are 1986/87 5ktq brakes really different from other years?

[Martin Pajak]

>First of all, when we speak of carriers, is that the same as what I
>refer to as the bracket?  I believe it is.  It's the part that must be
>removed (or maybe not) in order to remove the rotor?  The part that
>the two caliper guide pins go into?

Yes.

>Is there more than one type of G54 caliper, or more than one type of
>G54 caliper carrier/bracket, or more than one type of each?

There are two types of G54.  Old style with aluminium piston housing and newe all steel.

I know for sure there are two styles of carriers 5k and 4k/Coupe.
90q may be using a different one due to rotor offset.
Don't have ETKA here so can't check for sure.

>So, there is one type of G54 "caliper proper", which is used on both
>my Coupe GT and 5kt donor?  I should be able to swap G54's between the
>two cars, leaving the carrier/brackets on their respective strut/wheel
>bearing housings?

Should be able to.

>So, the caliper interface of the carrier/bracket is the same, but the
>strut/wheel bearing interface of the two types of brackets are
>different?

??? Carrier to strut is different caliper to carrier is same on G54s.

>Something here isn't right, since Taka wrote that he swapped G54
>calipers to G60's, and didn't have to swap carrier/brackets too.

I did this on my Ur-q (same as 5kq) and you do need to change caliper carriers to match the G60s.

>If that's true, then why would someone need to get 80/90 strut/wheel
>bearing housings in order to bolt on G60's instead of the G54's?
>(this is what I've always heard, consistently)

Because there is no car that uses G60 with the small mounitng bolt pattern. There is no way to bolt the G60 caliper carrier onto 4kq/Coupe struts without custom work.


>I have a set of G60 calipers.  I have G54's on my Coupe GT.  I guess
>I'm going to just have to dig all this crap out of the storage and see >what fits.  If what both Martin and Taka say is correct, then I should
>be able to bolt them onto the Coupe GT strut/wheel bearing
>housing/carrier/brackets, without swapping struts out.

Never said that.  You are not reading this correctly.

Let's get this straight Ken.
-5kt could have G60 or G54 with matching carriers(same strut, wide bolt pattern).
-4kq/COupe can only have G54 (different caliper carrier, narrow bolt pattern)
By bolt pattern I mean the space between the threaded holes in the strut itself.

Hope this clears it up.
Cheers
Martin Pajak
http://www.quattro.ca