q45 brake swap gone wrong

[OptionZero]

My yet another example of my limitless stupidity...

I got q45 brake calipers from the junkyard. I decided to trade them in to get remanufactured ones, figuring it wasn't too expensive, and new ones would be nice.

When i traded them in , however,...i gave Kragen the ENTIRE caliper set, including the bracket. I did not know i needed to keep some of the stuff, and that they only needed the caliper itself.

Now, i got the remanufcatured ones, didn't know about the bracket half that actually attaches to the car....painted 'em red like any good ricer,...and when i actually tried to to the swap, realized....this will not work.

Anyone know where i can find just the caliper bracket? Nobody makes a remanufacutred ones, and the only other options i can think of are junkyard getting a new caliper set, OR hitting up a dealership.

[Ghettokracker71]

that sucks....:(...sorry,I can't think of any other option cept what you said,unless somebody on zilvia has a set lying around...post what you think once you do it....I want to do the Q45 brake swap someday:)

[Powashiftin]

why not z32 brakes?

im sure you could go to like autozone and say that those red calipers are off a z32 but you want to trade them in for remanufactured ones, but whatev, its up to you

[fliprayzin240sx]

why not z32 brakes?

im sure you could go to like autozone and say that those red calipers are off a z32 but you want to trade them in for remanufactured ones, but whatev, its up to you
Why the hell would he wanna trade em...>AGAIN? He just needs the damn bracket. You might just have to go to the dealers to save yourself the headache of trying to find them from a junkyard. I had a set of Z32 brakes that was given to me but didnt have any of the clips for it. Tried to look for em but in the end, i ended up goin to the dealer for parts.

[drift into a curb]

I doubt they'd sell the bracket by itself. It's usually part of the caliper kit. I'm running in to the same problem on my 86 project. The rear calipers didn't come with brackets either. You can try with your dealer, but I bet they're going to offer you to buy the whole brake caliper.

[fliprayzin240sx]

Nopes...dealer will sell you whatever piece you need. The bracket is not a solid part of the caliper...shoot they'd sell you the bracket bolts if thats all you need.

[drift into a curb]

I stand corrected then. Hmm maybe it's just Toyota then. Bah! Good finding your brack at the dealership.

[OptionZero]

I will try a dealership, but i think its kinda fucked up...why does a remanufactured CALIPER KIT NOT COME WITH THE WHOLE FUCKING CALIPER?

The stupid Kragen people said they TOLD me when i traded them my original calipers that I could keep some stuff...

I assumed they meant the shitty old shims and brake lines, so i said..naw...i got new lines and pads, its all good....so they shrugged and took everything. I gues partially its my fault for not being more aware...but c'mon..

How come nobody makes a replacement bracket? they said they only make calipers, NOT the bracket...thats fucked up, what if someone really DOES need a replacement (aka me!!)

Anyways, called a few local yards, they said they couldn't sell me caliper brackets alone, i gotta buy the whole stinki'n thing...

There's no Infiniti dealership up in Davis, so i'll call around and try San Francisco during spring break.

[OptionZero]

If i traded in the Q's for 3z calipers, i'd have the same problem. Remanufactured 3z calipers arent likely to have brackets either.

[drift into a curb]

Kragens already sent out your old calipers? Hmm and you didn't notice the first day, or did you sit on it and test it later? By the way, the z32 calipers will fit fine. The bracket is incorporated into the caliper itself and it attaches to the knuckle.

[s14xman]

do you have a pic of this bracket you are talking about or a description?? I swaped my brakes to Z32 a couple of weeks ago and i have some left over stuff.

[Nismo240SX]

your problem is solved...JGY Customs (http://www.jgycustoms.com/240sx/brakes.htm)

[fliprayzin240sx]

I will try a dealership, but i think its kinda fucked up...why does a remanufactured CALIPER KIT NOT COME WITH THE WHOLE FUCKING CALIPER?

