How do master cylinders work?

[Rabbi010]

So I bought 300zx brakes (waiting for them to come in) and I'm reading this book called High Performance Brake Systems by James Walker Jr. So I'm up to chapter 3 and it's talking about the process of the brakes from pressing the pedal to the calipers clamping, thus stopping the car.

In the master cylinder section, long story short, it says that the smaller the diameter of the master cylinder piston the more pressure is made. The 240sx MC Piston is 7/8 and some 300zx are 15/16 or 17/16, which are clearly bigger. Why are people moving to bigger size when changing to 300zx brakes? Is it because the 7/8 would make the brakes lock up faster?

[OutToWinPAHC]

The built in proportional valve for the S master has the wrong bias for the Z brakes. 8 piston up front VS a previous 2

[chrisa]

^^^ exactly what he said, the bias is all wrong. Although if you put an automatic brake booster and MC that should push the Z brakes fine.

[Rabbi010]

Thanks. I just read further into the book. It also states that since the Calipers/pistons are bigger, the compliance is bigger so they require more volume of fluid.

[HYPNOTIK]

Yes, the Z32 moves more fluid volume.