- Stainless steel brake lines
- New front hubs
- Z1 Motorsports caliper adapter
- Upgraded brake booster (swapped in an '03/04 Brembo dual diaphragm)
- HFM.parts’ larger 27mm BMC (with ports for both LHD and RHD)
Overall, the install was pretty smooth, but I hit a few snags along the way.
I thought speed bleeders would save me time, but they turned out to be a waste of cash. I ended up going back to the OEM bleeders for 5 out of 8 ports.
I also bought a new BMC for the single diaphragm booster, thinking that would prevent any issues. Spoiler alert: it didn’t.
### Getting Started
First off, get your car on a lift or jack stands. If you don’t know how to do that, just stop right here.
Once you’re set, unbolt the factory brake lines from the caliper and let the brake fluid drain into a catch pan. Next, remove the caliper bolts and take off the caliper and rotor.
After that, I replaced the front wheel hubs. To do this, I removed the ABS wheel speed sensor and the four bolts holding the hub and bearing to the spindle. Since these were probably the original parts, they were basically fused to the spindle. Hammering didn’t work, so I grabbed a long bolt (not one you’ll need) and a matching nut. I removed one of the wheel studs, put the bolt through the stud hole, and tightened the nut against the spindle to free the bearing.
While I had everything apart, I decided to ditch the dust shields for the larger rotors, which came off pretty easily after all the hammering. Clean up any surface rust with a wire brush and brake cleaner.
### Installing the New Hubs and Calipers
Install the new bearing and wheel hub by tightening the four bolts in a corner-by-corner fashion for even mounting.
Now for the calipers, rotors, and pads. I used Hakkyu branded front wheel bearings and hubs, but I ran into an issue with Z1's adapter bracket. Their guide suggests using only the supplied lock washers with the caliper bolts. This caused the bolts to touch the rotor, leading to line lock and me doing a nice toasty burnount in the driveway (free show for the neighbors) I fixed this by using both the lock washer and the OEM washer from the factory caliper bolts.
After installing the adapter, check that your calipers are prepped for pads and that the pistons are recessed. If they’re extended, you won’t get them on!
Put the rotor on and use three lug nuts in a triangle pattern to hold it in place while you slide the caliper onto the adapter bracket. Once everything's lined up, insert the pads from the top and install the pins and retaining clip. If the clip feels tight, double-check that it’s not upside down. The FSM has the right orientation (check the manual!).
Next, install the stainless steel brake lines to the caliper: remove the factory retaining clip, unbolt the lines, then mount the new lines to your caliper.
### Wrapping Up the Front
After that, take a break and admire your work!
### On to the Rears
Make sure your e-brake is down and remove the wheels and tires. The rear install is pretty straightforward; just unbolt the rear caliper, lines, and rotors. You might need to loosen the drum pads for the new rotor to fit. Make sure it spins freely with the e-brake disengaged.
### Final Steps: Brake Booster and BMC
Now for the fun part: removing the MC and brake booster. Place a catch pan under the MC, loosen the brake lines, and let the fluid drain. Unbolt the MC from the brake booster and remove it.
This part is optional; some have had no issues with the stock MC.
Next, unbolt the clutch fluid reservoir and tuck it out of the way. Inside the car, remove the three easy bolts around the brake pedal bracket. The fourth bolt can be a pain, so I took out the two 10mm bolts holding the accelerator pedal for better access. A 10mm wrench or socket with extensions will help you reach it.
Remove the pins holding the booster to the pedal, and slide it out. If you want, removing the wiper blades, motor, and cowl will give you even more room.
Reinstallation is just the opposite of removal. I used HFM.parts’ LHD/RHD BMC and the '03/04 booster, so I didn't need to change brake lines—just a little bending to line things up.
And boom! Reconnect everything, bleed your brakes, and you’re done!
I promise, Ive got pics and will work on uploading them.
