Q45 Z32 brake upgrade teaser pics

[Jeff Williams]

I was putting on new pads today, and thought I would test-fit the calipers. It sure looks great. The calipers fit just fine. I had to massage the dust shield, to get the front in place. The rear fit with no modifications. I will ahve to do something with the brake lines, since the Z32 lines are a flared fitting type, and the G50 connections are a swivel type.

[Jeff Williams]

Here is the rear. Check out those zinc plated rotors! They will make my wheels look bad.:

[Jeff Williams]

Shot of front. I have to still re-build the calipers, and do some finish sanding on them, for that perfectly smooth finish, before I put them on the car.:

[Jeff Williams]

Another shot of rear. I will do a complete write-up, when I get to it. It will probably be a months or so, with all I have on my plate, so far.

[Rex]

LOL, that front caliper is freakin' HUGE. better check the seat belt tensioners before you install them.

Jeff they look great.

[911/Q45]

When you do your final install, I'd recommend removing the splash shields completely. They'll make some really irritating noises if they rub and I've had no ill effects without mine after 4 years.

[AZhitman]

Mmmmmmm, tasty big-brake goodness!

FYI, little-known secret: The Q m/c exerts almost DOUBLE the line pressure of the Z32 m/c. I'm surprised more 240sx owners are still hogging up Z32 m/c's instead of the Q m/c.

I have my Z brakes for the 240, need to find another set for the Q. Those look fantastic!

[elwesso]

Excellent!!

Dont tell me how you like em, i dont want my surprise spoiled...

Yet again another weekend passes where I cant do my brakes This is killin me!!

Those rotors are AMAZING...

Interesting about the brake lines, so will i have to plan on getting new lines???

[rsiwicki]

damn Jeff....those certainly do look nice. I am really looking forward to your write and will probably seriously consider these brakes this fall if the cost & time is not too bad.

[elwesso]

damn Jeff....those certainly do look nice. I am really looking forward to your write and will probably seriously consider these brakes this fall if the cost & time is not too bad.

Cost should be under $500 depending how things work...

Time isnt any longer than any other brake job! Plus, you could probably get back 200 (maybe 300 with your new brakes and pads) by selling them to the 240 guys

[John Dixon]

Didn't know that about the Q45 master cyl. Anyone got a 2nd hand one going cheap?! Oh, and what ID is it?

[Jeff Williams]

There is a great write-up in Car & driver on G-Tech & other performance meters. I am definitely going to do some pre-mod braking tests & after-mod tests. The tests will not be that applicable to all Q45/300zx swaps, since I doubt the car has OEM pads on it, and I am using some aftermarket pads on the new calipers and I am going from stock rotors to drilled/slotted rotors, but the tests will apply 100% to my car .

I wonder if 300zx brake lines will hook up to the Q's hard lines? This would make it easy, since the new rear calipers came with hoses.

Wes will probably get his on before I get mine ready, with all my summer prjects.

[elwesso]

There is a great write-up in Car & driver on G-Tech & other performance meters. I am definitely going to do some pre-mod braking tests & after-mod tests. The tests will not be that applicable to all Q45/300zx swaps, since I doubt the car has OEM pads on it, and I am using some aftermarket pads on the new calipers and I am going from stock rotors to drilled/slotted rotors, but the tests will apply 100% to my car .

I wonder if 300zx brake lines will hook up to the Q's hard lines? This would make it easy, since the new rear calipers came with hoses.

Wes will probably get his on before I get mine ready, with all my summer prjects.

I *know* squeefoo has had this done on his Q (for over 2 years!) and he went with the steel lines... Looks like im going to be forced to get steel lines....

Are you *sure* they wont fit... Most people put Q45 brakes on S13s and its a direct swap as far as i know... Seems stupid nissna would use a different setup on just hte Z32s... Not trying do doubt you Jeff but im sure you can follow my reasoning...... Either way it doesnt make that much difference, steel lines arent that big of a deal.....

Id like to test it on mine as well, because im running OEM pads now, and will run OEMs on the Z32s.. Got cheap and decided not to do hawks, esp on my used rotors... NExt time i do pads ill do brembo rotors and hawk pads... I want to have something to look foreward too!

The steel lines will hook up to the hard lines, but if i didnt have to drop another $100 into lines [lumbergh] thatd be greaaaaaaat [/lumbergh]

[Jeff Williams]

He probably went with steel 300zx lines. Maybe he will chime in.

You can see the kind of connections my Q calipers have, from the pictures.

[Jeff Williams]

When you do your final install, I'd recommend removing the splash shields completely. They'll make some really irritating noises if they rub and I've had no ill effects without mine after 4 years.

What kind of brake lines did you use?

[elwesso]

I talked with Alan last night and he said all you have to do is shave the banjo down and it will work......

Z32 brake lines will not work on the Q as they are 2 female ends

[Jeff Williams]

The 4 piston calipers don't have a banjo fitting. They are a female flared fitting, requiring a make flared fitting on the end of the brake line. Maybe there is a part missing off of the caliper. I am missing some spacers and such, so it might be possible there are some hard lines missing or a connector is missing.

I will have to look at Shawn's twin turbo this weekend.

[Slo_240sx]

That setup looks SICK! Anyone know if the q45 rear hubs will work on my 240?-Alex

[elwesso]

Here is a shot of the fititng of the Z32 caliper

I emailed squeefoo and he said he used the Q45 stainless lines..... Not really sure how that works, but read on...

[elwesso]

OK, so this afternoon I decided to check out how this m0f0 was going to go together...

The Q45 lines fit right in and the little bolt did too, except it wouldnt go in far enough.....

