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HQ Brake conversion Tutorial


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#76 76lxhatch

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Posted 18 March 2010 - 08:17 PM

Calipers are on the front from factory, swapping stubs left to right puts them on the rear. This offers more downward space and avoids fouling the steering but you have to watch the inward clearance to the cross member at full lock.

The steering arms attach to the inside of the stub axles with two bolts that also hold the brake disc shields, and run forward to the tie rod ends.

#77 enderwigginau

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Posted 25 March 2010 - 12:34 PM

Six years ago DBA said they had/would supply HQ rotors in Torana - maybe they were just trying to be nice to the STC :D
That is a while ago though, and I know you are correct now Dats.

Shannon/Keith,
Yes, UC steering arms, on the back of the stub, the things that the tie-rod joins to :P

Grant..

#78 _kingcoupe81_

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Posted 08 May 2010 - 06:07 PM

I'm sure I will upset a few people but after doing a heap of HQ/LH/X brake conversions this is how I now do it.

Remove the Torana caliper and disc. Take your HQ discs to the brake shop and get them to remove about 6mm or a quarter inch from the external diameter of the disc and get the disc face machined down all the way to the bolt up face (most HQ discs dont have this face fully machined as the pad normally doesn't run in this area). Fit these discs to the stub axles on your car and repack the bearings (HQ and LH/X/UC bearings are the same). Trial fit the HQ caliper and check for interference (yes the HQ caliper will bolt to the torana stub) and grind away as required to clear the tie rod end. Check the clearance between the outer pad and the bolt up face of the disc (you have moved the caliper closer to the bearing than it would be in an HQ). Refit, bleed brakes and drive off !!!

Yes the caliper does not sit as far away from the spindle as it does in an HQ but you do have ventilated discs, a real caliper, HQ pattern and no wheel alignment or bumpsteer issues. Try it , you'll like it.

Flame on non believers !!!!!!!!



Hey all, does this method of hq discs and calipers on torana stubs work for UC's aswell???? Got given some hq gear and just wanted to know if they'll fit on or are there any other cheap upgrades for UC brakes

#79 dattoman

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Posted 08 May 2010 - 07:43 PM

same

#80 _kingcoupe81_

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Posted 09 May 2010 - 07:04 AM

Thanks dattoman, will give it ago and let you guys know how it went

#81 _LHoon_

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Posted 15 May 2010 - 06:00 PM

Hey guys, can anyone tell me exactly by how much a HQ conversion changes your track?
Of particular interest to me is std LC disc vs. HQ.

The hopper stopper website says their kit shifts the wheels outwards by 16mm.
I'm concerned that I may need to change my wheels, as they are very close to the guards.

#82 _heals61_

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Posted 19 May 2010 - 02:21 PM

Hi all,
Just started the process of converting my LX front brakes as per Strugglers tute. Has anyone tried to fit Girlock calipers? Had some here off a HQ I think but there is no way they will fit as they foul on the top part of the stub and are out by at least one hole width. Is it only the PBR caliper that will fit? Is everyone using the PBR 1662 & 1663 which the catalogue says fits UC, LX and HZ?

#83 _Tuflx8_

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:00 PM

Just wondering if anyone can help me with this?

I was told that if my LX had the alloy callipers on the front, I didn't need to change them in order to fit the HQ discs! Is this right? If so, then would I be able to bolt up a new set of HQ discs (which will have commodore stud pattern) onto my torana stubs without any further mods or would I need to do something else?

Let me know!

#84 dattoman

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:51 PM

Your information is incorrect

#85 _Tuflx8_

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 06:38 PM

When you say "check the clearance between outer pad and bolt up face", how tight is this likely to be, and what do you do if it interferes? And what do you mean by "a real caliper"?

That clearance is usually fine, but I have ground a bit off a loose pad once before.

By a real caliper I mean one that takes a good size pad, is fairly stout and flex resistant. I really don't like the alloy LX calipers that some use in the conversion with a steel HX slide.



Then explain to me why this guy references the alloy Lx callipers in some HQ brake conversions as above! I think it would be better to use the stock callipers rather than having to grind down the HQ ones if it all fits. A number of people have told me that they have used the stock alloy callipers in their cars without any probs but have replaced the stock stub axles with HQ, but this guy also says that machining down the discs is all that is needed to fit them to the Torana stubs.

Im confused!!!!!!!

#86 _robslxhatch_

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 08:53 PM

you can put hq discs on to the torana stub axle but the alloy late lx style caliper does not fit over it , you must get a machine shop to machine 1/4 of an inch off the outer diameter of the disc off, then take the steel (wider) brake pad cradle off the similar hx caliper and bolt it to the Torry one then it will fit widthwise. This is not a huge upgrade though, but its cheap and uses all the original torana steering geometry whilst changing to hq stud pattern.As far as the caliper question goes the pbr alloy ones are not considered the best caliper , while they require the least modification they are weaker and dont have the largest pad surface area.

Edited by robslxhatch, 19 August 2010 - 09:02 PM.


