For general brake improvements, see Brake Upgrades.
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Better Brakes
Here are some considerations of a braking upgrade:
- Bigger caliper and brake pads will slow down car more quickly
- Larger-diameter disc brake rotor will improve braking power and sensitivity
- Vented rotors will improve repeated stops (less brake fade because the rotors can shed heat faster)
- Coilover swaps permit wider tires
See: * S13 Brakes for smaller, heavy vented brakes * 258mm Brake Upgrade for large but light solid brakes![]()
Notes:
- Large or wide tires will improve brake contact patch and so are a huge part of increased braking performance
- A dual Brake Master Cylinder is safer than a single one. See Brake Upgrades.
- Front and rear caliper/cylinder ratios should match the application of the car weight bias, brake and tire sizes (See Brake Proportioning). For mismatched brakes, or for varying loads, a brake proportioning valve can be fitted to prevent premature lockup
- Bigger tires. Yes, this has a big effect on brakes, because more rubber on the road lets you stop faster before the car skids. 1200 accept 185-width on front, 205-width on back (if the wheels have appropriate backspacing)
Slotted Rotors
RDA can supply standard 1200 rotors with slots if you ask for them. Mine cost me $290 for the pair.
Some say slotting and drilling have no performance benefit but can increase the likelihood of cracking. But they look schmick. Slotted/drilled rotors are unnecessary and can often weaken the rotors, but may be useful in some racing applications (check with your brake vendor for their suggestions).
1200 Disc Swap
If your 1200 has front drum brakes, take note that disc brakes are:
- easier to work on
- More resistant to fading -- safer after repeated stops (they dissipate heat far better)
Swapping 1200 drums for discs is easy.
front brake upgrade 1200 ute: i used a sunny strut leg unbolted the disc off the hub and bolted a cc lancer vented disc to that and then a used a 4pot caliper off a 80mod volvo which bolts strait onto the sunny strut leg
- 1200/120Y struts
- B310 (sunny) hubs, outer edge turned down to 140mm
Better Brakes for B110
You can keep the lightweight B110 struts and improve the brakes.
NOTE: early B210 1973-1975 use the same struts as B110.
Late Datsun 1200 B120 & B210 1976-up are the same but the spindle & hub use smaller bearings
Aerospace Components Drag Race Brake Kit - 260mm will clear 14" alloy wheels
these brakes will stop a car doing 150mph + in the 1/4
POST ** Big Brakes for Big Boys...
For the Imperially challenged, that's a stop from 240km/h in the 0.4km drag race
Better Brakes for HB210
HB210 is the A14-powered North America B210 with 2" strut/hub assembly (same as PB210 Japan).
See Aerospace Brake Kit for A14-powered B210 struts on Ratsun.net. This kit is a version of the B110 Aerospace Brake Kit (see above).
Brake Sizing
Do you need a different size master cylinder? Or a brake booster?
See main article: Brake Sizing
309 mm Brakes
* Rotors: AP floating 309mm * Calipers: PFC * Hats: SH ex-NASCAR rears * Redrilled to 4-stud
Better Brakes for B310 and A10
Large 268 mm disc brake rotors can be adapted to B310 (Sunny/210) or A10 (Stanza/510) struts - and still fit over 13" wheels.
240K alloy caliper and 263mm rotors
Maddat Brake Conversion Kit
Maddat Product No FBK001 Front Brake Conversion Kit.Includes 280mm vented disc rotors, RX7 S6 Calipers (new seal kits fitted), adaptor brackets, bolts, washers. wheel bearing kits, new rubber lines. Kit is designed to fit 200B or late Stanza struts. Will not affect wheel off-set. Comes with engineers report. Option of red or black calipers.
Suits Stanza/200B struts (not included)
Maddat RX7 S4 brakes on Maddat Lowered Strut Assembly
S30 (240Z/260Z/280Z) Brake Upgrade
In early 1200 racing, Datsun Competition recommended fitting the S30 brakes to the 1200, however it took a lot of fabrication and there are better choices available today.
See Datsun 1200 Competition Suspension Manual
S13/280ZX Brake Upgrade
Upgrade your 1200's brake to large 258 mm (10.15") brakes -- and keep the lightweight 1200 struts! No machining required.
See main article: 258mm Brake Upgrade
BMW E30 Brakes
Bolt E30 vented disc rotors to your 1200 struts. Minimal machining required.
See main article: E30 Brakes
S13 Brakes
13 (1989-1993 Silvia, 180SX, 200SX) brakes can be modified for use on Datsun 1200 struts. With an adapter plate (Kev Rowley special) you can use Silvia calipers and rotors on a 1200/120Y disc brake strut. .
See main article: S13 Brakes
Better Brakes for Z/ZX Struts
After you have installed Z or ZX struts, you may be interested in fitting bigger brakes to them.
