Brake upgrade for GQ td42

[morewheeldrive]

Hey all I tried the search, and failed. Was wondering if anyone could fill me in on a decent brake upgrade for GQ LWB td42. I've heard of people using the twin spot calipers from the later models but is this a worthy mod? Does the brake master cylinder need to be changed to acomidate the increase in serface area that may come with twin pistons? Any help would be awesome. Thanks.

[JBE]

I had problems with my GQ TD42 with 33" wheels for ages. Basically, I couldn't lock the wheels which made it a scary car to stop. I tried genuine Nissan, Bosch and a couple of other brake pads to no avail.

Like you, I also contemplated a brake upgrade, but then I came across the Lucas (now TWR) brake pads and I'm quite happy with their performance although they chew through discs a bit faster.

Might be worth trying before you rip out your calipers, disks, master cylinder.
Also, if you have 15" rims, they might not clear the four piston calipers, but someone else on here might be able to clarify this.

Just my 2c
Cheers
J

[SLASH]

Hi mate, I put twin pots of a GQ efi on my ute a couple of years ago with slotted & dimpled rotors with EBC black pads all round & it made a small difference, & with 15inch rims. It improved the clamping pressure a fair bit when wheeling & coming down steep inclines. That was with 32's on the truck but i still didnt have great brakes on road & once i put the 37's on my braking efficiency took another dive. So i decided to fit a GU brake booster & master cylinder a few weeks ago & the difference is awsome. I no longer have to stand on the brakes for my truck to stop & thats with 37's. Best thing i ever did & i recommend anyone with a GQ running bigger than 33's should do the conversion coz my truck feels so much safer to drive. I dont think the slotted rotors are must do, only if your current rotors are shagged but the efi twin pots & rotors with the GU booster & master cylinder are well worth the effort, especially what i paid for it all. Cheers Loz.

[morewheeldrive]

Hi mate, I put twin pots of a GQ efi on my ute a couple of years ago with slotted & dimpled rotors with EBC black pads all round & it made a small difference, & with 15inch rims. It improved the clamping pressure a fair bit when wheeling & coming down steep inclines. That was with 32's on the truck but i still didnt have great brakes on road & once i put the 37's on my braking efficiency took another dive. So i decided to fit a GU brake booster & master cylinder a few weeks ago & the difference is awsome. I no longer have to stand on the brakes for my truck to stop & thats with 37's. Best thing i ever did & i recommend anyone with a GQ running bigger than 33's should do the conversion coz my truck feels so much safer to drive. I dont think the slotted rotors are must do, only if your current rotors are shagged but the efi twin pots & rotors with the GU booster & master cylinder are well worth the effort, especially what i paid for it all. Cheers Loz.

hey thAnks loz. Any particular booster and mstr cyl? Td42, or 3.0L or are they all the same throughout the gu's ?

[SLASH]

No dramas. Mine was off a 2002 3.0. I think there all pretty much the same. Just make sure you get a non ABS one. It cost me $150 from central coast 4x4 wreckers. If you are going to fit one you have to swap the brake lines over, either at the master cylinder or at the block on the chassis directly below the master cylinder. I did mine on the block as it is easier & neater. If you do it at the master cylinder you may need to shorten one & re bend it & then re flare it. For some reason the GU's ran the lines into the block around the other way compared to the GQ. Cheers Loz.

[morewheeldrive]

No dramas. Mine was off a 2002 3.0. I think there all pretty much the same. Just make sure you get a non ABS one. It cost me $150 from central coast 4x4 wreckers. If you are going to fit one you have to swap the brake lines over, either at the master cylinder or at the block on the chassis directly below the master cylinder. I did mine on the block as it is easier & neater. If you do it at the master cylinder you may need to shorten one & re bend it & then re flare it. For some reason the GU's ran the lines into the block around the other way compared to the GQ. Cheers Loz.

hmm do u mean swap the front with back circuit? Are the ports opposite on the gu master cyls?

[SLASH]

Yep, but i did it on the block on the chassis directly underneath the master cylinder. If you look at both master cylinders they are actually marked the same so i had a look at a GU set up & the difference was on the block. The rear pipe on the GQ master cylinder went to the rear of the block & the front pipe of the GQ master cylinder went to the front of the block. Rear pipe on GU master cylinder went to the front of the block & the front pipe on the GU master cylinder went to the rear of the block. Thats what you need to end up with. Hope it makes sense. Cheers Loz.

[morewheeldrive]

Yep, but i did it on the block on the chassis directly underneath the master cylinder. If you look at both master cylinders they are actually marked the same so i had a look at a GU set up & the difference was on the block. The rear pipe on the GQ master cylinder went to the rear of the block & the front pipe of the GQ master cylinder went to the front of the block. Rear pipe on GU master cylinder went to the front of the block & the front pipe on the GU master cylinder went to the rear of the block. Thats what you need to end up with. Hope it makes sense. Cheers Loz.

yup yup got it. Awesome thanks. I'll probs look into some slotted rotors and twin piston calipers first and then move onto that. Ps iv spoken to u on patrol forums before I'm GUZ11A. Still haven't gone for a run with ya.

[nayto]

If your going as far as that, be worthwhile to change to braided brake lines also, they help to reduce the sponginess feel of the pedal cos they dont expand like the rubber hoses do.

