Rear Disc Brake Conversion

[Tommo560]

Hi Everyone,

i am looking at doing the rear disc brake conversion for my 260z and i was wondering if anybody had done the conversion. if you have can you please help me with some info on how to do it, what i need to do the conversion, and where i can get parts at a reasonable price in oz. also i need discs that can fit in the stock 14" steel rims as i use them with my street tires.

If you need some backround, the car is a road-going club racer (sprints, hillclimbs, and the sort) and i need the discs because the drums are dead and they keep overheating when i run at the track. the front brakes are the toyota 4x4 4 spots, and i would need something in the back that is not going to be way overkill, and the handbrake will still work on.

If anyone have done this and can help me then that would be greately appreciated.

Thankyou,

Tom.

__________________

[mrdatto]

Thommo,

I finished the 280zx rear disc conversion a month or so ago, which is the easiest and cheapest as far as I know. I mainly did this one because I had to re-do the drums anyway and they cost about the same.

You only need the following

Caliper Brackets : Nissan Part # 44155-04S10 (1980 Nissan Maxima)

Calipers : 9/81 - 4/84 280ZX or R30 Skyline.

Rotors : 9/81 - 4/84 280ZX or R30 Skyline: DBA Part # DBA600

Its all a bolt on really just taking all drum bits off including shields, but you do need to pull stub axle.

Depending where you get the parts it can be a cheap swap. Also depends if you want more expensive rotors. Mine was around $400 i guess which is better than a whole new drum set up.

There are other swaps or kits around but they are starting to get expensive or require some sort of mods via welding, drilling etc.

The hard part to get may be the brackets which were available from Nissan not so long ago for $136 each. I got mine from US for $56 US each, but after shipping its not enough difference for the trouble really.

The park brake bolts straight up but its not that flash so you may want a new one made, maybe one from a zx would be better but I havent got one of those to try.

I've got pics if you want, but Warren (Woza01 I think)from WA Z cars gave me most of the inital info and seems a really good guy so you may want to try and chase him up.

Anything else let me know via pm or email.

[Tommo560]

Thankyou,

If its not to much trouble then some pictures would be a great help, also will these brakes fit into the stock steel rims?

Thanks,

Tom.

[mrdatto]

Should be fine, I've got 14's on the car while it sits in the garage and they go no problem. The discs are relatively small and so are the calipers, but better than the drums I think.

[LanceM]

Check my gallery, I think the only pics there are of my rear conversion, I can take more if you want.

[Gav240z]

Hi Mr Datto,

I have been considering this conversion myself. So the Maxima brake upgrade is the same as the 280zx? I was thinking of buying the brackets off ebay but your saying Nissan Australia can get them for just about the same price?

So which stub axle do I need to pull? How do I pull it? I've recently replaced my struts on my Z and had the rear drums pretty much apart I could see a bolt on the back of the drums which looked like where the stub axle was. What stub axle do I need? I hear the 260z ones are stronger and a good upgrade.

How do you find the rear calipers? Personally I hate drums too hard to adjust all the time and I think they are still not right.

[Tommo560]

Thanks for the photos lance, and thanks mrdatto for the info and part numbers.

Gav, try this http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=112497&postcount=3

[TomoHawk]

You need to pull out both the stub axles. Check your repair guide for the procedure. The bolt flange is too big for the 4-bolt MAXIMA brake caliper bracket to fit over. There are some brackets that bolt on with 3 bolts without pulling the stub axles, and I think they are equivalents but maybe not as strong as the 4-bolts.

I saw a document somewhere showing the design of the bracket so you could make your own.

While the stub axles are out, why not replace the bearings?

[Arne]

You should ALWAYS replace the rear bearings anytime the stub axles are removed. They are not designed to be pressed in and out more than once.

[TomoHawk]

Here's a pic of the Maxima bracket. You can see why the stub axles need to comw out.

[my_mad_z]

You can get the bracket from pick-a-part..... I did the rear disc conversion; got all my parts from pick-a-part out if a skyline station wagon (R30 I think).... it was a straight bolt on and only required minimal fabrication to the bracket - had to increase the diameter of the hole to fit the z..... the whole setup cost me $100!!!! That included calipers, discs, brackets, and brakes..... I've got the h/brake connected and it works well.... had to extend the cable slighlty due to it rubbing on the drive shafts.

Marc.

[LanceM]

I used the maxima brakets on my conversion but I didn't want to pull the stubs, so I cut the brakets to make them 3 hole so that they would just slide on. Worked well and 3 bolts are plenty for the application as is seen with the aftermarket conversions.