See main article: Better Brakes for Z/ZX Struts
4-piston Calipers
Compact, Heavy iron * MK63 Brakes * #Hilux 4-piston Calipers * #Volvo 4-piston Calipers
Light Alloy * #Nissan_4-piston_Calipers * #RX-7 4-piston Calipers
Caliper Bolt Spacing 3.0 inch (76.2 mm) 120Y/B310 78 mm 510/610,Volvo 84 mm B110? 3.5 inch (88.9 mm) A10/810/R31/S130, Hilux 130 mm B12 caliper 160 mm RX-7 FC 100 mm DR30,R32,R33,Z31,S15
MK63 Racing Brakes
See Nissan competition MK63 Brakes
Volvo 4-piston Calipers
Volvo 4 piston calipers from a 240DL wagon bolt to the A10/810/B310 strut fine, but have different style flare fittings. Use 245mm B310 rotors (non-vented) or possibly S13 250mm vented discs.
There are several kinds of Volvo 4pot calipers (not all Volvo 4-pistons calipers will fit)
- Front caliper 38 mm bores 1976-1993 in Girling, ATE, or Reb versions
- Volvo 240/242/244/245/264/265
- 14.3mm solid rotor version (263 mm disc)
- 22 mm vented rotor version (263 mm disc)
- Rear caliper
Works with stock size B310 245mm rotors
250 mm S13 Brakes would probably work with caliper spacers (precision washers) about 5mm.
Subaru Leone vented rotors have been suggested but the 242 mm version are just a tad too small for these calipers.
Larger rotors can be used with an adapter to space the caliper farther from the spindle.
Hilux 4-piston Calipers
Toyoda Hi-lux and Landcruisers come with 4-piston calipers (Sumitomo S12). Can be fitted over a variety of rotors.
See main article: Hilux Calipers
Nissan 4-piston Calipers
Non-ribbed Cast iron: see MK63 Brakes Ribbed Light Alloy: see R32 Brakes
RX-7 4-piston Calipers
Mazda RX-7 FC (2nd gen) Series 4 1985-1988 with 5-lug wheels used 4-piston calipers
RX-7 FC heavy-duty calipers have a wide 160mm bolt spacing.
FC Brakes - 114.3 PCD Single-piston use with 4-lug 250x20mm (9.835") rotor 4-piston use with 5-lug 276x20mm (10.86" x .787") rotor
Maddat #Front Brake Conversion Kit
A10 Stanza struts/hubs, Mitsubishi #Magna Rotor and RX7 calipers fit under 15" wheels
A10 Stanza strut, DR910 disc, RX7 caliper fits under 15" wheel (?DR910 = ?DBA910 280x20mm disc for 1990-1994 Cefiro?]
A10 Stanza struts/hubs, 294/296mm disc, RX7 S4 calipers: mcgee
Nissan Alloy Twin-Piston Caliper
See R32 Brakes#Nissan Alloy Twin-Piston Caliper
Lightweight twin spot calipers from R32/R34 Skyline rear caliper for either 1000 or 1200 race front brake conversion. The rotors it uses are perhaps the lightest 297mm rotor around.
Commodore Caliper
GM Holden Commodore/Calais has a popular caliper for swaps, as it is the same bolt-pattern as the larger Datsun strut caliper and is large yet made of light alloy.
Holden_Commodoreᵂ
VL 1986-1988
VR 1993-1994
VT 1997-2000 extra-large caliper
TYPES V6 - low-profile single arch w/square indents V6 - low-profile twin arch V8 - heavily finned (single piston) Turbo - lightly finned (twin piston) Girlock (?)
V8
VL Turbo caliper with 275mm rotors (See #Magna Rotor)
276x26mm mazda 929 disc with VR calais caliper
Twin Piston
PBR caliper, lightly finned (fins not visible from front) with two arches in front originally used on VT 296x28 rotors.
GM Commodore VT (PBR) caliper bolts directly to Datsun 610(180B), B310 Sunny and 240K struts.
Holden Commodore VT disc and caliper on a Z strut
Magna Rotor
2.0" Datsun struts with Mitsubishi Magna/Verada/Diamante rotors.
