Wilwood Dynalite Direct Bolt-On for 280zx strut????

[510-Trevor]

I was just researching Caliper upgrades for my ZX struts and checking out the Dime Quarterly write up that Julian did in Volume 5, issue 3. Using the numbers shown for the adapter bracket as well as info from Wilwood, it looks like we could use the Wilwood Dynalite with 3.5" lug mount without any adapters (every other upgrade seems to use 5.25" lug spacing). Spacers will still most likely be required to center the caliper on the rotor, but these can be made quite easily. This caliper does sit .12" further away away from the hub center-line and while I don't see that as a problem, it still needs to be test fitted, but so far its looking positive IMO.

Now I just have somebody to lend one of these calipers ... unless somebody has already tried these and can let me how it fit.

I'll keep you all updated.

[okayfine]

Ahh, that project was a perfect example of mission creep: I was going after this conversion mainly to fit my +21 offset wheels to the ZX struts (avoiding spacers and adapters entirely). I was going to need a new caliper adapter bracket anyway, and since I was using the Z31 hubs I took the Z31 rotors as well.

So, I never tried the Wilwoods to the ZX bracket, though my calipers had the larger spacing anyway.

[rnorrish]

I'm currently building a set of ZX struts with the narrow 3.5" (Wilwood, Sierra, etc.) for the ice racer turning road racer. The bolt pattern is the same, but a few other things are hurdles that seem too big to make something easy to bolt on.

What I've found so far:
If the calliper bolted to the strut, you'd need an 11" rotor.
But, both the calliper and ears on a ZX strut are through holes. You'd need to tap (helicoil?) the aluminium caliper.
Now the caliper will be about 1/2-3/4" too far outboard, and hit and interfere with the too small 10" 280ZX rotor.

So, here you could try and find/make an ~11" rotor and hat that could work with the new caliper.
It will also require 14" wheels minimum too.

What I am doing:
A Z31 4-bolt rotor will bolt to the 280ZX hub (learned this years ago worki g on a different strut arrangement for another project with the wider mount calipers on A10 struts), in replacement of the original.
I found this to be a better solution for 2 reasons - narrower track, but the rotor end up further away from the strut.
With that combo, the caliper ends up being <1/4" from the outboard mounting surface being flush with the outboard mating surface of the strut ears. I had almost found a great solution requiring only a simple flat adapter. The clearance between the ears and rotor for the adapter is about 1/2" or less. It turns out the difference between the ears is a 1/4" and requires a spacer for the caliper too. Not the end of the world.

I'm currently making said adapter and spacer, picked up brake pads for a good test assembly tonight, and should be able to bolt things together next week. The adapter plate will be high strength 3/8" steel, milled flat, with threaded holes. The caliper and spacer with have to bolt to the adapter, and then all bolt to the strut due to clearence problems with the strut tube.

I'll keep you posted.

[moath]

So, here you could try and find/make an ~11" rotor and hat that could work with the new caliper.

I just measured the Z31 rotors in my garage and they're 11". Tapping the calipers doesn't sound appealing though.

Sounds like the braket is probably still the best bet for my goals.

[okayfine]

Sounds like the braket is probably still the best bet for my goals.

The/a bracket is more about positioning of the caliper relative to the rotor. If you can mount a caliper to a strut without a bracket, that's the way to go.

[moath]

I wonder if high grade all thread and nuts would be strong enough to attach it...if that even lines things up correctly.

Thinking out loud

[okayfine]

Ideally you're going to want a bolt with as much shoulder as possible. Brakes ain't a place to skimp.

[tr6racer21]

I'm currently building a set of ZX struts with the narrow 3.5" (Wilwood, Sierra, etc.) for the ice racer turning road racer. The bolt pattern is the same, but a few other things are hurdles that seem too big to make something easy to bolt on.

What I've found so far:
If the calliper bolted to the strut, you'd need an 11" rotor.
But, both the calliper and ears on a ZX strut are through holes. You'd need to tap (helicoil?) the aluminium caliper.
Now the caliper will be about 1/2-3/4" too far outboard, and hit and interfere with the too small 10" 280ZX rotor.

So, here you could try and find/make an ~11" rotor and hat that could work with the new caliper.
It will also require 14" wheels minimum too.

What I am doing:
A Z31 4-bolt rotor will bolt to the 280ZX hub (learned this years ago worki g on a different strut arrangement for another project with the wider mount calipers on A10 struts), in replacement of the original.
I found this to be a better solution for 2 reasons - narrower track, but the rotor end up further away from the strut.
With that combo, the caliper ends up being <1/4" from the outboard mounting surface being flush with the outboard mating surface of the strut ears. I had almost found a great solution requiring only a simple flat adapter. The clearance between the ears and rotor for the adapter is about 1/2" or less. It turns out the difference between the ears is a 1/4" and requires a spacer for the caliper too. Not the end of the world.

I'm currently making said adapter and spacer, picked up brake pads for a good test assembly tonight, and should be able to bolt things together next week. The adapter plate will be high strength 3/8" steel, milled flat, with threaded holes. The caliper and spacer with have to bolt to the adapter, and then all bolt to the strut due to clearence problems with the strut tube.

I'll keep you posted.

Bringing up an old thread....did this ever see the light of day, thanks for any input