25 replies to this topic

[dattoman]

http://www.gmh-toran...t/page__hl__upc

http://www.gmh-toran...__1#entry626720

http://www.gmh-toran...__1#entry617980

http://www.gmh-toran...__1#entry617522

http://www.gmh-toran...__1#entry539350

[derrin71]

I have a 287mm kit, fits fine, depending on manufacturing tolerances you may need to slightly grind the caliper mounting brackets.
There were no instructions, not very hard to work out anyway.
Apparently the 330mm kit has fitment issues!!!

[its Paul]

Laurie, Derrin & Rob, just for people that might be considering buying the above brake kits, what front end are you guys running, standard LH/LX, UC, A9X or a combination of all.
The 330mm kit will not fit mine as I'm running the A9X setup, but may work with standard LH/LX stubs as the stub axle sits lower and may give enough clearance at the Upper Control Arm.

I would like to try my kit on a standard setup (LH/LX) just to check the clearances, at least I may be able to on sell them to someone knowing that they do fit, otherwise they will just sit in the ever growing parts pile.

[its Paul]

Yeah I agree with you, lxss350, but, there are some people on this forum that have these brakes, and they work fine and fit with a minimal fuss, I, and I assume others would like to know what they have front end wise, my experience is the 330mm kit won't fit with the A9X setup, but I hear the 297mm kit fits with the standard LH/LX setup, now if this information was more widely known then these brakes may not have been an issue.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not praising the company or anything like that, I have been shafted by them and personally don't give a rats arse about the company, owners or that blue 4 door race Torana that they have (Last time I spoke to them, I was told the owner, Tony, I think was what his name was, was not in he was with there blue Torana race car).



All I want to do is give people a bit more information so there not totally blind, also if you ask Mr Spares if they fit, his answer is always YES, regardless of the fact of them fitting or not.

Anyway rant over, fitting information from people that are using them could be handy to other members.

Cheers Paul.

Edited by its Paul, 05 May 2012 - 12:56 PM.

[derrin71]

Mine is standard LX stubs.
Standard LX front end.
Fits no worries with 287mm kit.

[its Paul]

Is your car a driver Derrin, any info on performance?

[Redslur]

Have them fitted to my hatch too. Minimal mods to fit and excellent braking performance improvement from standard brakes. Best $900 I have spent on my hatch so far!

[derrin71]

Not a driver yet, hopefully soon though.

[Tyre biter]

Mine fit - at least the AU III 287mm/290mm rotors or whatever size they are do - just. I use LX stubs, but have fitted UC UCA, UC steering arms and 15" Hotwire repro wheels. I just got lucky - sounds like many get burned.

However, unlike Derrin I needed to file a little from the stub axles to get the adaptor to bolt up cleanly and align with the bolt holes in the stub axle. I understand the need to file a little from the stub axle is a common outcome with the UPC kits but interestingly the UPC/Mr. Spares fella (Tony) said he'd never had a problem in this regard, nor had he ever heard of the problem and it was all a surprise to him.

Now supposedly Tony plays on here to some capacity becase he told me he was aware of the forum and had never seen anything that criticised his procuct here - indeed I was essentially accused of falsely pointing the finger. IMO it is 'amazing' that Tony is unaware of the issue - code for my suspecting he is full of BS! He also says no instructions come with the kits because 'if you need them then you shouldn't be fitting them' - whatever... I'd reply that if you didn't read forums like this one, you'd for sure attempt to fit them the same way as OEM, and if you are lucky only then might you come to realise the stubs need to be swapped L to R in order to fit them.

Regardless, they come with allen-key headed bolts to attach the adaptor to each side - these bolts have straight shoulders.
You need to replace the lower bolts on each side with domed head allen-key bolts to clear the rear of the LCA (when steering is on lock) otherwise they catch on it. Makes you wonder if Tony/Mr. Spaes/UPC has actually played in the real world with these kits...

Now whilst my car is along way from driving and so I can't comment much other than to the fitting process, I have however driven a fellow forum member's car with the same UPC kit, the same remedies (filing and rounded allen-key bolts) and who uses LX UCA, and I found them to be great - hence my buying the UPC kit in the first place.

In summary;

• I don't think the fitment is as bad an issue as some suggest.
• I do think the adaptor could be manufactuered better.
• I do think UPC needs to test their product to understand the catcing of the lower adaptor bolts on the LCA.
• I do think Tony at UPC/Mr. Spares could do better in terms of his product, techincal advice, transparency and overall effort - I hated the way it was put all back on me like I should have known better from the get-go.
• Having said all that, I don't think the UPC gear takes a lot of effort by the buyer to remedy, but I submit the buyer shouldn't have to undertake any effort to remedy it in the first place when a kit is sold as bolt on for the application.
• I do think they are a good bit of kit when all fitted up properly.
• Notwithstanding, I'd probably look to Hoppers or something else if I did this again just because of the sour taste.

Cheers, TB

[its Paul]

My issue with him is, I phoned him prier to purchase and asked him if the 330 kit would fit a Torana with HX stubs, he said yes it certainly does, so I purchased them, THEY DONT FIT.
I could fix this by purchasing LX stubs and flicking the Harrop arms for LX arms, but this was not what I wanted to do, so at the moment I have Rorym,s setup with the R32 callipers, but I am still in two minds at using them, only because I will have an open 17" billet wheel and need big rotors to fill the wheel, 330mm look huge to the 280mm I have at the moment, so I'm thinking seriously about AP Racing.

So to sum it up, if you have LH/LX & maybe UC standard front ends then the Torana 287/290 brake kit would be the go, but remember it will need minor modifications -
* You need to replace the lower bolts on each side with domed head Allen-key bolts to clear the rear of the LCA (when steering is on lock) otherwise they catch on it. (from Tyre biter)
* You may need to slightly grind the calliper mounting brackets. (from Derrin)

Hopefully the last three lines will help someone who is considering UPC system.

Cheers Paul.

[Uncle Chop Chop]

I had a long read of a few things and it all sounds gobblygook to me. Is this a good summary?

Brake kits are like an old jigsaw puzzle.
All the bits might not be there.
Most bits look like they will fit.
You can make all the bits fit if you try hard enough.
The end result might not be what you want.
Then you throw it out and buy a new jigsaw puzzle.

[Tyre biter]

Hi Guys,
I have also bought one of these kits ( 290 mm ) and was wondering do you have to swap the stub axles from left to right as I have read in the posts?

Yes, yes you do sorry to report.
A you likely need a bump stop of sorts on the lower control arm where the steering arm will contact the same.
Cheers, TB

[ls2lxhatch]

Hoppers 290 mm AU3 twin piston calliper.

[its Paul]

^^ What stub axles are you using? ^^