MSA 4-piston upgrade with SS lines

[mdbrandy]

I am currently installing the 4-piston front brakes from MSA. They came with Stainless Steel flex lines. However, those lines are not the original geometry - they have a female fitting with a 17mm hex that works fine at the body hard-line connection, but the other end is a male banjo fitting. MSA instructs to just connect that male fitting directly to the caliper. This bypasses the original geometry where the flex line would lead to the strut bracket, and then a hard-line to the caliper. It LOOKS like it should work - there is plenty of line, and rotating the steering lock to lock, it seems as though there will be no rubbing (as long as I route the line appropriately).

So, have others installed SS lines this way? Are there any known or potential problems with going straight from the body bracket to the caliper? There are several threads discussing the MSA upgrade and the SS lines, but I could not find this question addressed...

Thanks.

[chickenwafer]

Sorry, I haven't installed the kit but I was looking forward to getting it. Have you tried calling MSA? They are usually very good at helping over the phone. Just a thought.

Dave

[mdbrandy]

Have you tried calling MSA? They are usually very good at helping over the phone. Just a thought.

Dave

Yes, they told me to just route the line directly to the caliper from the hard connection at the frame. I'm just trying to make sure that no one has had any bad experiences in doing this, since it is not the geometry that Datsun designed. But then, I'm changing things anyway...

Also, I have recently had quite a bit of trouble getting wrong parts from MSA, and I'm not 100% sure that I trust their technical help. This all seems reasonable, but with brakes, I'd rather ask the group for their opinion than do something known to be stupid :dead: .

[Bambikiller240]

Mark: I have heard of people eliminating the small "brake bridge" (Nissans name for it) hard line and connecting the S/S lines directly to the caliper.

The S/S lines I got from MSA (not part of a kit with Calipers) didn't have banjo fittings, so they must be supplying a different (possibly longer length) S/S hose with the 4 pot caliper kit.

[Ed]

Sport Z did a write up on this kit a few issues back. The flexible S/S line is designed to bolt directly to the caliper (that's why it's so long). Like you said make sure you route the lines properly so they do not rub against anything or get a knik when your steering lock to lock.

[240ZMan]

I put the MSA SS lines on with the 4 piston Toyota calipers sourced from a local parts store last summer as you described. They fit well with no rubbing and I've had a really nice firm pedal since.

[mdbrandy]

I put the MSA SS lines on with the 4 piston Toyota calipers sourced from a local parts store last summer as you described. They fit well with no rubbing and I've had a really nice firm pedal since.

That's good to know. The 4-line "kit" they show on the web is different that what comes with their caliper upgrade. The kit on the web has female connectors on both ends so it will go from the bracket on the frame to the bracket on the strut. Glad to hear you've installed the one going directly from the frame bracket to the caliper. I'm looking forward to that nice firm pedal .

Thanks.

[240ZMan]

The kit on the web has female connectors on both ends so it will go from the bracket on the frame to the bracket on the strut.

Sorry I wasn't more clear, mine go from the bracket on the frame directly to the caliper. Fit is excellent.

[Bambikiller240]

Sorry I wasn't more clear, mine go from the bracket on the frame directly to the caliper. Fit is excellent.

So, do your S/S lines have a male fitting on one end and a female end on the other. Or female fittings on both ends? Or are there banjo fittings on one end of your lines?

[240ZMan]

So, do your S/S lines have a male fitting on one end and a female end on the other. Or female fittings on both ends? Or are there banjo fittings on one end of your lines?

They have a female fitting on the end connecting to the line at the frame bracket and a banjo fitting on the end connecting to the caliper.

[mdbrandy]

Sorry I wasn't more clear, mine go from the bracket on the frame directly to the caliper. Fit is excellent.

I did think that was what you were saying. Thanks.

I had just looked over MSA's site, and their 4-corner brake line pic looks different than what you and I have on the fronts now. I was (unclearly) trying to make the point that they seem to sell different stuff depending on how you get it. Thanks for the info!

[dogma420]

hey does anyone know if those MSA 4 piston calipers are different than just getting early 80 toyota 4 piston calipers?

Just curious cause maybe they're better...they seem to cost a heck of a lot more....just curious.