S30 Four-Piston Calipers on Your Z

The road is smooth, I'm doing about 65 with no one around me. I slam on my brakes as hard as I can; my body wants to fly through the windshield but my seatbelts do their job and hold me tightly to my Koenig seat. My 1973 240Z screams to a halt like a Formula One racer braking late into a hairpin corner. Wow! Looking in the rearview mirror, I notice no black streaks on the pavement from tire lockup. I quickly stomp on the accelerator and change up through the gears to do it all over again!

Why would someone punish their Z-car like this? How can MY Z-car have braking power like that? Who's the weird guy trying to give himself whiplash? You might be asking yourself one or more of these questions, and in the following paragraphs, you'll find the answer to the first two—I think you can figure out the answer to the third!

If you drive like I do, then you probably wish your Z had better braking capabilities! It seems that the brakes of early Z-cars were only designed for basic day to day driving, and not with the true performance enthusiast in mind. One way to increase your stopping power is to replace your Z's front calipers with four-piston calipers like those found on a Toyota 4WD truck. These calipers are basically a bolt-on modification.

"Why do they fit so easily?" you might ask. These calipers were manufactured by the same company, Sumitomo, and as luck would have it, used the same mounting location. The job is very simple; it consists of removing the old calipers, and replacing them with the new ones. That's it. Well, maybe a little more, but as you are about to find out, this is a very easy upgrade to your brakes that will gain impressive results!

Items Needed

Required Parts for 4-Piston Caliper Upgrade:

1 set of 4-piston calipers from 1979–84 Toyota 4WD truck
Brake fluid
New brake pads
Wheel spacers (may be necessary with stock wheels)

Recommended/Optional Items:

Brake parts cleaner
Wheel bearings (good time to replace while apart)
Stainless steel braided brake lines
Semi-metallic brake pads

The Process

Source your calipers.
You can find 1979–84 Toyota 4WD truck calipers at a local dismantling yard or buy them new at an auto parts store or Toyota dealer. If buying used, get them while still on the truck so you can see how pads and clips fit, and mark them for driver/passenger sides.
Clean and prep.
Clean the calipers with degreaser and brake parts cleaner. Tape off line ends to prevent water contamination.

Paint them for a clean look—aluminum paint works well.
Remove old calipers and trim backing plate.
Remove your Z calipers. The backing plate will need trimming with a hacksaw to make room for the bigger calipers; to do this, remove the rotor first.

This is a good time to repack or replace wheel bearings if needed.

Set the new caliper in place before trimming to check fit. The plate is held with four Phillips screws—if they're stuck, vice grips can help. Once trimmed, reinstall the plate and rotor. You can also leave off the plate to aid brake cooling (optional).
Install new pads and calipers.
Install brake pads (semi-metallic recommended) and add anti-squeal compound if desired. The Toyota calipers bolt right into the Z caliper mounts—use the same bolts. Make sure the larger pistons and bleeder screws are on the top half of the caliper when installed.
Reconnect brake lines and bleed system.
Reattach the brake lines, carefully bending them as needed for alignment (don't pinch). After the lines are on, bleed the brakes thoroughly.
Check wheel clearance and install wheels.
Mount the wheels and check for clearance. Some setups will require wheel spacers for the larger calipers (available at auto parts stores), especially if using stock wheels. Most 15" Z wheels or aftermarket rims fit fine, but always check your specific setup.
Test drive and enjoy!
With everything back together, head to your favorite test spot and feel the improved stopping power. While it might not stop like a Formula One car, you’ll notice a big upgrade in braking ability. Good luck!

Sources Used

Mike Young

Performance Toyota of Plano

1001 Preston Road

Plano TX

800-275-8696