PDA

View Full Version : 79-85 owners , 87-93 V8 front brake swap?

GT350R
05-22-2004, 11:25 AM
Has anyone here done a front spindle and brake swap on an 85 or older?

I have noticed while trying to fit my 17x9 Cobra rims that they touch the struts.

Looking into this I found that the 86-93 have a different K member , and strut angle. (86 might be all by itself) Then I remembered the different caster camber plates on the 87 and up.

Well, I want to swap to the 87-93 Spindles/struts/brakes. But I have heard that i will need aftermarket Caster camber plates to get it alinged. I dont want aftermaket plates! I also dont want to swap K members!

So has anyone dones teh swap themselves AND had it aligned with no problems?
evlgt85
05-22-2004, 12:42 PM
Just found the pics to prove that I'm of little help...my car has aftermarket K, control arms and CC plates. I've never heard that you'd need CC plates for a brake swap. That doesn't make sense to me. I've only heard that about going to coil overs (which was the reason I got mine). Anyway, the K and suspension went on before the brakes :(
GT350R
05-22-2004, 03:39 PM
Well, I got the struts and spindles in.

MAJOR toe in! I was planning on an alignment anyway, but I will have to adjust quite a bit to even get it there unless I trailor it.

Know, I am trying to find info that tells me about the proportioning valve.

If I can run the stock one, or if an SVO one will work.
FoxChassis
05-22-2004, 03:58 PM
Factory camber/caster plates may look different but the strut tower is the same '79-'89 and any aftermarket camber/caster plate assembly would be for '79-'89 or '90-'93 (at least MM plates are that way).

As Skye mentioned, coil-overs require aftermarket plates and if you lower the car and the factory plates can't be adjusted far enough, you need aftermarket plates too, but just swapping brakes you don't need to swap out the factory plates.

And you don't need to mess with the prop valve unless you're adding disc to the rear. Hell, I didn't even change the master cylinder or the booster when I put 73mm calipers on.
evlgt85
05-22-2004, 04:27 PM
Stock proportioning valve here.
GT350R
05-23-2004, 12:00 AM
I have had the stock prop valve WITH disc rear brakes for about 5 years now.

That in mind, is there a chance that it will work?
rbohm
05-23-2004, 02:37 AM
8) the stock proportioning valve will work with drum or disc brakes in the rear, just remember that the braking force in the rear with disc brakes is compromised, meaning you get about the same as having rear drums. you can either gut the proportioning part out of the valve and install an adjustable proportioning valve in the rear line, or you can search out an svo prop valve and install it. if you use an adjustable prop valve, adjust the brakes so the fronts lock just ahead of the rears(ideally you want them locking up all at the same time).
GT350R
05-23-2004, 02:36 PM
Cool!

Thats exactly what I wanted to know!

I could not see why the SVO prop valve would not work, but I did not want to fab up lines after buying one , only to find out it didnt!

Dont know why I started this project RIGHT BEFORE I have to drive to Carlise!
85snake
05-24-2004, 10:07 PM
I put the same rims on my car and had the same problem. I just ended up putting 1/2in spacers on the car and it eliminated the rubbing.

Are 87-93 fron brakes better than the 85s?
mfpmax
05-24-2004, 10:24 PM
I put the same rims on my car and had the same problem. I just ended up putting 1/2in spacers on the car and it eliminated the rubbing.

Are 87-93 fron brakes better than the 85s?

They are bigger...
JEEPMAN1
05-25-2004, 05:56 AM
Lew,I have 1/4 " spacers if you want them,I'll trade you for the other anny!
85snake
05-27-2004, 10:00 PM
They are bigger...

hmmmm thats interesting. How much bigger and what do I have to do to swap them
JEEPMAN1
05-27-2004, 10:37 PM
To swap you need the spindles rotors,calipers,rubber hoses and you would need spacers to use you're struts the strut mount is smaller on the 87 up spindles.
mfpmax
05-27-2004, 10:50 PM
They are bigger...

hmmmm thats interesting. How much bigger and what do I have to do to swap them

I wanna say 10 inches, but its been so long since I've read.
JEEPMAN1
05-27-2004, 10:52 PM
87 up are 11" rotors.
FoxChassis
05-27-2004, 10:54 PM
The world (of front rotor diameters) according to Kirshenbaum

9.31" - '80-'81
10.06" - '79 and '82-'86 (exc. '84-'86 SVO), '87-'93 w/ I4
10.84" - '87-'93 w/ V8 (exc. '93 Cobra "R")
10.91" - '84-'86 SVO*
13" - '93 Cobra "R"

*From http://www.svoca.com

Click HERE (http://svo73mm.cjb.net/) for upgrades.