Z32 Brakes-- Rebuilt!

[CaptainHenreh]

So I just finished sandblasting, rebuilding, and painting my S14 Silvia K's 4 piston brakes. Rebuilding them was so easy, I don't see why everyone pisses and moans about it. Put a block of wood in the caliper, blow compressed air in it, take off dust boots, gently pry out piston. It was so simple it was dumb. And for 5 bucks, I figured it wouldn't hurt.

So I got out the sandblaster, went into the yard, and proceeded to blast the crap out of my rear hubs and all four rotors. After sitting in a japanese junkyard for who knows how long, then crossing an ocean, my rotors were bordering on crusty. But I took care of that in pretty short order, then rustoleum'd the hats.

This was the first time I'd used a sandblaster, so I trotted out there with my mask, shorts, and a t-shirt. 5 seconds later I went back inside, and came out looking like I was going to go ride some sandworms. But it all worked out, and I've only got a few sensitive areas on my arms.

Then I took a shower, (the first of three I'd take yesterday) dug sand out of places I didn't even know I had, and trotted on over to Wal-Mart to buy a 3.88 can of engine enamel and a 3.88 bottle of the reddest touch-up paint I could find...

And this is the result:


You can see my 5 lug hubs in the back there with brand new studs, and the gross looking thing with the cable sticking out of it is my drum parking brake. I'm hoping to do the whole conversion on wednesday if I can get some help. More wrenches make for short work.

Anyway, I just wanted to show off my bling.

[.RJ]

Nice.

I need a sand/bead blaster

I have been thinking about doing my own caliper rebuilds as well... although remans are so cheap ($28/ea at vatozone).

[Mike]

Yeah all that is stopping me is not having the right tools... Sand blaster OR compressed air

[CaptainHenreh]

Nice.

I need a sand/bead blaster

I have been thinking about doing my own caliper rebuilds as well... although remans are so cheap ($28/ea at vatozone).

Thank you. I worked my ass off. Even my mom appreciated it, and said that the red nissan on black looked "pretty".

I chose to rebuild them simply because Autozone remans are like, 50 dollars a caliper, plus core charge. And since I have craptastic 1 piston sliding calipers stock, any monkey with half a brain is going to know they aren't the same thing...it wouldn't be right.

Besides, I got the rotors, calipers, and 5 lug front hubs and spindles for 75 bucks. Deal of the century. And the rebuild kit was $5.88 a caliper. I mean, for 5.88, if it doesn't work out, you're only out a sub at quiznos.

[Chris]

looking good 8)

[Dave]

trashy :wink:
brake bling woohoo!. The car is gonna stop on a dime with those things on there.

[Maengelito]

I mean, for 5.88, if it doesn't work out, you're only out a sub at quiznos.

no way, quiznos are so damn expensive. however, they are so damn tasty

[ScottyB]

75 bucks for five lugs! your a bargain shopping beast! from the little i know about 240's, 5 lug swaps arent exactly abundant and/or cheap. looks really nice though man, wish i could help with the install since i have zero experience with working on brakes. good luck with it, don't give yourself whiplash too bad the first time you hit 'em hard :twisted:

gaaaah!!! all these cool projects! curse your power tools and garages.

[CaptainHenreh]

For S14's, a 5 lug conversion is relatively simple, as all SE's were 5 lug, and so all you need to do is trot to the dealership and buy hubs.

But not so for an S13! For an S13 you must first aquire the s14 spindle AND 5 lug hubs AND S14 ball joints, which you can't get from the dealership because they only sell them already pressed into the too-long S14 control arm. And for the Z32 brakes, you have to have either the Z32 line (which to me looked waaaaaaaay too short in the rear) or get "conversion lines" as the 4 pot calipers use an inverted flare at the caliper, as opposed to a banjo fitting. I got my SS lines (all four) for 88 bucks shipped. w3rd.

And for the rear you need the hubs from either an S14SE or a Z32 300ZX. But yeah, the 5 lug hubs and spindles alone go for hundreds of dollars not even considering the freaking MASSIVE 4 pot calipers.

All in all this conversion cost:
75: Front hubs, rotors, calipers
250: rear hubs, calipers, e-brake
25: rear rotors (ebay)
79.60: pads. ugh.
88: lines
53.50: Ball joints
11.80: new rear wheel studs
7.50aint
11.69: caliper rebuild (front)
250: 5-Lug 16" Mille Miglias.
Freebie: 4 michelin pilots (205/55 front | 225/50 rear)

that's 852.09. Holy shit. I could have had the car paid off for that.

Fuck.

But just the same, it's a huge upgrade. The wheels are delicious, only 15lbs a corner unshod, and they're 7.5 inches wide which I'll have a problem outgrowing. I can shoehorn a 235 on a 7.5 inch wheel can't I?
Anyway, I'd really like to put these on tomorrow and anyone that would like to lend a wrench give me a call 271-1468. Assistance will be much appreciated. If I can't get any help, I may put it off a little while. I dunno.

[.RJ]

the 4 pot calipers use an inverted flare at the caliper, as opposed to a banjo fitting.

Well thats just fucking gay.

When you install, gravity bleeding is your friend

[CaptainHenreh]

the 4 pot calipers use an inverted flare at the caliper, as opposed to a banjo fitting.

Well thats just fucking gay.

When you install, gravity bleeding is your friend

Needless to say, I didn't get it on today. I forgot that dad's parts car is sitting in the garage, awaiting the green light to be dissassembled. So, no room. I've got a 3 car garage and no fuckign room!

Now, Re: Bleeding.

I remember lurking around audiworld, and hearing of a power brake bleeder using a pesticide sprayer to pressurize the brake system, so all you do is open the bleeder screw until air stops coming out.

Anybody ever heard of such an animal? I thought about making something similar....

[.RJ]

Gravity bleed ownz j00

[CaptainHenreh]

So, it's less a cosmetic now and more a performance, but whatever.

So after spending what seems like fucking DAYS pounding on goddamn ball joints, I am 25% done:



*sigh* One down, 3 more to go. I've put off going to Manassas tomorrow morning to help Dave keep from getting arrested, and hopefully finish up.

Here's a comparo of the rotors:


They don't look really different, but when you see them side-by-side it's a huge difference. And thickness! Wow. That was one of the main reasons I got these. Stopping power is fine with stock brakes....at first. Then they fade like maaaaaad...So these should do much better.

Here's the calipers, if you're interested:


HOOORAY! I also learned that you have to push the pistons all the way back in the caliper to get the pad in. I mean...all the way. Way back.

Furthermore, I hope I never have to replace ball joints ever again.

[Evan]

I was thinking about buying a sandblaster now that I have air and they are cheap.
are they pretty easy to use? recommendations?

[CaptainHenreh]

Definitely. If you have Air, a sandblaster has billions of uses. It's brainlessly easy to use, just point, pull the trigger.

However: Make sure you either build a box, or have someplace like, outside to blast. Julie's dad is blasting the Mustang in his garage, and there's freaking sand everywhere. He didn't have much choice, as it's just the unibody on some blocks, but still.

Anyway, they're cheap, easy to use, and really useful if you need to clean or paint anything.

[.RJ]

Harbor Freight sells a bead blaster...

[Mike]

How'd you get air Evan?

[Evan]

How'd you get air Evan?

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[CaptainHenreh]

Bitches! I'm gonna go die now. It was awful.

[Feersty]

I've put off going to Manassas tomorrow morning to help Dave keep from getting arrested, and hopefully finish up.

:?: