brake upgrade options for RT40? front end from rt104? can it be done?

[Ella]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone has done this or has one of both on hand to see if those bits fit?

I'm looking at a whole front end bits swap over of its possible, seems it is from looking at some cars at the wreckers today, i found a place with several RT104s and 108s with good front end bits for the taking.

our front end is a little worse for wear so i was looking at rebuilding it.

If this is the case i can rework a full wrecker front end and drop it all into the 'rona in one go
As this is my missus' toy and she likes to take it out at least once a week id prefer to not have it off the road for a long time. (keep her happy and the whole house stays happy lol)

If this were to work i could fix the front end and get a good front upgrade all in one! good piece of mind for me really, I drove it for a decent period for the first time on Sunday and was disgusted with the way it stops. I guess it comes with having one car with 4 spots and one with two spots.

So yeah can anyone help with said info BEFORE i shell out some big ones to find out the s#!t dont fit.

[Ella]

no body? surely someone has to have attempted this?

if not thats cool ill work it out myself.

need to hit the wreckers with a camera and tape measure.

[crowncustom]

I can tell you that RT104 or 118 will not fit as the front end is totally different.The only front end that is the same is RT 80-81 but like the old Shovelnoses scarce as hell.If it were 20 or so years ago I could have helped you out as I have owned and wrecked many old Shovelnoses including 2 genuine 1600S Rona's.
Cheers Brett.

[Ella]

really? i had a good Look at one the other day, it all seems very very similar, the two cars also list a LOT of front end gear as the same...

ill hit the wreckers tomorrow and work out if I can at least adapt it all to work. Ill bet that can be done at least.

[Ella]

ok so it looks like im going to be needing a serious brake upgrade...

can anyone shed any light on anything i can use for a serious upgrade to my front end? already has disc front from rt80, but this isnt good enough, it was barely good enough before with a weber equipped 12R.

im wanting to get RT 104 bits in there so i can then put in a a corona/hilux/peugot setup...

[crowncustom]

Twin or four piston calipers should fit for a start.Have a look on the DBA website and download their catalogue and have a look at different makes and model discs that may fit.
My 1600S Shovelnose I had ran the twin spot calipers from a 104 Rona with standard discs,master cyl on firewall running seperate booster and this thing was running an 18RG and would near stop within its own length at speed.
Are you running the RT 81 master cyl and booster?
Cheers Brett.

[Ella]

Ok when we got the car it was running rt81 front discs and stock rear drums. had a custom bracket with a master that looked a lot like a TA22 one, which i swapped for a KE70 unit cause i had a good one on hand and the other was leaking. the car doesn't run a booster of any kind :S

I looked at a RT40 the other day at the banyo car show that had what i assume to be the stock brake system, it had a master the same as one i have amongst my spares boxes (it looks stuffed) that came with the car and a post master booster i think, ive never seen a setup like this.

Im putting a 18R-G into ours now also hence the need for such an upgrade.

did the twin spots fit up to the stock mounting brackets or did it have custom mounts?

[sbfoot]

So that was rt104 calipers on 1600s discs?
does any body know of a bigger disc that will go onto a rt81 hub?
Scott

[RT40Corona4AGTE]

I can only suggest what crown has already recommended, having not done the upgrade yet myself to my rt40. But if you find a good alternative to the oem setup let me know, as I will be needing the upgrade very soon aswell. . . . .

[Ella]

well if i wasnt sinking all my money into a wonderful little tractor motor, id be going down to the wreckers and buying the parts i think ill need to make this conversion happen or at least measuring it all up and dispelling any fact or fiction...

Next weekend i shall do it for certain as im not doing anything on the sat morning, is there anyone in the brisbane are who has a working camera that might want to come help out with measuring, doing all the sums and giving a second opinion on ideas over a beer or two after? (my cameras not working ) The place where i can get access to a later corona to measure up stuff is on the northside of brisbane. ill be takinf measurements off my own RT40, which already has RT81 disc front, so i guess any info or subsequent FAQ ill later write up will be useful to RT81 owners as well as RT40 guys.

[RT40Corona4AGTE]

so i guess any info or subsequent FAQ ill later write up will be useful to RT81 owners as well as RT40 guys.

that would be most appreciated! good luck!

[Ella]

thanks mate. been here for a while but still on ten fuggen rep points lol. bout time i started contributing.

[RT40Corona4AGTE]

make it 16 now! +rep for you!

[Ella]

Ok so i have had a look back through my posts here and realised i havent really explained my plans...

ok so those in the know realise how the front ends look right.

basically the reason you cant just put in the spindle/hub unit from the RT104 is the upper and lower ball joints are different.
So the points i plan to investigate are:
1 whether or not i can just bolt in the ball joints and go from there (not likely)
2 whether or not i can attatch the twin spot calipers succesfully and find a disc to suit (more likely)
3 whether i can mount upper and lower arms, ball joints and spindles/hubs/brakes in the stock locations (most likely scenario IMO)
or 4 use a set of RT40 arms and a set of RT104 arms and fabricate something that is a mish mash of the two. if this is the case i will build a jig and in turn offer stuff fabricated ready to go. (this will work where all else will fail.)

the reason i think point three will work is because the two cars share a number of parts the same, including spring and shock and tie rod ends.

If not well i can definately get 4 to work but i prefer the idea of no cutting stuff up and welding lol. so does my mod plate guy!

oh and you should have waited for this post for the rep bro this one is far more worthy

anyone have anything to add to this?

[SRyLul]

If you want number 2, maybe you could test my way.
I use Ford Focus discs; 260, 280, 300 or 330mm dia. And 25mm wide. Up to 300mm, they are lowpriced. I choosed 300mm Brembo standard discs.
On Corolla and Celica with 114.3, they are possible to fit on original hub! Havent tried the KE20 hub, as I already mounted KE70 struts on my KE20
Mounting them on the "wrong" side of the hub to get clearance to the new caliper mount, and uses the hub outer dia as a perfect centering. Redrilling new mounting holes and widening the wheel pattern from 108 to 114,3.
Because my rims is ET40, I still have to space it 10mm. The spacer covers the disc bolts. New, 20mm longer wheel bolts are used.
The new caliper mount doesn't have to move inwards, just a straight piece.
I dont bother to use multipiston calipers, modern standard cars with abs and plenty of power uses onepiston calipers. And they are easier to recondition...