[SLASH]

No probs. Yeh that would be the go if you can afford it. Saying that the twin pots cost bugger all also, only $150 from central coast wreckers. Just dont get your rotors or anything from central coast brake & clutch coz there a rip off. If you do it that way youve just about got GU braking & its a fairly cheap upgrade. Yeh cool, i thought it might of been you. We've got to for sure coz i havnt tried the new brakes out yet. That was one of the main reasons i did it coz if i stalled or stopped mid hill climb my brakes would disapeer. Maybe in the next few weeks. Ill PM ya. Cheers Loz.

[JWB]

That price is pretty good from Central Coast Wreckers?
When I was re-searching a brake upgrade late last year
I was quoted dearer priced units and they were getting
scarce on the ground. ( up here anyways)

Might look at the Master cylinder option 1st as a starting point.

sounds like that gave improved braking


cheers

[JWB]

No probs. Yeh that would be the go if you can afford it. Saying that the twin pots cost bugger all also, only $150 from central coast wreckers. Just dont get your rotors or anything from central coast brake & clutch coz there a rip off. If you do it that way youve just about got GU braking & its a fairly cheap upgrade. Yeh cool, i thought it might of been you. We've got to for sure coz i havnt tried the new brakes out yet. That was one of the main reasons i did it coz if i stalled or stopped mid hill climb my brakes would disapeer. Maybe in the next few weeks. Ill PM ya. Cheers Loz.

I believe you would need to get the twin pot discs to gain maximum
benefit. also new pads, so I would expect total cost would $700 +
Kitting out the twin pots wouldn't be cheap either

before you know you could be up for a grand??
but horses for coures, what price would you put on not hitting
something in front of you.

cheers

[SLASH]

That price is pretty good from Central Coast Wreckers?
When I was re-searching a brake upgrade late last year
I was quoted dearer priced units and they were getting
scarce on the ground. ( up here anyways)

Might look at the Master cylinder option 1st as a starting point.

sounds like that gave improved braking


cheers

Yeh mate i got them on a good day coz they are usually pricey. Problem is they have anything & everything & they know it.
Yeh it made a hell of a difference.
Cheers Loz.

[SLASH]

No probs. Yeh that would be the go if you can afford it. Saying that the twin pots cost bugger all also, only $150 from central coast wreckers. Just dont get your rotors or anything from central coast brake & clutch coz there a rip off. If you do it that way youve just about got GU braking & its a fairly cheap upgrade. Yeh cool, i thought it might of been you. We've got to for sure coz i havnt tried the new brakes out yet. That was one of the main reasons i did it coz if i stalled or stopped mid hill climb my brakes would disapeer. Maybe in the next few weeks. Ill PM ya. Cheers Loz.

I believe you would need to get the twin pot discs to gain maximum
benefit. also new pads, so I would expect total cost would $700 +
Kitting out the twin pots wouldn't be cheap either

before you know you could be up for a grand??
but horses for coures, what price would you put on not hitting
something in front of you.

cheers

You probably do. A grand would be about right. For me it cost, twin pots $150, brake booster & master cylinder $150, front rotors $450, got ripped off on them, back rotors $300, i think you can get them cheaper than that, roughly $250 for pads depending on what brand you use + fluid. So yeh probably round the grand mark.
But like you said mate horses for courses. Considering how much we spend on suspension, lockers etc $1000 is a small price to pay to be able to run bigger tyres & stop. Well worth it i reckon.
Cheers Loz.

[morewheeldrive]

Loz, do u know if there's any mean trick to gettin the proportioning valve working correctly? When I put my lift in I fiddled around with it a bit and then went MEH! She'll be right. But I think not. ?????

[bogged]

Loz, do u know if there's any mean trick to gettin the proportioning valve working correctly? When I put my lift in I fiddled around with it a bit and then went MEH! She'll be right. But I think not. ?????

how ever much you lift the truck, you extend the proportioning valve bracket.

[nastytroll]

If goin to a GU master cylinder and booster make sure you get a BM57 master cylinder. The GU leafy's run a BM50 like a GQ drum rear.

Now, my understanding is the master cylinders are the same, BM57 (all disk model) and BM50 (drum rear) between GU and GQ. The difference is the GU has 4 bolts from the booster to master cyl and the GQ has 2 bolts. If I'm correct, as BM## refers to the bore size of the master, the master cylinder will work exactly the same (gq-gu) but the may be a difference on the booster side.

[morewheeldrive]

Loz, do u know if there's any mean trick to gettin the proportioning valve working correctly? When I put my lift in I fiddled around with it a bit and then went MEH! She'll be right. But I think not. ?????

how ever much you lift the truck, you extend the proportioning valve bracket.

thanks bogged. Buut what about if I d1cked around with the adjuster bolt when I put the lift in?

[SLASH]

Loz, do u know if there's any mean trick to gettin the proportioning valve working correctly? When I put my lift in I fiddled around with it a bit and then went MEH! She'll be right. But I think not. ?????

Nah sorry man, im lost with that one. I just lifted mine to suit the lift. Ive even had the spring come of when wheeling sometimes & havnt felt any difference. Check the manual out i suppose wich im sure you already have. After i did it still didnt make much sense to me. Cheers Loz.