Will VR front calipers fit on my VN?

[alexp36]

Howdy,

I have seen a few VRs and VNs being wrecked near me - just want to know if I get a good price on VR calipers, will they be a straight bolt on to my VN?

Got a problem with the front right caliper on my VN - the thread is stripped where the hose fitting screws in. Consequently I need to replace it, as it is not holding brake fluid.

Unfortunately, I need to get it sorted in the next few days, and on the cheap, because we are shifting house next weekend, hence I'm hoping I can use whatever is cheapest, and nearest to me.

Thanks, Alex.

[markovr]

yes as long as you grab the discs from it too

[alexp36]

ok, thanks. Are the discs on a VR bigger?

Dont' want to sound ignorant, but can a given caliper only be used on one specific disc size? Or is there some small variation you can get between discs that a caliper will fit?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

They aren't a straight swap. The VR rotor is a floating rotor that is held on by the wheel, the VN rotor is held on by a wheel bearing. You will need to get a hub that bolts to your stub axle that suits the VR rotor.

[hakhawk]

or just get vn v8, vp s2 v6, vp v8 rotors. they are the same size as a vr rotor. this is what i have setup on the vn and it works fine. dba027 rotors and vr calipers.

[alexp36]

Great, thanks for the info. Sounds like the easiest for me will be to just get VN/VP calipers, and maybe the rotors as well, considering I'm not sure what the ones on mine are

Don't spose anyone knows what this disc is:


Does it look like an original Commodore one?

[PaRaDoX]

VR are diffrent yes,

VR calipers are the same as as vn/vp v8 ones, brake pads are the same as vn v6

rotors are 290mm insted of 260mm (vn v6 ones)

so short story yes you can use VR calipers, but you need vn v8 brake rotors

[immortality]

thats no standard caliper you got there. looks like a 4 pot setup. the rotor (disk) does look standard (slotted, aftermarket) however.

also, oyu can't just use the VR/VS hubs on VN/VP as the balljoint stud is different (tapered) VN/VP and straight with groove VR onwards. the lower control arm is longer on the VR/VS (for wider wheel track) so you can't just swap em either to use the later brake/strut setup unfortunatly.

[white vn ss]

they are skyline front brake calipers. 4 spots. leave them on there. they will stop better than vn brakes.

[kniever]

so skyline calypers bolt straight on? what models skyline?

[white vn ss]

they need a special mounting bracket. ask airstrike about these. he had a set for his ss. they are r33 skyline 4 piston fronts.

[alexp36]

Thanks guys, yeah I know they are Skyline calipers... sorry didnt' mention it before, because I didn't want to confuse the issue when I first posted(well spotted by the way, white vn ss).

Problem is, the driver's side one has got a stripped thread in the caliper, where the hose fitting screws in, so it won't hold fluid. Consequently, I've got no brakes at the moment.

As stated at the start, I need to fix this issue quick, 'cause I'm shifting house next Saturday, so I'm looking at just getting some standard Commodore calipers for now. Probably try and fix the Skyline one at a later date.

Unfortunately I can't contact the guy I got the car off, so I don't know if they are standard rotors.

I'm gonna see if I can get some VN calipers this week, maybe tomorrow, so I guess I'll find out if it all works okay.

[alexp36]

This brings me to another question: I've had a mechanic tell me that the standard brake booster and/or cylinder may not be good enough to run the four piston Skyline calipers, because the extra pistons will use more fluid when you put your foot on the brake.

He was unsure if that would mean the brakes would work okay, but pedal will just go down further than normal, or if it would mean there just wouldn't be enough pressure to make the brakes work properly at all with the standard booster etc.

Does anyone know if this is true? Or should a minor upgrade like this work ok with the standard booster and master cylinder?

BTW - those calipers used to say "NISSAN", but they've had four letters ground off, so now they just say "SS". Pretty sweet eh?

