Z1 reproduction brake caliper

I was looking for parts to rebuild the front caliper on a 1974 Z1.  I noticed Z1 Enterprises sells a reproduction caliper but it seems way too cheap. 

www.z1enterprises.com/caliper-assembly-z1-lh.html

Has anyone used this part?  Is the quality acceptable?  I'm might feel better if they said who made it, but they don't.

The OE rubber parts alone (seals, slide boots, o-rings) cost $20 more than this reproduction. 

www.z1enterprises.com/front-caliper-kit-z1.html

Of course, Kawasaki sells the o-rings at highway robbery prices ($11.44 each from partzilla).

I wonder if Suzuki or Yamaha used the same caliper, or at least the same piston and seals? I saved a pile of money rebuilding my ZRX calipers with Hyabusa parts.

I use replica piston and oem seal.
I bought a replica CB750 caliper, I used original housing, rest replica parts.
Replica quality is good, original is highest quality.
 

Hi, been using them for last 3 years, until I rebuilt original left and right,  might be from EMGO,  work fine no issues, Z1parts might be a little less, haven't switched back to old ones yet even used their master too

I've had really good luck with BrakeCrafters in Arizona. They have good knowledge, reasonable prices and service is second to none.
All they do is brakes and they will sit and troubleshoot problems with you. He may even know who makes that caliper.
They are the only place I go to for brake parts.
Im not affiliated. 
www.brakecrafters.com/
 

I just bought a 76 style rebuild kit from brake crafters. Highest quality parts I have seen so far to date. The piston is 306 stainless steel. And the rubber seals are thicker than oem. Not sure if they sell a Z1 kit? as the pistons are different size from the 43mm x 40mm KZ900. But they go good with a fresh glass beaded caliper housing.

Yes, I see you bought from BrakeCrafters. Even if they should not sell a specific z1 kit, which is unlikely, Mark will ask you for the piston and seal dimensions and put something together for you. If you're not sure about the condition of your piston, take a picture of it and email it to him and he'll let you know if it's still good or not. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I only buy from Brake Crafters.

On a related note... Again this is for a 1974 Z1.  I pulled the original caliper apart. I found that the pad, the one that is supposed to float and slide in the mounting bracket, was really really really stuck.  I had to put the bracket in a vise force it out using a socket and some other bits I found on my bench.  This caliper was definitely not working.

I didn't take a picture, but for reference it's like this.




I assumed this was caused by rust, but I was surprised to find that there is no metal to metal contact there.  The pad material wraps completely around the sides of the backing plate, and only the pad material is touching the bracket.  

Why did it get so stuck in there?  Did the pad material swell?  Most importantly, how do I avoid this in the future?  I doesn't seem like you can grease the pad itself without risk of the grease getting on the face of the pad.

I've never seen anything like this with the later '77-'80 style calipers, and I've rebuilt a pile of those.

Metal/sintered metal pads will do that esp if stored in damp or high humidity conditions.

Mc wrote: Metal/sintered metal pads will do that esp if stored in damp or high humidity conditions.

I'm not sure that's it.  The pad looks to be an original Kawasaki part.  Oddly, the other pad mounted to the caliper is an SBS brand pad.  But if the stuck not-floating pad is a factory part, it should be an organic pad and not sintered.  Kawasaki didn't switch to sintered until 1979 as far as I know.  

The caliper piston seal was leaking.  There was crusty dried brake fluid eating the paint on the bottom of the caliper.  Maybe the brake fluid swelled the pad material and gummed it up?

Here is the stuck pad.

 

THAT'S IT