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My front right caliper was hanging up, causing my brake pads to go metal to metal while the left side still had well over 50% left, and my rotors were both shot. Rather than just doing a normal brake job, I picked up red powder coated calipers, ceramic pads, and blank China rotors for a 2006 Maxima. Total was about $196.
6th gen rotors are 1.6" larger than 4th gen rotors, allowing for more brake torque, or leverage. 6th gen calipers also have larger pistons, applying more PSI clamping force to the rotors, and larger pads allowing more friction. Finally, the larger, heavier rotors are able to absorb and dissipate more heat, reducing brake fade.
Old stock brakes, lost in 17" Mustang wheels.
Before:
After jacking the car up and placing it on jack stands, I hung the old calipers out of the way and removed the rest of the old brakes. I removed the dust shields and drilled the steering knuckles out from 12mm to 14mm.
I took some measurements for those trying to piece this together without a donor vehicle. The bolt size is M14x1.5. The knuckle ear thickness is 12mm, and the bracket is 26mm. An M14X1.5X35 or 40 bolt, with a 10mm long shoulder would be ideal. I had a 20mm shoulder so I had to stack three washers alternating lock, flat, lock, to take up the space. When I have some money later I will replace the bolts to eliminate the extra washers.
NOTE!!
With 6th gen brakes the length of the new bolts is not critical. Because they protrude into the void behind the rotor anyway, they do not contact the rotor unless ridiculously long.
Pad Placement
Calipers and pads installed using red Valvoline high temp disc brake grease:
Thinking about doing the rear brakes now?
I sure am.
I would love to, but every option for the rear is just too spendy. This was just a brake job really, it only required cheap, readily available parts. Would be nice if there were Nissan discs and torque members to add an inch or more to the rear, but I just can't afford fastbrakes kit or anything like that.
Did a couple hard stops on the highway and WOW. Locked up the driver side, maybe both once. Stopping power is night and day, I'll try to measure with torque app.
I used a chisel to scribe the shield in the caliper area, then I used the same chisel to knock the shield off the knuckle. I then used a pry bar to break the scribed area. After using channel locks to spread the shield open, I used the pry bar to pull the shield the rest of the way off.
Last week I ordered proper bolts for the torque member from rockauto.com. I opted to get the Carlson H817 for Dodge products, as they have a 21mm hex and should be less prone to rounding off than the H824 for Nissans with the 18mm hex. The threads measure M14x1.5x40 and will be perfect. Total cost for 4 was $22.52 shipped.
With 6th gen brakes the length of the new bolts is not critical. Because they protrude into the void behind the rotor anyway, they do not contact the rotor unless ridiculously long.
With 6th gen brakes the length of the new bolts is not critical. Because they protrude into the void behind the rotor anyway, they do not contact the rotor unless ridiculously long.
so i'm guessing they were too short?
The shoulders were too long and required stacked washers.
Today I installed the Carlson H817 Dodge caliper bracket bolts and torqued them to 110ft-lb. Fitment was perfect, the diameter of the flanged head was perfect and only two threads or so poke out of the hole.
