Just got done after working with my mechanic buddy for 7 hours installing polyurethane control arm bushings and rear parallel bushings...Q45 brakes are on, as well...Dust shields rubbing and caliper mounts may be grinding on rotors a bit (already had 3mm machined off of them.) This will be fixed as soon as I go have dinner...Pics to come...

More to come...

 

In for Q45 brake pics..

This will prolly be my next mod..

 

in for pics

 

Go with J30 calipers, Wayne...TRUST ME!

The brake mod was supposed to be 90% bolt-up...not so!

The dust shields ended up having to be completely cut off, and after already having 3mm machined off of the rotors, I see and hear some rubbing on the inside of the caliper...Monday I will take the rotors off and have another 2mm or so taken off...

This was a fun surprise: to get the parallel links off of the car, you must drop out the subframe to get that long-a$$ bolt out.

Pics coming as soon as I load them up...

 

Whats the difference between the 2?

 

wow yea, i would love to see some pics

 

SEARCH!!! J/K

I was active in several discussions on the subject not too long ago...
but seriously, the only differences between the two are minor dimensions...J30's are supposed to bolt up with only minor fitment issues. These Q45 calipers require 3m machined off the rotor, which I discovered today is more like 5 or 6mm.

I will do a write-up about this sometime this summer when I get bored and discuss the 2 or 3 different ways of approaching this conversion...I went at it differently than Maxmaxima91, who had advised me a bit on a couple issues...

 

check the calipers are not rubbing on the inside of the rim. or just jack up the car and spin the wheels to see where it might be rubbing. as for the rear bushings, i went through the same headache. i used a spring compressor to press out the bushings. oh and you might want to get extra washers so that you can put them in the front and behind of the rear bushings on both sides cuz apparently one day i put my car up on the lift and noticed that one of the half's of the ES bushings was sliding out so i had to go back to the junkyard and get those big washers that go on the rear parallel links. if i remember correctly you will probably need about 8 washers in total. good luck and post up the pics of the Q45 brakes.

 

Poly bushing on control arm (yes, I broke down and bought the nice ones):

Teh new setup:

Subframe after being dropped:

 

Well, the rear bushings are on, so I'll just keep an eye on them for now...
I am 100% positive on my findings with the brakes rubbing...the contact seems to happen mostly when braking...I can see the wear marks inside the calipers.

 

yeah, but check the inside of the rotors and hardware just in case. as for the bushings, keep an eye on them.

 

the ES bushings MUST have washers on each side of them. otherwise, they come apart and you wind up in a world of hurt.

they ship *most* sets of bushings with new washers, but of the several dozen sets of I've sold and installed, I've seen a few without the washers.

 

They are talking about the rear link bushings Matt not the front. I remember researching this and saw the stuff you posted to some about that washer and how one guy didnt listen and it slipped out. I also remember you posting in that or another thread that the rear links didnt need or come with the washers. Its been a while since I installed mine or looked at your posts so I may be off on that.

 

The rears didn't come with washers, so I would ASSUME they are not necessary.

 

It was a thread "enhancement" question..

 

Read my previous statement about ES and their missing parts in kits.

But after looking at the ones I have they don't have the washers either. I may have been mistaken in my previous comment about the rears specifically, but the fronts definitely need them on both sides. I still highly recommend them for the rears, but it doesn't appear they are quite as necessary for the rears.

 

My fronts do have washers on each side and are A-OK...And I will watch the back...If any of them start to move, I'll tear it down and put some washers on them.

 

96 J30 caliper:93 Q45 Caliper:
see teh differences?

 

I used extra washers on the rear parallel link for those ES bushes. They don't feel very secured at all since I was able to pressed them on with my bare hands. I would put on extra washers on each side if I were you guys just to make it safe to drive.

 

OK, just had the rotors taken down another .001 inch...After a preliminary test drive, things seem OK!

 

i would say they are necessary cuz in my car when it was up on a lift for its regular oil change i noticed that the rear parallel bushings were sliding out so i had to put extra washers on each side to make them stay in place. i would say to just put extra ones just in case. good thing i caught this early before anything could have happened.

 

After a thorough test drive and proper breaking-in procedure (brake from 60mph down to 20mph 5 times then drive for 10 minutes or so w/o really getting on the brakes), I can say that the brakes are MUCH improved. The bushings really do make a difference, too...Definitely a worthwhile - and often overlooked - upgrade.

I just wish someone made solid poly motor mounts for us...

 

Well I just made some for myself, and I am really lovin them! I can make some more, but its not cheap. The cost for the polyurethane alone is around $50 (you need 1.5 lbs) If you are interested in a set, you can PM me. If you are looking for an independent evaluation of these, Therealgoon will have a set very shortly and I encourage you to PM him for his honest opinion (once he gets a chance to test them)

 

You should make a couple of sets and bring them to Maxus...

I just want to say that after all of the time I spent grinding, dremeling, fitting, and cursing the Q45 brake setup, the stopping power is awesome! I LOVE how they are working...

 

so after said cursing and grinding, is it worth all that over the InfJ30 setup, which IIRC is easier to install..? I really -w-a-n-t- NEED better brakes on my Maxipad; my knockoff brakes with near-dead rotors and god-knows-their-condition rear drums are VERY scary to drive with. I've reacted in plenty of time and still had a ton of near-misses (an inch or two on occasion) because the car just.. won't... stop. 75-0 on a downhill offramp was one of the scarier ones. I had to speed up from ~60 to ~75 to pass the car on my right, get into that lane, then onto the ramp, and, well... it's a good thing I didn't have to go to the bathroom.

 

Go with the J30 calipers...allegedly there are less fitment issues...

 

Um pad from brian are cheap like $40 for ceramic pads. Rotors are about $50 from advance.

Ben- Sounds good, I think I'm going to do the rear bbk first, to even things out. The 240 is getting some maxima calipers, did your old ones work good? I only need 1. The other got thrown out a few weeks ago :/

~Alex

 

Can you quantify that at all? I'm hoping to hear numbers on the reduced stopping distance during several runs on a dry, level road, with cold, wet, and hot brakes... but I'll never get all of that.

 

Quantify, eh? Q45 brakes > stock brakes

 

Q45 brakes > stock brakes

or

Q45 brakes >> stock brakes

then?

 

put washers on both sides of the rear link bushings, mine slid out after about a month of driving, i used 1/2" ID washers

 

MUCH better...the Q45 setup is meant to stop a car about 1000 lbs heavier than the 3rd gen Maxima...Now factor in Brembo Rotors and Hawk HPS pads, and you've got a real nice setup!

 

your brakes are only as effective as your tires allow them to be.
****ty tires = ****ty brakes.
good tires = better brakes
great tires = actually able to use an upgraded brake setup

 

I rock out them good tires, too!

Hankook FTW, Brian!

 

Yokos ftw

I need bigger brakes..... I can't lock up my wheels anymore, nor can I glaze my pads tires are too sticky.

 

Kumho FTW!