180B strut * Early small axle, 232mm rotor (same as 510 "1600") * Late large axle, 245mm rotor (same as A10 "Stanza"/B310 "Sunny") Stanza Strut Swap
DBA 425 276x22.4mm, 45mm height, 69mm hole * 1990-1995 Mitsubishi 3000 GT, GT-SL * 1995-1997 FTO/ECLIPSE 2.0 V6 w/15" wheels * -1992 Magna TR 4-cylinder * 1992- Verada KR, KS.V6 * 1997 Verada KE
Datsun 610 (180B - 10 x 232mm or 245mm rotor) vs Verada disc (276mm x 24mm VENTED)
You can use GM Holden Commodore VL Turbo caliper with 276mm rotors
- Mitsubishi Verada/Magna/Diamante 276mm rotors. Get DBA425 rotor blanks
- have them drilled to suit the 610/A10/B310 hub bolt pattern (4 x 0)
- have the center hole was machined out to 73mm
- VL Turbo calipers (Girling) - no adapter needed
- use a 1.5mm thick washer between the caliper and the strut (for 610/180B struts, may differ for B310/A10 struts)
- (Optional) can use taller pads for Australia-built R31
Or use corona hubs, 250 rotors and 60-series cruiser calipers, fit under 13" wheels with a 1mm grind
250mm rotors and 4pots under 13" rim
Sunny struts, swapped left to right with Mistubishi Verada vented rotors and commodore calipers. I've also heard of rx7 4-spot calipers being used. All this fits under 13" rims.
sunny struts ,magna discs, girlock calipers...
Caliper is HZ holden PBR alloy (e.g early Holden Kingswood) with Verada disks. You will need 15" rims or bigger to fit over this change.
size comparison: 12" hubcap VS 11" mitsu rotor (10.9")
Verada rotors on Datsun 240K hubs/struts with Holden Commodore caliper.
A10 Stanza struts/hubs, Mitsubishi Magna Rotors and #RX-7 4-piston Calipers fit under 15" wheels.
Datsun 810
810 rotors are solid discs. Vented discs like the 280ZX swap are superior for fade-resistant, which is important for racing and for mountain driving.
See main article: 810 Brakes
Datsun 910
Datsun model series 910 was produced 1979-1986. In some countries it was marketed as "Bluebird". In the United States it was badged as "810" or "Maxima".
See main articles: * 910 Brakes * Disc Over Drum
Nissan U12
Nissan U12 (Bluebird/Pintara/Stanza) 1987-1992
Australian production Nissan Pintara U12 1989-1992 * CA20E (GLi, Executive) * KA24E (T,Ti,TRX)
257 mm x 22 mm rotors: See S13 Brakes#257 Rotor
Uses the same rotors as: * Japan S14 some models * USA S14 some models * USA S13 largest size * EUR S13 smallest size
Nissan B12
Nissan Sunny/Sentra B12 (1985-1990). Front rotors are #same as B13 -- 3 different sizes.
240mm B12 1.6 Centric 121.42035 * Diameter: 240mm (9.44") * PCD: 4 x 100mm * Thickness: 18mm * Hub reg: 61mm * Height: 45.5mm (1.78")
250mm B12 2.0 small Centric 121.42052 * Diameter: 250mm * PCD: 4 x 100mm * Thickness: 18mm * Hub reg: 61mm * Height: 45.3mm
257mm B12 2.0 large Centric 121.42056 * Diameter: 257mm (10.125") * PCD: 4 x 100mm * Thickness: 26mm (1.025") * Hub reg: 61mm * Height: 45.2mm
Nissan B13
Nissan Sunny/Sentra B13 (1990-1993) SR20DE - swap is same as 257mm S13 Brakes except that B13 uses:
- 4x100 PCD, so the rotors need to be redrilled for 4x113 PCD.
- height is 4mm different, so different caliper adapter plate is needed
- Can use the B13 calipers per below photos
- see swap details at S13 Brakes
B13 4x100 PCD B13.SR20DE.FRONT 250x18x45.32 hub 61 257x26x45.2 B13.AUS(SR18DE,CD17,GA16/GA15/GA13) 257x26x45.2 B13.GA16DE 210x8(Euro) 240x12(USA) 240x18(Euro) B13.SR20DE.REAR 234.x7x39.5 258x9x68
These appears to be 257mm rotors (DBA 901), with the caliper adapter welded-on (rather than bolted-on)
CALIPERS * 1.6 USA Mitsubishi AD18V/1717 * 2.0 Japan-made 2188
Nissan B14
1995-1999 Nissan B14 (Sunny/Sentra/Lucino/200SX)
These brakes are smaller than B310 brakes
USA with GA16DE engine Front rotor: 232 mm vented XE 247 mm vented GXE Rear rotor: 234 mm solid
Centric 121.42060 232 mm height: 45.2 thickness: 18 Hub reg: 61 mm bolt circle 4x100 PCD weight: 8.5 lb
Centric 121.42061 246.7 mm height: 45.2 thickness: 18 Hub reg: 61 mm bolt circle 4x100 PCD weight: 9 lb
Rear rotor: 234 mm solid Centric 121.42054 thickness: 7 mm height: 39.5 pcd: 4 x 100
Vanette
GC22 Nissan Nomad
* 910 Struts * 910 Bluebird S1\S2 bolt on disc hub * GC22 Nomad Vented rotors (250mm) * GC22 Nomad calipers * approximately 7mm spacers to align caliper with disc
Ford
Easy 5-lug brake conversion with the common Nissan/Ford 5-stud bolt pattern (5 x 114.3) and large 287 mm rotors.