[alexp36]

Ok, got a pair of VN V6 calipers, pads, and rotors off trademe (NZ version of ebay), for $70 all up. So, just gotta get some original hoses, and I'll be sweet.

Thanks to all the people who gave advice - I would probably have got the wrong thing otherwise.

BTW, anyone know the answer to my question about the brake master cylinder, above?

[immortality]

using calipers with a greater piston area just means your pedal will travel further. fit a V8 1" master cylinder to help reduce this problem. also fitting steel braided lines is suppose to assist with this also ( as you already have)

[MR CLUBSPORT]

Dont Bother Wasting Your Money Vr Ones Are No Better Then The Vn Ones, Your Car Isnt Going To Stop In Better

[1991_Vn2nV]

Dont Bother Wasting Your Money Vr Ones Are No Better Then The Vn Ones, Your Car Isnt Going To Stop In Better

Yes They Are Better, They Are Larger, Make Car Stop Little Bit Better. But The Best Option Would Just Be Stock FE2/V8 Front Rotors As They Will Fit Straight On.

[savage1987]

lol!! mm, what happened to that post that said 'Your Typing Is Not So Good, Maybe You Get Lesson.'?? Now it looks like I'm laughing at nothing..


VR ones have cooling fins don't they??
They are a tiny bit better, not much though. BUT if you read back through the thread you'll see he isn't doing an upgrade, just a necessary swap.

Sam

[alexp36]

using calipers with a greater piston area just means your pedal will travel further. fit a V8 1" master cylinder to help reduce this problem. also fitting steel braided lines is suppose to assist with this also ( as you already have)

Thanks immortality, I'll keep that in mind for when (and if) I get the skyline caliper fixed. I assume the caliper can simply be tapped with a new thread, and I can get a new hose fitting to screw into the larger hole.

And yep, for now, this is simply intended to be the quickest, easiest solution to allow me to drive the car to a new location, only about 6 or 7 minutes drive away.
- Which is good it's not far, because at the moment it has a 5.0 with only headers, no exhaust system at all, so... it's going to be loud, lol.

[savage1987]

lol wake up the neighbourhood do it at night!

[alexp36]

Yeah, it's a loud bastard alright. Had it running in the garage (under the house), on Sunday arvo, and had to keep revving **** out of it because some of the sparkplug leads were in the wrong places, so was running like a hairy fart, backfiring and everything.

Apparently the cat was running around the house having a coronary whenever we started it up, poor little bugger, lol.

Once we hauled out the workshop manual, and got the firing order right, it runs real sweet, still loud, but idles nicely even with only the headers. Nice motor, the Holden 5 litre. Amazing it ran at all when the leads were on wrong actually.

[savage1987]

hahaha yeah they are a great motor. Tough as nails.

On another note, I can't believe you don't like 19s and 20s on Commodores!! I love my 19s and I'm not really a bling king at all, I just like a clean cruiser.

[alexp36]

yeah, I gotta admit the bigger wheels have grown on me a bit lately, I guess you just get used to them.

I've always been more of an old school hot rods and muscle cars guy, just never had the money to own one. So, I always liked the look of a bit more rubber, not so much the hyper-modern big wheels/low profiles look.

My VN has 18s, and I think they suit it pretty good, better than the 17s on the VR actually.

I guess the look that bugs me is when someone whacks on overly large wheels, the suspension isn't set up right, and the car sits way off the ground. That's probably only ever a problem with 20s and over I guess.

[PaRaDoX]

Yes They Are Better, They Are Larger, Make Car Stop Little Bit Better. But The Best Option Would Just Be Stock FE2/V8 Front Rotors As They Will Fit Straight On.

lol....

calipers arn't larger rotors are :P

pads are the same size and and get jammed in there the same as v6 ones contact area is the same... its how good the caliper can squeaze the pads is also the question.... if shes leaking fluid then its no good mate

does that last statement sound slightly wrong to anyone? :P

[1991_Vn2nV]

Thats the second time lately i've read calipers as rotors.