I think I'll join HRCC. I've spoken to a few of there members at the Triumph Car Club sprints at QLD racway a month or so ago and they seem pretty cool. I just need to get to a meeting.

OzLime240Z

[Britt Boyette]

As I'm only going to use this car for racing in Solo 2, this swap might not be nessasary. If your brakes were good for 6 hot laps at Queensland Raceway, they should be good for a minute or two of Autocross action with really good pads. What do you think?

Britt Boyette

[ozlime240z]

It's all good.

I got the rear brakes back together, re-bled everything and took her for a spin. Drove pretty easy to bed the new rotor, and pads in but everything seems pretty good. Despite what some people say it would seem you don't need to replace the master cylinder as I don't think it moves any further than it did before. And the pedal is hard, not at all squishy.

When you look at the old Z caliper and the Toyota Caliper sitting on the ground, out of the car, the capacity of the two pistons on the Toyota looks only slightly larger the capacity of the one on the Z caliper. So it stands to reason that the pedal should stay about the same. Which it has.

This weekend there is a public drive on out at QLD raceway so I will take her out on the track and see how good they really are.

OzLime240Z