The stupid Kragen people said they TOLD me when i traded them my original calipers that I could keep some stuff...

I assumed they meant the shitty old shims and brake lines, so i said..naw...i got new lines and pads, its all good....so they shrugged and took everything. I gues partially its my fault for not being more aware...but c'mon..

How come nobody makes a replacement bracket? they said they only make calipers, NOT the bracket...thats fucked up, what if someone really DOES need a replacement (aka me!!)

Anyways, called a few local yards, they said they couldn't sell me caliper brackets alone, i gotta buy the whole stinki'n thing...

There's no Infiniti dealership up in Davis, so i'll call around and try San Francisco during spring break.
Well theres 2 kinds of calipers you can get from kragens/autozone. You can get a BARE or a LOADED caliper. Basically the loaded is what you want *all it needs is the brake pads* The bracket itself is not part of the caliper, its the part that HOLDs the caliper in place. Not quite sure how much they would be, i hate to say it but id imagine they're expensive since theyre from the dealer. I mean the lil pins that hold the pads in place costed me like $26 each, not including the reatainer clip and the wire pins that hold the main pins itself in place. those pieces were a bitch to find in stock.

[drift into a curb]

A loaded caliper means just that, it's loaded and includes brake pads already installed. Bare or unloaded calipers require brake pads, clips, and shims.

[OptionZero]

Thanks for all the info guys.

It turns out i have a few options:
I sent a few requests to various used parts places, hopefully getting responses soon.
Kragen cannot get just the bracket, but Autozone has a listing for the brackets. Sadly, they are listed as 'not available' at this time, so I'll have to get more info from them.

Infiniti parts department could not find part number for just the bracket.

Loaded calipers are $100 bucks a side, I ain't paying that. I'd rather get a junkyard set and pull the brackets off those.

For now, the swap is put off indefinitely, likely till the summer when I can sort this out. If i come across a caliper bracket at a reasonable cost, I'm all over it...and if you guys find anything...hit me !

[fliprayzin240sx]

Just tell em to have a blown up diagram of the brakes and look at it...point out which one you need. Thats how i got parts for my Z32 brakes. Actually I got a Q...how much more bigger is the Q brakes compared to the Z...it might just be the same bracket. Doesnt hurt to check.

[OptionZero]

I bit the bullet and got another pair of used caliper, $39 a side. I figure even new brackets would be close to that, and a dealership would certainly try and jack me. It's too much trouble to see if 3z brackets will fit, and I can get these on Monday.

[drift into a curb]

fliprayzin240sx, the z32 bracket is casted in the back half of the caliper. It's not a seperate bracket piece like the q45 set up.

OptionZero, I got the same info from Autozone about the caliper bracket. They didn't have it available and couldn't guarantee it would be. Anyhow, that's not bad for some used calipers. Sucks spending more than you need to though.

[fliprayzin240sx]

fliprayzin240sx, the z32 bracket is casted in the back half of the caliper. It's not a seperate bracket piece like the q45 set up.

OptionZero, I got the same info from Autozone about the caliper bracket. They didn't have it available and couldn't guarantee it would be. Anyhow, that's not bad for some used calipers. Sucks spending more than you need to though.
Was it?!?! *trying to remember..........* I coulda sworn its a seperate piece cuz I was trippin on how it was gonna mount...oh wells

[drift into a curb]

Yeah here's a picture of the caliper mounting brackets. You shouldn't have any problems mounting to your stock points

[fliprayzin240sx]

Yeah here's a picture of the caliper mounting brackets. You shouldn't have any problems mounting to your stock points
whoa...ur still up?!?! and I thought im a freakin post whore!!! =p

[ryan hagen]

If i traded in the Q's for 3z calipers, i'd have the same problem. Remanufactured 3z calipers arent likely to have brackets either.


3z calipers dont have a bracket like that, they are a one piece (excep the pistons)