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single to 4 piston caliper swap

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Old 10-07-02, 06:00 PM
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Question single to 4 piston caliper swap

ok i did some searching and didnt find info to my hearts content...so here are my questions

what is required for a single to 4 piston caliper brake swap. I have an 89 GTU and would like to put a set of 4 piston calipers up front. i know i need the calipers (duh) and saw it mentioned that i would need the brake lines with them. so far this is corret right?

now should i get new 4 piston calipers (400 bucks per caliper from a place like mazdatrix is kinda steep for me), or would i be better off getting a scrap yard set off of a GXL or T2 and doing a rebuild for them?

ok well of course new rotors would go with this and since i will be doing only street driving i would not want or need slotted or cross drilled (right?). question: do the 4 piston brakes use bigger discs than the single pistons? also, i should probably just get a new set of rotors for this and not try to find a scrap yard set right?

last part: would a master cylinder change also be necessary for this job? or can the GTU master handle the new 4 pistons.

and the biggest question of all: would this would be worth doing or would it depend on which parts i could get used and how much they cost me.
Old 10-07-02, 06:25 PM
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Peep out the for sale thread. Banzaitoyota has a full conversion for $150.00 :-)
Old 10-07-02, 06:31 PM
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my car is an 89 and has 4 piston calipers up front... i thought they were standard... i dont know what trim i have what trim came with 4 piston calipers?
Old 10-07-02, 08:11 PM
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Just make sure the ones that you get dont have the pistons rusted to hell. But if your rebuilding, i guess thats no problem. Also, You dont need all those crazy springs that put posive pressure on the pad, you can go to you local hardware store and pick up normal springs that slide over those 2 pins on the back of the caliper for around 40 cents each.
Old 10-07-02, 09:44 PM
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^ bump, saw thread after i posted on mine
Old 10-07-02, 10:18 PM
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Re: single to 4 piston caliper swap

If you've done the search, you know already, I found 6 threads on S5 swaps alone.

You need the front calipers, the brake hardlines. Rotors are the same size and thickness, no concern there.

For the rear, you need the calipers and the vented rear rotors.

You can buy 4 piston calipers rebuilt for ~70/ea at the hardware store. The rears are far more expensive, better off rebuilding those.

You'll have to judge for yourself on how good a swap this is.
Old 10-07-02, 10:19 PM
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for Rs4Racer:
the base model for 89-91 is the GTU, which i believe came with the single piston calipers. the GXL, GTUs, and T2 all came with 4 piston calipers. if im wrong someone can correct me

Last edited by bingoboy; 10-07-02 at 10:22 PM.
Old 10-07-02, 10:23 PM
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Re: Re: single to 4 piston caliper swap

Originally posted by Silkworm
If you've done the search, you know already, I found 6 threads on S5 swaps alone.

You need the front calipers, the brake hardlines. Rotors are the same size and thickness, no concern there.

For the rear, you need the calipers and the vented rear rotors.

You can buy 4 piston calipers rebuilt for ~70/ea at the hardware store. The rears are far more expensive, better off rebuilding those.

You'll have to judge for yourself on how good a swap this is.
Are you ssuureee the rotors are the same size? Im not doubting you, as i have no hard evidence other than "just looks bigger". When i had the 88GTU the front rotors looked huge, on my 86 base they look pretty small. I dont think the 86 14" wheels would fit over the 88GTU's rotors (of course, if the bolt holes would match up). And arnt 5 lug rotors just plain beefier than 4 lug?

Correct me if im wrong. Thanks
Old 10-07-02, 10:24 PM
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OK. so I'm doing a 5 lug conversion with the GXL brakes to my 87'base. I just was thinking, would I need the master cylinder also from the GXL?
Old 10-07-02, 10:26 PM
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And another thing, i thought all rear brakes were single piston, just the "upgraded" brakes had Vented rotors and that was the only change? Man.. i hope im not completely lost. Thanks
Old 10-07-02, 10:26 PM
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nope, silkworm just posted on that
Old 10-07-02, 10:31 PM
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Yes, I'm sure about the front rotors being the same size, the FSM lists the specs at 10.87" diameter x .87" thickness for both Type A and Type B rotors, ON S5 cars only. S4, yes, they're different sizes.

The rear brakes, not totally certain on the caliper, but they list the rotors as being slightly different diameters (10.28 for Type A (single piston front), 10.75 for type B and Turbo. That would mean that the calipers probably would need to be different, but I'm not totally certain.

PaulC
Old 10-08-02, 12:43 PM
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Originally posted by Silkworm
Yes, I'm sure about the front rotors being the same size, the FSM lists the specs at 10.87" diameter x .87" thickness for both Type A and Type B rotors, ON S5 cars only. S4, yes, they're different sizes.

The rear brakes, not totally certain on the caliper, but they list the rotors as being slightly different diameters (10.28 for Type A (single piston front), 10.75 for type B and Turbo. That would mean that the calipers probably would need to be different, but I'm not totally certain.