Looking at the Z32 lines, there is another female end that threads in there instead of the banjo setup on the Q..... However I think the Q45 lines could be utilized if somehow the banjo was cut down a little, or better yet we obtained a newer shorter one...

Im thinking we'll need to get Z32 lines or at least thatd be the most ideal thing...

Edit, as an aside... You see the little nub on the fitting and on the Q45 calipers thers a place where that can slide in.....

[elwesso]

I did some more research and from what I can tell, i think im going try shaving down the bolt a little.....

You can get new ones for the Q so its no big deal..

For the Z32 brakes on the Q, the Z32 lines would be best, as the fittings are different... However since i dont want to do SS lines right now im just going to try and grind down the bolt a little, it just needs to go down 1-3 mm..... I think thatd be a good thing do, and then if it doesnt work then i can just get the Z32 lines, which will fit...

The Z32 lines wont fit the Q with stock brakes but 240 lines WILL fit the stock Q brakes... With Z32 brakes on the Q, youll want to do the said mod or just get the Z32 lines...

This is COMMON knowledge amongst our 240 friends, and people that dont get the conversion lines shave down the banjo bolt..

I would assume that the best way would be to just stick that thing on the grinder and take about 2mm off it.....

[John Dixon]

FYI, little-known secret: The Q m/c exerts almost DOUBLE the line pressure of the Z32 m/c. I'm surprised more 240sx owners are still hogging up Z32 m/c's instead of the Q m/c.

Where does this info come from? I've just checked the specs of the master cyl its self, and the Q45 is 1" diameter vs 15/16" or 17/16" for the Z32 one. This would mean the Z32 one is either 13% bigger or smaller depending on the model. The booster is exactly the same, so unless the Q has a much bigger pedal ratio or something, it's hard to see how it can be twice as effective?

[squeefoo]

From what I remember, the Z32 hardline is the same as Q45 (early one 90-93 anyway). The best way to make sure is to cozy up to a Wagner Master brake catalog and look in the spec. index. I have the aluminum Z32 calipers for a '92, and the Q45 lines from Goodridge fit right on. Not sure about the cast iron calipers however, unfortunately for Wes he will now know all about what fits what soon.

I will be stopping by my local parts emporium today and will find the thread size just for grins.

[PoorManQ45]

The steel lines will hook up to the hard lines, but if i didnt have to drop another $100 into lines [lumbergh] thatd be greaaaaaaat [/lumbergh]

Open up your local phone book and look under rubber suppliers or Hose suppliers. Give them a jingle and they'll hook you up with ANYTHING you need. Just take the new caliper in there, so they can measure the fitting, and take the fitting at the other end, and they'll custom make you a hose of any length you want that'll handle what ever pressure you tell them it has to sustain, and then some. Total cost will be around $30~$50.

ANyway, how will this setup affect the ABS?

[elwesso]

It should be "fine" with ABS since the proportioning is going to be the same (exactly-ish 2x stopping power) so as long as we dont lock em up its OK..

All these mods im doing is going to make the car undriveable in the winter.!

[squeefoo]

It should be "fine" with ABS since the proportioning is going to be the same (exactly-ish 2x stopping power) so as long as we dont lock em up its OK..

All these mods im doing is going to make the car undriveable in the winter.!

Speaking of winter...make sure the bolt is as pure as the drivensnow, blow it out, file it, chamfer it, blow it out. Be a shame to scratch the bores after all this.

I can't lock mine up !? Only on grass...

[one ton garage]

when installing q45 front calipers on a 240sx, you can use the stock lines and fittings from the 240... when installing z32 front calipers on a 240, you will need to use a line that attaches to the chassis' hard line fitting on one end, and thread into the flared fitting on the z32 caliper on the other. you don't want to just cut down the banjo and tighten it down into the flare, as that can muck things up.. it *could* work for a while, but chances are, the next time you remove the bolt and replace it, you will experience leaks. Worst case, you will get leaks from the get go. There's lots of places that sell pre-assembled stainless lines made for adapting z32 calipers to the 240 chassis nowadays, so that's prob the best way to go if you don't want to try and make your own lines

EDIT: I meant to say that since q45 calipers and 240 calipers are directly interchangable in re: to their brake lines, and since you'd need new lines to put z32 calipers into a 240, then you would also need the same to install the z32 calipers into a Q... sorry if that was not too clear above.

[one ton garage]

when installing q45 front calipers on a 240sx, you can use the stock lines and fittings from the 240... when installing z32 front calipers on a 240, you will need to use a line that attaches to the chassis' hard line fitting on one end, and thread into the flared fitting on the z32 caliper on the other. you don't want to just cut down the banjo and tighten it down into the flare, as that can muck things up.. it *could* work for a while, but chances are, the next time you remove the bolt and replace it, you will experience leaks. Worst case, you will get leaks from the get go. There's lots of places that sell pre-assembled stainless lines made for adapting z32 calipers to the 240 chassis nowadays, so that's prob the best way to go if you don't want to try and make your own lines

[elwesso]

So if the Q45 lines are DIRECT to the 240, would it be safe to assume I could get the conversion kit for the 240, and it would work on the Q...

I hope im not being thick headed, but personaly Im not digging the idea of using the Q45 lines and "making it work", id rather have something that works...

[PoorManQ45]

There's lots of places that sell pre-assembled stainless lines made for adapting z32 calipers to the 240 chassis nowadays, so that's prob the best way to go if you don't want to try and make your own lines

There's no reason to go with stainless lines. The braiding doesn't actually increase the strength of the hose itself. It's kind of like a tire on a bycycle, the tire keeps the tube from expanding too much, but it doesn't increase the strength of the tube itself.

I recommend the method I mentioned in an earlier post. Go to the local Comercial Hose supplier and they'll make you a set of hoses that will be nearly indestructable.