My Big Fat Akebono BBK Upgrade Thread
#18
#19
So I just did my totals and of course I'm over-budget, but not by that much.
All prices are in CAD$ including taxes and I'll convert that to USD at the end...
Calipers: $450
mediablasting/powdercoat: $220
Z1 rotors and brackets incl shipping: $1000
Rear OEM rotors: $170
Pads: $280
clearcoat and decals: $18
Caliper kits: 150
Shop time/expendables: $70
Brake fluid: $8
Total: CAD$2366
converted to: USD$ $1795
My original budget was USD$1400, so I'm not too far off. What killed me was the price of the caliper rebuild kits, OEM rear rotors (surprisingly, the dealer beat the price for any local aftermarket rotors I could source, but they're still hella-expensive!), and the brake pads. If you're in the US you will find these parts for FAR LESS than in Canada. I could have saved money getting the pads, kits, and rear rotors on-line.
So I'm a little over, but compare with:
Z1 kit with 2-piece front rotors, USD$2514(CAD$3312) + shipping, duty/taxes, shop time
or
Concept Z kit with 2-piece front rotors: USD$2021(CAD$2662) + shipping, duty/taxes, shop time
So I figure by doing it myself I saved between $500 and $1000, plus I was able to customize the look of my calipers.
All prices are in CAD$ including taxes and I'll convert that to USD at the end...
Calipers: $450
mediablasting/powdercoat: $220
Z1 rotors and brackets incl shipping: $1000
Rear OEM rotors: $170
Pads: $280
clearcoat and decals: $18
Caliper kits: 150
Shop time/expendables: $70
Brake fluid: $8
Total: CAD$2366
converted to: USD$ $1795
My original budget was USD$1400, so I'm not too far off. What killed me was the price of the caliper rebuild kits, OEM rear rotors (surprisingly, the dealer beat the price for any local aftermarket rotors I could source, but they're still hella-expensive!), and the brake pads. If you're in the US you will find these parts for FAR LESS than in Canada. I could have saved money getting the pads, kits, and rear rotors on-line.
So I'm a little over, but compare with:
Z1 kit with 2-piece front rotors, USD$2514(CAD$3312) + shipping, duty/taxes, shop time
or
Concept Z kit with 2-piece front rotors: USD$2021(CAD$2662) + shipping, duty/taxes, shop time
So I figure by doing it myself I saved between $500 and $1000, plus I was able to customize the look of my calipers.
#20
Not going to bother with details on how to do the rears, because it's 1/4 the work of the fronts, and no adapter bracket is required. Just ditch the old calipers and rotors and replace with the new. Once again, you need to cut and/or bend the dust shield out of the way for the larger rotor. No biggie.
**NOTE** your rear rotors are probably going to be rusted in-place. Go nuts with a rubber mallet or a dead-blow hammer. Just strike "around the clock" a few times and don't spare the elbow grease. They *will* come off, but it'll take some work. ALSO.... make sure to release the parking brake before trying to take the rotors off. Haha.
ONE LITTLE THING...
The banjo bolts that connect the rear brake lines to the calipers are about 1/8" too long for the new calipers. What the bloody hell, Nissan?! Why would you do that?! I thought we were friends!
What could have been a nice, dry one hour job turned into a two hour job with me bathed in brake fluid. Had to leave the lines hanging and dripping while I took a wheel to the bolts to shorten them. :/ The lesson here is to use the correct banjo bolts for the Akebono calipers, because they're a bit shorter. Alternately you can grind your existing bolts shorter while your garage slowly fills with brake fluid.
**NOTE** your rear rotors are probably going to be rusted in-place. Go nuts with a rubber mallet or a dead-blow hammer. Just strike "around the clock" a few times and don't spare the elbow grease. They *will* come off, but it'll take some work. ALSO.... make sure to release the parking brake before trying to take the rotors off. Haha.
ONE LITTLE THING...
The banjo bolts that connect the rear brake lines to the calipers are about 1/8" too long for the new calipers. What the bloody hell, Nissan?! Why would you do that?! I thought we were friends!
What could have been a nice, dry one hour job turned into a two hour job with me bathed in brake fluid. Had to leave the lines hanging and dripping while I took a wheel to the bolts to shorten them. :/ The lesson here is to use the correct banjo bolts for the Akebono calipers, because they're a bit shorter. Alternately you can grind your existing bolts shorter while your garage slowly fills with brake fluid.
Last edited by TheIronYuppy; 08-08-2016 at 09:37 PM.
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rain1119
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08-25-2006 02:36 PM