PaulC
Ah, ok, i see now. All the Sevens i deal with are S4s Thanks for clearing that up.
Old 10-08-02, 01:49 PM
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Well....if anyone needs a full set (no hubs), I have it.

4 - used rotors (all vented)
FRONT
-front are near perfect, just need resurfacing
-I compared the to my new rotors, not much wear
REAR
-mostly worn on the inner side (normal)
-not warped
-can be used on w/another set of pads
4 - Used calipers
FRONT
-clean, well dirty from use w/stock line-hose
REAR
-same
-has lines but no bolt to attach the line
-used them form my new lines

All parts are boxed in the boxes from all my new parts. I can shipping them using UPS or USPS. UPS ground is aprox $25. USPS will be in the range of $50. These rates are for shipping to So.Cal.

MAKE ME A REASONALBLE OFFER!!!!
Old 10-08-02, 02:05 PM
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Re: single to 4 piston caliper swap

Originally posted by bingoboy

now should i get new 4 piston calipers (400 bucks per caliper from a place like mazdatrix is kinda steep for me
Not only steep, but retarded to boot. That's near the price of a big brake upgrade kit.
Old 10-08-02, 02:29 PM
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I did a conversion on my 91 NA (don't know if its a GLX, GTU or what), it has P/W, P/S, P/L, sunroof, heavy *** hood, non LSD, and sinngle calipers.

No need to change the discs, however the rear ones on the single pistons FC's have a solid rear disc vs the double pistons caliper FC's that have a vented one.

All 5 lugs FC's use the same brake pads........

As mentioned before, you need:

- Front Calipers
- Brake lines
- Hard lines (it goes in between the caliper and the brake lines) <----- you can make your own

It is a very easy job, I went thru and got myself some nice HAWK HP (the cheapest ones), and braided lines. My car stops on a dime, I LOVE IT!!!

The only thing I don't really like is the squealing, but once I hit the brakes....................It's all forgotten
Old 02-09-04, 08:05 AM
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ok, so for brake swap you don't need hubs?

and brake lines are absolutely needed and BMS's aren't...? just clearing things up.
Old 02-09-04, 08:53 AM
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on s4's the rear are different, the calipers on standard brakes are smaller as well as the rotor not being vented. I have had to fit a standard rear caliper on a vented rear rotor. They fit but have to have thin pads!!!!not a very good fix.
Old 06-23-04, 03:31 AM
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Originally posted by KNONFS
I did a conversion on my 91 NA (don't know if its a GLX, GTU or what), it has P/W, P/S, P/L, sunroof, heavy *** hood, non LSD, and sinngle calipers.

No need to change the discs, however the rear ones on the single pistons FC's have a solid rear disc vs the double pistons caliper FC's that have a vented one.

All 5 lugs FC's use the same brake pads........

As mentioned before, you need:

- Front Calipers
- Brake lines
- Hard lines (it goes in between the caliper and the brake lines) <----- you can make your own

It is a very easy job, I went thru and got myself some nice HAWK HP (the cheapest ones), and braided lines. My car stops on a dime, I LOVE IT!!!

The only thing I don't really like is the squealing, but once I hit the brakes....................It's all forgotten
ok i got the calapers with the hard lines will the hard line hook up to the old single piston lines from the shock.
Old 06-23-04, 04:17 AM
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Bump please anyone need info Quick
do you konw if single piston brakes will use the same line if i were to put 4 piston calapers on my car i got the hard liine on the 4 piston calalper will it adapt to the existing brake line attashed to the shock.
Old 06-23-04, 07:27 AM
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Originally posted by Bigretardhead
OK. so I'm doing a 5 lug conversion with the GXL brakes to my 87'base. I just was thinking, would I need the master cylinder also from the GXL?
When I did my swap from the 4-lug single piston to 5-lug 4 piston, I was told I needed the proportioning valve from the 5 lug car. If I didn't, the front-to-rear braking balance wouldn't be correct. Also, I was told that I needed the booster from the same car, as it is a little larger. But I think the master cylinder itself is the same for either brake setup.
Old 06-23-04, 11:44 AM
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Originally posted by hondasuck
Bump please anyone need info Quick
do you konw if single piston brakes will use the same line if i were to put 4 piston calapers on my car i got the hard liine on the 4 piston calalper will it adapt to the existing brake line attashed to the shock.
The hard lines that comes with the 4 piston calipers will replace the strut-mounted hard line that is on the car now. That new hard line should connect to the existing rubber hose (which is then connected to the chassis-mounted hard lines and the master cylinder respectively).
Old 06-23-04, 02:23 PM
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Thanks thats what i need to hear
Old 06-23-04, 02:34 PM
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Originally posted by eyeoutthere
The hard lines that comes with the 4 piston calipers will replace the strut-mounted hard line that is on the car now. That new hard line should connect to the existing rubber hose (which is then connected to the chassis-mounted hard lines and the master cylinder respectively).
Exactly!
Old 04-23-05, 06:54 PM
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Question 4 piston calipers with 87 SE factory rotors

its that posible guys or not just swap the calipers and lines and keep the small rotors?


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