Ford Falcon (Australia)ᵂ 1972-1988 XB to XF rotors bolt to Datsun A01 struts. Any caliper suitable for 24mm thick rotors can be used depending on how you make the adapter bracket. Most popular is the Datsun-compatible {{#Commodore Caliper}}.
A01 Hub: Late Datsun 610 struts, Datsun 810, late 710, GB211, and A10 Stanza front drum hub (Stanza disc hub uses smaller bearings).
Datsun 2" struts with Ford Falcon 11" ventilated rotors and Commodore PBR calipers
Sunny 2" strut with Falcon discs and VK Commodore calipers
1972-1988 Falcon XB to Falcon XF commonly found on eBay PCD: 5 x 114.3 mm (5 x 4-1/2 inch) Rotor: DBA 107 287x24 mm (11.3"), 75 mm height Wheel Bearings L68149 (OUTER) 2.3280" x 1.3775" x .6250" LM12749 (INNER) 1.7810" x .8656" x .6550" These fit the larger Falcon stub axle, replace with Datsun bearings
aca18t: "press the bearing shells out press in your Datsun ones"
wheel bearings * 1975-1977 (late) 180B * 1977-1981 200B eBay bearings LM11949 1.7810" x .750" x .6650" LM67048 2.3280" x 1.250" x .6600" These fit the late 180B stub axle
Toyota
Camry discs + the famous Sumitomo 4-piston calipers
* 1988 Camry 5-lug rotor255mm x 22mm (not the 24mm versions) DBA 730 * Thickness machined down to 20mm * on 2" struts * machine new bolt holes to bolt behind 4-lug hub
probably just as easy to use the s13 discs ... with these you need a spacer to get the right offset and one of the new holes that needs to be drilled ends up half in and half out of one of the original ones
Brake Swap Notes
Twin piston sumitomo calipers for sale, go straight onto stanza struts with the use of larger 200b or 240k discs...early 200b discs are 253mm, about 10-15mm bigger than stanza ones, but are offset to suit the twinspots everything is a straight bolt in
PIGDOG
{{Album|9592}
boofheads with slotted 240k discs
'universal' type coilovers for a Civic donated the springs
200b and stanza are solid discs.
feral's vented package using modified 240K twin-spot calipers. http://www.datrats.com.au/BRAKES.html
CA18DET Wagon is go i took an r31 strut, and cut the spring perch off (the diameter of the spring is far too big to fit up the 1200 strut tower) and while i was at it chopped out about 2 inches from the actual length of the strut to accommodate some koni yellow shocks which i picked up cheap and had rebuilt (which is also cheap to have done). so the front end stiffness is adjustable with a little knob. because i had them rebuilt, i asked for the soft setting to have a hard rebound for goodweight transfer when i go to the drags. the springs are just some pedders lowered made for a stanza which i modified. it is just running the standard r31 vented disk and caliper. both of which are huge for a 1200.
you can also equalise the track by fitting a BW KE30 corolla diff, which is 30mm wider than the 1200 diff. then you have a car with 30mm wider track - back AND front - for better handling again! get the handbrake handle and cable too if you do this.
Subaru vented disc on 1200 hubs fit under 13" wheels
GM Commodore VT (PBR) caliper bolts directly to Datsun 610(180B), B310 Sunny and 240K struts (See #Commodore Caliper)
Holden Commodore VT disc and caliper on a Z strut
XB-XF Falcon 11" rotors (Nissan 5-stud pattern) with Commodore PBR single piston calipers (See Ford section)
Caliper bracket for VL Turbo caliper & disc on Bluebird strut
Modified 240k struts to suit Commodore discs and calipers
Sunny strut with Falcon discs and VK Commodore calipers (See Ford section)
300mm VT disc, with an AU Series 3 twin piston caliper
Stanza strut with modified Commodore rotors and calipers
#RX-7 4-piston Calipers and Stanza strut
276x26mm mazda 929 disc with VR calais caliper
Stanza strut with large Vanette vented rotor and Skyline caliper
1200 spindle welded to 510 strut tube with Wilwood Dynapro single caliper and Wilwood 10.25" two-piece disc
Honda caliper over Toyoda disc with center mouth by Mitsubishi/Nissan
200B rotors with Corona calipers on Stanza/200B strut
300ZX Turbo Z31 rotor (280mm x 26mm) compared to 1972 Corolla E20 (228mm x )
Corolla E20 * not enough height 228 dia x 10 mm thick 87 PCD 17.3mm height
Rear Disc Brakes
The stock rear brakes are fairly good, a large (for such a light car) 8" x 1.75 brake shoe. Make sure the brakes and clean and adjusted correctly. Using a performance pad will improve it.
But for coolness sake... read the article Rear Disc Brakes.