$250 vented brake upgrade for KE30/35/55 also celica/corona

[o_man_ra23]

Mechanic once told me (when putting a car through a RWC to sell... same problem used KE30 inserts in KE55 struts) to wrap the base in leccy tape to beef it up. So bound in leccy tape might be your spacer. Mind you my problem was the strut tubes were too large a diameter for the inserts.

[PULSE]

When I made my spacer, I went down to a metal shop and bought a small length of hollow steel tube in the right diameter, cost me like $5 and the smallest length I could buy was like half a metre or so, its very cheap! Then I persuaded a metalwork teacher at school to give me the keys to the metal rooms and I went in there and spent probably 15 mins, just chopped the pipe down with a hacksaw into two pieces, close to the size I needed, then chucked each one on a lathe and turned them down to the exact length. It didn't take long to do and I haven't used a lathe for about 3 years so I had to work out how to use the thing again. So if you got a proper machinist to make you some up they could probably knock them out in under 5 mins for cheap. Just slide the shocks all the way into the strut, and measure the gap from the top of the strut to the top of the shock, but remember to subtract the length(or a little bit less so your sure it has room to tighten down) from the nut type thing that holds the shock in the strut tube. Btw does anyone know what that nut is called?

EDIT: The spacer I made was because my shock was too short for the strut, so this type of spacer fixes length not diameter like o man's method. Though I found with this way, even though the shock wasn't quite the same diameter, because spacers I made weren't solid and flat, they were hollow pipe, the shock centered itself nicely in the spacer. So it fixes the diameter too.

Hope that helps mate.

Cheers, Matt

[twentyEight]

from the nut type thing that holds the shock in the strut tube. Btw does anyone know what that nut is called?

Gland nut...

[Hash_ra23]

sorry loose was the wrong word....it was same as pulse's issue, just the height wasnt right. thanks, i'll do what you did.

edit: actually a bunch of washers will be fine right? the difference in height isnt much at all from memory...like <10mm.

[MIN728]

hi, this site has been a gold mine of information but i have one quick question? Im about half way through a ground up rebuild of a RA28, i have a 1GGTE engine halfcut conversion and basically i was looking for a simple brake upgrade that an engineer will give the nod to. Would this be sufficient stopping power for a 1GGTE? Would it be better to do a similar brake upgrade but with twin spot callipers? Just wanting to get the front end sorted, one of the last few bits i need to get sorted to get my baby on the road!!!! Also if anyone can recommend a diff of sorts for my engine conversion? Hilux lsd? disc brake rear? Thanks

[twentyEight]

They may be sufficient in the eyes of an engineer, but you would be a lot better off with the Corona/Peugeot/Hilux Conversion...

Corona/Peugeot/Hilux Conversion - http://www.classiccelicas.com.au/for...php?topic=80.0

Corona/Peugeot/Hilux Conversion with Height Adjustable Coilovers - http://www.toymods.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13803

[o_man_ra23]

aRA28, TwentyEight is right. This setup will pass you through an engineering inspection, but you are better off with the CPH conversion mentioned. I will be using this setup for my 18R-GTE, but that will hardly be a powerful setup at all, just a lot better than standard. The 1G on the other hand is a potent little motor and you want something better.

As for the diff, the Hilux diff is way overkill, but is the easiest. A better solution is to cut an F series diff down to the right width. Depending on whether you want 4 stud (which you wouldn't be looking at this brake setup if you didn't) or 5 stud, depends which diff you start with and which brake setup you use on the F series. Brett_Celicacoupe knows the diffs backwards, and will be a great source of info. The RT142 corona avante rear disks fit perfectly on the 4 Stud F series and complement the CPH front brakes well. Look for the Axle Database in Tech&Conversion.

[Sagluren]

i have just fitted this upgrade to my ra40 and it works wonders, altho there are a few things that i stumbled over, the first is my standard 14 inch wheels didnt fit over the caliper, it was only scraping in one place on the wheel, on one of the raised lips so it could be just my wheel or all i dont know. The other think was the way the cradle was mounted, i would recomend that getting the strut milled flat on the side where the spacers go, altho i didnt do that im not really happy with using diffrent sized washers to do the job.
apart form that i will keep everyone posted as i do more and more kilometers.


cheers.

[shelldrake]

Well, I have recetly got this setup sorted in my car, but with adjustable coilovers too.

I had the mounting surface milled minimum to level flat on both sides. Then had a mate make up some equal sized spacers out of alloy.

The whole things bolts together beautifully. With the camry master cylinder, it stops on a dime.... Repeatedly too.

Having said that - My 22 with the 20v, is probably quite close to stock weight. A 28 with a 1g/1j may require something else...

Also, I didnt have any issues fitting my 14's (MA61 rims -14x7, +8), or the panasports(14x7, 0)

[Sagluren]

yeah the upgrade is magnificiant i used to think the original brakes were fine, and was only doing the upgrade to spend some money, but it was money well spent. As for the wheels i am running some ROH hotwire look alikes with (14x6.5 -35) a 6 mm spacer, but i think it was just a once of miss aligned rim.

but yeah i would recomend this to anyone.


cheers.

[Sagluren]

i have just been to get a wheel align nad sure enough, there is to much +ve camber on the left, it could be due to a few things but it would be a good idea to get some addjustable strut tops as well it money permits jsut to be sure you can mimimize this porblem.

brakes still going strong.

cheers sam.

[rob]

its unusual to have only +ve camber on one side unless there has been some damage done in the past. left side maybe the car has run up the gutter in its life?

but in my experience ive never been able to get neutral or negative camber on my ke35 even when it was all standard, it was always + # deg on both sides, with probably 3 or 4 alignments done in its time. I figured thats how it was, and was told by one of the alignment guys that hes never been able to make these old corollas neutral.

i never gave it another thought, and dont think the strut swap is to blame, i was going to just remedy this with some T3 strut tops or scorpion LCA's when i could afford it.

also rumour has it that MX32 or MX62 LCA's can be used as well has anyone confirmed?

[o_man_ra23]

early RWD Toyotas all ran about half a degree positive camber from factory. It's impossible to get rid of it too without replacing parts with aftermarket items.

Don't know about what LCAs can be used... TA22 strut tops apparently fit though.

[SeptemberSquall]

early RWD Toyotas all ran about half a degree positive camber from factory. It's impossible to get rid of it too without replacing parts with aftermarket items.

not true bend the struts

[twentyEight]

You can also get rid of it buy running factory parts from other Toyotas... (ie. MX62 LCAs on a Celica)