S30/reardiskbrakes

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S30 Rear Disk Brake Install

Ok you are showing your Z and your are looking at your nice new wheels and on the rear you see those ugly drum brakes through the wheel. Lets do something about that and clean it up with better performance to boot.

I know there have been quite a few write-ups on disc brake conversions, but being as there are so many ways to skin a cat, here is another one.

Items Needed

• Z race products rear disc conversion brackets
• New 1982-83 ZX calipers and rotors (don't forget to order them complete with their own "mounting brackets")
• New caliper mounting hardware (I used M10x1.25, 30mm long with a washer and lock washer)
• New brake line, you will need to convert from M10x1.0 flare nut (male or female, depending on which line you replace) to brass-washer-style M10x1.0 fitting
• M10x1.0 washer-style (male) to 3/8-24 flare nut (female) adapters
• 3/8-24 to M10-1.0 solid brake line (both male flare nut) probably about 8 inches long

Rear Tear-down

1. Remove wheel and drum.
2. Remove drum brake hardware (shoes, springs etc, wheel cylinder optional depending on how you plan to cut)
3. Remove outer-most solid brake line so that it does not get in the way if you plan to cut off the backing plate. Plug open brake line hole temporarily.
4. Remove 4 bolts holding backing plate, I used PB-blast here too.
5. Remove backing plate by removing stub axle OR cutting it off with sawzall or other desired tool (this thing is thick, probably like 1/8-3/16")
6. Clean up sawzall shavings with brush and/or vacuum

Rear Rebuild

1. Install Z race products bracket with supplied hardware, M10x1.25, 25mm long (caliper towards front)
2. Install caliper (temporarily) so that the bleeder is on the top side.
3. Bend new solid brake line and fitting to fit into the application (see picture below)
4. Remove caliper
5. Install rotor, it may help to install one lug nut temporarily to hold rotor in place.
6. Re-install caliper and brake lines.
7. Bleed the brakes following the Factory service Manual.

E-Brake

E-brake install is soon to come with an update!

Sources used on this page:

• Writeup and photos by: Headstrong77 of Zcar.com