5 lug swap in progress....

[nightsauce]

well I finally got to installing my 5 lug/z32 brake upgrade...

I fully rebuilt the front calipers, but I have a small problem. me and a friend only installed the front set of calipers/hubs and I'm noticing that the brake pedal is mushy. We bled the front brakes and it is still mushy.

Question 1: Would the brake imbalance somehow, someway cause the pedal to be all crappy?

I didnt change the brake master cylinder yet to the z32 one yet. I also read somewhere that people upgrade the brake booster. I would like to hear experiences with other brake boosters.

some teaser pics :]

(and yes the treads are backwards in the second picture. it was a test fit)

[Didderson]

Yeah, you'll have to change the BMC before you drive it. When I changed to J30 brakes the pedal feel was about time to change the MC to something bigger. I don't think your stock one will even depress the pads fully when it hits the floor pan!Awesome awesome parts man.

[nightsauce]

Yeah, you'll have to change the BMC before you drive it. When I changed to J30 brakes the pedal feel was about time to change the MC to something bigger. I don't think your stock one will even depress the pads fully when it hits the floor pan!Awesome awesome parts man.

Yea i kinda figured. Gonna finish it today. Thanks took me some time to get everything =]

[nightsauce]

ok now im in a pickle...

i installed the fronts and drove with 5 lug fronts and 4 lug rears. Then i installed the rear brakes (PITA btw) and now i have no brake pedal. Bleeding the brakes is funny. The rears get good flow and the fronts get a ton of air. I have yet to install the z32 brake MC. Still have the stocker in there. I also get air bubbles in the brake MC. I was thinkin I blew the brake MC, but wasnt sure.

[Clawhammer]

Bleed bleed bleed. And think about it. Your stock BMC pushed 4 pistons. With front and rear z32 brakes it's now pushing 12 pistons. Welcome to mushy pedal, population: you!

[OutToWinPAHC]

Hmm I dont see backing plates in those pics

[Ekinchheng]

I don't think you need to change the brake master cylinder. When I did my conversion 5 lug front with rebuild z brakes it brakes good and fast. It brakes fine and its sensitive. Later within the week i did the rear and everything was good, no need to change booster or master, I think its the way you bleed the brakes. I had a air bleeder at my shop so it makes my job way easier.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Mine are still skwishy and they have been bled a number of times. I think its due to my cam. I even got a reserve canister on it. But at idle they aren't so great but over 1100RPM they feel great.

[nightsauce]

Bleed bleed bleed. And think about it. Your stock BMC pushed 4 pistons. With front and rear z32 brakes it's now pushing 12 pistons. Welcome to mushy pedal, population: you!

I've bled it numerous times. The rears bleed like normal brakes should and the fronts get a mixture of air and fluid, never a steady stream. I believe i have a leak in the stock brake MC anyway because the paint was coming off the brake booster.

Hmm I dont see backing plates in those pics

Not gonna be installed yet :|

I don't think you need to change the brake master cylinder. When I did my conversion 5 lug front with rebuild z brakes it brakes good and fast. It brakes fine and its sensitive. Later within the week i did the rear and everything was good, no need to change booster or master, I think its the way you bleed the brakes. I had a air bleeder at my shop so it makes my job way easier.

I bled the brakes with one person in the car and me loosening/tightening the bleeder screw. Got a steady stream then hold then boom.

My thing is I dont know how the rear get fluid and the fronts get air when the fronts were working before. All lines are tightened and whatnot. Could a leak in the rear brake seals cause a problem in the front? I rebuilt the front calipers myself and didnt touch the rears.

[Ekinchheng]

Why won't you rebuild the rear calipers too? When I did mines I had rebuild calipers all around. When you bleen it make sure you do it criss cross, like rotating tires.

[tctomasc]

When you bleen it make sure you do it criss cross, like rotating tires.

WHAT????

Do NOT do that.

Bleed farthest from the mc first and get closer with each one. so rr, lr, fr, fl

[nightsauce]

Ekinchheng....ninja edit huh lol
Modified by nightsauce at 11:37 PM 3/13/2009

[nightsauce]

Why won't you rebuild the rear calipers too? When I did mines I had rebuild calipers all around. When you bleen it make sure you do it criss cross, like rotating tires.

Are the seals the same as the front? Nissan doesnt make the rear rebuild kit anymore.

[mksue3240sx]

I did the 5 lug with j30 brakes. I did not rebuild anything and used my old master. Works awesome. You must have some messed up front calipers. I am guessing your rebuild did not take.

[nightsauce]

I did the 5 lug with j30 brakes. I did not rebuild anything and used my old master. Works awesome. You must have some messed up front calipers. I am guessing your rebuild did not take.

the fronts held when initially installed. then when i installed the rear the front got a ton of air.

[mksue3240sx]

Try pinching off your rear brake line and see if your pedal comes up. If it does the problems in the back.

[nightsauce]

Try pinching off your rear brake line and see if your pedal comes up. If it does the problems in the back.

was gonna do that tomorrow. waiting for the sun to come up

[TAMSTER]

how much all that cost u?

[deuce4Oh]

WHAT????

Do NOT do that.

Bleed farthest from the mc first and get closer with each one. so rr, lr, fr, fl

[OutToWinPAHC]

One may say the LR is the furthest away the splitter is on the right side and then the cable goes back to the right. Technically the left rear is the furthest.

[vocationalzero]

One may say the LR is the furthest away the splitter is on the right side and then the cable goes back to the right. Technically the left rear is the furthest.

He was talking about farthest from the MC not the proportioning valve

[nightsauce]

how much all that cost u?

way too much lol...been stocking these parts since october. I dont make much money, being a college student an all. I'll say roughly 1.2k

finally done guys...the master cylinder blew out when i installed the rear brakes...i was having trouble with stripped lines and managed to just replace all the lines in the front end of the car. yea sucks but had to be done.
Modified by nightsauce at 10:42 AM 3/18/2009

[nightsauce]

havent cleaned it since getting brake fluid and dirt everywhere, but happy its done. More pics to come when its cleaned up...and yes a drop will be coming very soon.

[slim_240]

i know this thread is kinda old but i was going to do this same conversion soon and was wondering if you had to get the JSK adapters for the z32 brakes or do they bolt straight on to the front spindles?

thanks!

[nightsauce]

they bolted right on