Help me piece together upgraded brakes for my S12 200SX coilovers

[B^2]

So it turns out I have S12 200SX struts and not 280zx struts which I'm turning into coilovers.  The pads/rotors on the struts are completely toast so I want to upgrade them to something a little better.  I did a few searches on here and it looks like you can upgrade to a 4 piston caliper if you run bump steerer spacers.  I could use some help piecing together the correct rotors, pads, and spacers.  Most of the threads I found on this topic are 5+ years old so I wasn't sure if I can get most of the parts from somewhere like Rock Auto.  No idea where to get the spacers for.  Not sure if it matters but I also have some T3 camber plates.

[datzenmike]

Bump steer spacers are more for correcting introduced bump steer from lowering.

 

The ears on the strut that the caliper mounts to.... what is the distance between bolt hole center lines and are the holes threaded or not?

[B^2]

I was going off what was said in this thread regarding the need for spacers: 

 

[Icehouse]

Need to be S12 V6 struts to run the Sumitomo 4 piston calipers.  Also the centering hub on the bottom of the strut is bigger on the S12 struts.  I made an adapter ring to solve that problem.  My buddy just bolted them on and ran it without the strut centering thing fitting correctly.  He bashed a curb enough to bend the strut and it didn't loosen the connection.  I still make the adapter for mine but was surprised.  

 

 

I don't have a lathe just a mill haha.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

 

Much better said. A ring to take up the difference in the hole size is what you want. A correct bump steer spacer would work but it will introduce bump steer because it will space the steering knuckle down. Now if you plan to lower the car, then you may actually need a bump steer spacer and maybe you can kill two birds with one stone.

 

 

 

[B^2]

How much longer is the casing on the 280zx strut tube vs the s12 200SX tube?  I bought the DIY coilover kit from T3 and I know they generally recommend cutting 20-30mm off as part of the conversion.   That was the plan before I realized I had S12 200SX struts so I'm not sure how much lower the car will be.    Just trying to understand all the different pieces I'm going to need so when I go to put everything together, I'm not duplicating efforts at a later date.

[datzenmike]

The top hats are all different but the tube depth (inside) on the 280zx is 376mm so you have the S12 measure it.

 

If you cut 2 or 3 cm off the tops you will cut away all the threads for the gland nut. Need more info on this conversion.

[Icehouse]

 

On 12/18/2020 at 2:46 PM, B^2 said:

How much longer is the casing on the 280zx strut tube vs the s12 200SX tube?  I bought the DIY coilover kit from T3 and I know they generally recommend cutting 20-30mm off as part of the conversion.   That was the plan before I realized I had S12 200SX struts so I'm not sure how much lower the car will be.    Just trying to understand all the different pieces I'm going to need so when I go to put everything together, I'm not duplicating efforts at a later date.

 

The amount you shorten them depends on the inserts you are running.  

 

On 12/18/2020 at 3:20 PM, datzenmike said:

The top hats are all different but the tube depth (inside) on the 280zx is 376mm so you have the S12 measure it.

 

If you cut 2 or 3 cm off the tops you will cut away all the threads for the gland nut. Need more info on this conversion.

 

Mike guys cut the struts down for shorter inserts to make the car super low.  I've done it a ton for VW rabbit front inserts.  You section it out from the middle since you need to keep the struts.  

[datzenmike]

But he doesn't know this. He could cut the threaded part off and chuck it.

[B^2]

The plan is to have them powdercoated but here are the struts/coilovers.

[B^2]

On 12/18/2020 at 12:17 PM, datzenmike said:

Bump steer spacers are more for correcting introduced bump steer from lowering.

 

The ears on the strut that the caliper mounts to.... what is the distance between bolt hole center lines and are the holes threaded or not?

 

Looks like 90mm and the holes are not threaded, does that help?

[datzenmike]

That tells me that a 280zx caliper would bolt to it but I don't know if the caliper will center on an S12 rotor or not. 

 

Look, your S12 takes a 280zx 90mm caliper bolt spacing so the S12 has to be a large caliper, has vented rotors and has a 15/16 master cylinder, same as the 280zx and Maxima. Both are heavy six cylinder cars. The 510 uses a tiny 3/4" master and a 232mm diameter solid 'dinner plate' rotors. So measure your rotor and compare diameters. As I said these S12 brakes are already a hell of an upgrade over the 510's.

 

 The S12 weighs at least 2,600 pounds. The 510 is about 2,200 so S12 front disc brakes only have to stop a car that is 400 pounds lighter. Again, a huge advantage.

[B^2]

I'm already running a 15/16 master cylinder from when I swapped the rear brakes over to the Maxima conversion.  I'm inclined to just stick with the s12 brakes until I have a need for something bigger.  The brakes/pads/rotors can be had for relatively inexpensive compared to getting a four piston set up.

 

 

I was thinking Porterfield for pads, where is the best place to get some nice s12 rotors?  Thinking I'll just get some RAYBESTOS calipers off rock auto unless there is a better s12 option.

Edited December 28, 2020 by B^2

[Icehouse]

Mike you can't get new ZX calipers anymore so he's pretty much stuck with the S12 calipers which looked about the same size to me.  

 

 

I have Porterfield pads on our racecar 510, and my autox 510 and even my sunny truck.  Great pads for sure.  

[datzenmike]

I was only saying that the zx should fit based on the bolt spacing. I did suggest the S12 calipers and rotors would still be a great upgrade. Didn't know about the ZX calipers though. Do they sell rebuild kits for them?

[B^2]

Is there an advantage to getting some nicer slotted rotors over something like centrics?

[datzenmike]

The slots are mostly cosmetic and there to sell the rotors. Just like that fad a few years ago of drilling holes in the rotors. People buy them so they look like racing equipment.

[scooter]

you can buy model d274 pads from g-loc, they will make them for you. you can still get rotors and calipers from rockauto. the 4 cyl calipers are ok..
they are within a couple mm of a 280zx brake specs so they work just as well...

 

ive had beck arnley rotors on it this whole time (5 years ish) and theres been no warpage or anything. 

 

[B^2]

So in advance of considering an engine swap, I'm looking at either wilwoods or stoptech's.  I know Troy has a stoptech kit designed for 280zx struts but I'm unclear on whether it will work with my setup.  Same goes for the T3 Wilwood kit.  Any thoughts>?