#87 _Tuflx8_

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 03:56 PM

you can put hq discs on to the torana stub axle but the alloy late lx style caliper does not fit over it , you must get a machine shop to machine 1/4 of an inch off the outer diameter of the disc off, then take the steel (wider) brake pad cradle off the similar hx caliper and bolt it to the Torry one then it will fit widthwise. This is not a huge upgrade though, but its cheap and uses all the original torana steering geometry whilst changing to hq stud pattern.As far as the caliper question goes the pbr alloy ones are not considered the best caliper , while they require the least modification they are weaker and dont have the largest pad surface area.



Thanks for that mate! At least I now know that this would work if I decided to go this option! But, for the sake of an extra few $$$, I will probably stick with the HQ style calliper if it offers better stopping power.

#88 Struggler

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 09:56 PM

Sorry, I just saw the action on this thread.

Tuflx8, everything Robslxhatch has said is correct.... Using the alloy PBR caliper is quick and easy but it is not the best caliper available. If you use the Torana stub you will need to turn down the OD of the HQ disc.

Good luck with it !!

#89 _freddy_

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 09:58 AM

found this on evilbay what do you guys think? would it be worth it?

http://cgi.ebay.com....=item563f2e0e57

#90 dattoman

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 10:08 AM

If you want HQ style brakes
But the worst caliper ever fitted to a Holden
And the geometry issues as covered already in this thread

Then sure

#91 _freddy_

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 02:16 PM

If you want HQ style brakes
But the worst caliper ever fitted to a Holden
And the geometry issues as covered already in this thread

Then sure


ok thanks, just seen them and thought that it could be a easy way of doing it.

#92 _Quagmire_

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 05:55 PM

If you want HQ style brakes
But the worst caliper ever fitted to a Holden
And the geometry issues as covered already in this thread

Then sure



don't the harrop/uc tie rod arms stop this?

#93 Growla

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 08:23 PM

Yes, the harrop arms fix this problem.

#94 dattoman

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Posted 09 September 2010 - 09:31 PM

I didn't say bump steer
But yes the Harrop arms address this

However the geometry is a different thing... plus the car ends up lower

#95 _rob350hatch_

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Posted 17 January 2011 - 12:33 PM

Calipers are on the front from factory, swapping stubs left to right puts them on the rear. This offers more downward space and avoids fouling the steering but you have to watch the inward clearance to the cross member at full lock.

The steering arms attach to the inside of the stub axles with two bolts that also hold the brake disc shields, and run forward to the tie rod ends.

yes we did this so what am i doing wrong how do i get around this.put them back on the front????this it what we have ,hq pbr callipers out of my 72 hq wagon. h series stubs and rotors.harrop arms, callipers on rear not front . all fits together but hits the crossmember and top control arm before full lock ????????please any help would be good only 3 months till bathurst.i have the alloy callipers on my 4 door same setup no probs. this car had the alloy callipers h series before i changed to hq pbr with no probs either .i dont really want to race with these as i have warped the ones in the 4 door before.

Edited by rob350hatch, 17 January 2011 - 12:37 PM.


#96 76lxhatch

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Posted 18 January 2011 - 06:39 AM

Yes I think with those calipers you would be better off to fit them to the front, I'm pretty sure they are small enough to clear the tie rod end so it should work that way. You may have to use sealed tie rod ends, don't think the ones with grease nipples on the side are available any more. Must be low if you are having issues with fouling the upper control arm? It may be possible to remove a little material from the arm for clearance, but preferably not.

#97 _rob350hatch_

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Posted 18 January 2011 - 07:23 AM

no not very low only what the hq drops them over standard dont want to rip my sump plug out.but on a good corner its going to drop the wheel on one side and possibly allow the calliper to get under the crossmember or top wishbone and rip it or the pad off on return to level.changing to front today.i saw an a9x calliper yesterday and can see where the scallop is taken out to avoid the tie rod ends.as my 4 door has these hxz alloy ones on the back i just took it for granted that all h series setups went on the back and torana on the front.and you think you know everything off by heart.after all these years off playing with these things still learning .thanks for your help.and no not my car but if i had of looked at this pic that i took for reference would have saved some time

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Edited by rob350hatch, 18 January 2011 - 07:25 AM.


#98 LXM21

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Posted 24 January 2011 - 08:39 PM

Hi all,
Just started the process of converting my LX front brakes as per Strugglers tute. Has anyone tried to fit Girlock calipers? Had some here off a HQ I think but there is no way they will fit as they foul on the top part of the stub and are out by at least one hole width. Is it only the PBR caliper that will fit? Is everyone using the PBR 1662 & 1663 which the catalogue says fits UC, LX and HZ?


Hi Everyone, any further on Heals question as I am using torana stubs & machining HQ discs down by 6mm. Will the Girlock WB caliper fit and not foul or is the cast HQ PBR the only way to go ?

#99 76lxhatch

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Posted 25 January 2011 - 05:19 AM

Check out the other pinned topic in this section:
http://www.gmh-toran...ipers-a9x-style
(there are still some pics on page 2)

#100 LXM21

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Posted 25 January 2011 - 06:13 AM

Check out the other pinned topic in this section:
http://www.gmh-torana.com.au/forums/topic/1012-grinding-metal-from-brake-calipers-a9x-style
(there are still some pics on page 2)


Thanks, but that references using HQ stubs, I will still be using the torana stub axle just as "Struggler" listed in his conversion.




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