16 replies to this topic

[rexy]

It’s a bit late now but if the ends of the tubes are rotated 30 degrees or so before welding then that’s enough. You can make the handbrake work with swapping the backing plates but you need to swap individual bits of the handbrake assembly as well so that your cables still work from a front pull orientation. This is what I did to mine.

[neglectedtorana]

Is your diff standard length?

Mine is the same setup but 50mm wider (did that to make Commodore wheels fit, not a great choice) and it fits. I do have to remove the caliper and loosen the backing plate to fit the shock on.

 

I have considered mounting the shock on top of the bracket with a U shaped saddle but it could require a shorter shock.

[Cook]

Hi Daniel.  I am running Commodore rear discs and what I did was:

 

cut off the original shock mounts

get 2 Commodore shock mounts and had them welded onto the diff tube but higher up at the time my diff was being built.  From memory I went up 40mm.  I looked at mounting them on the trailing arm bracket like others have done but I felt it bought the shock inboard too much and I was going to get clearance issues at the inner guard.

I switched the calipers over

I swapped over the dust covers and at the same time I drilled out the brake line mounts in them and had them rewelded opposite as I also didn't want to change the hand lines. Also swapped over the hand brake brackets form memory. I had to get a set of commodore to Torana hand brake lines (got them from Auto Cables from memory)

I wouldn't say clearance is great but I believe sufficient. The only thing I think I will need to change is the actual shocks.  I explained to the shock jock what I had done and he gave me a set of Chevelle ones (I think) which he said should have sufficiently less travel.  I don't think that is the case.

I will get you a pic when I can tomorrow. One caveat, I wouldn't take my word alone for it as I'm not the most mechanically minded but I can't see any issues although the car isn't running yet.

 

Sorry Rexy I was typing as you were commenting.  Sounds like similar process. Cheers Ron 

Edited by Cook, 26 September 2020 - 06:21 PM.

[76lxhatch]

HQ length dampers using the different mount as above is one option. If you haven't already bought yours then this could work as there seems to be a bit more choice in the slightly shorter lengths.

 

The park brake cable bracket can be swapped to pull the other direction with just a little clearancing of the bracket and dust shield, a couple of photos here:

http://www.gmh-toran...-6#entry1048959

(scroll down a bit further to see the return spring bracket too)

[Cook]

Hi Daniel.  Here's some pics of mine.  Hope that helps.  Cheers Ron

Attached Files

•  Rear Brake with Shock.jpg   138.77K   4 downloads
•  Handbrake at rear brakes.jpg   119.72K   3 downloads
•  Rear Brakes 1.jpg   116.52K   4 downloads

[Cook]

Sorry Daniel I gave you a bit of a bum steer.  Having looked at some old photos I remember now that when I got the brake mount bracket off the dust cover I mounted it on the trailing arm bracket, not back on the dust cover.  Here's a pic.  Cheers Ron

Attached Files

•  Rear End Back in Car.jpg   163.5K   6 downloads

[76lxhatch]

The drilling a hole to utilise that existing bolt on the backing plate and then attaching the lower part of the mount to the splash guard/shield thing....providing that will be strong enough

Probably not ideal strength-wise. Use the caliper mounting bolt, see my link above

[76lxhatch]

Yes clearance is fine since neither really moves in relation to the other. You'll notice the bracket is on a bit more of an angle but seems to still pull the lever no problem.

[76lxhatch]

No I'm going to use the VN cables but I've made new brackets at the rear (see same thread above) and will be re-routing with custom (yet to be made) brackets at the front too

Edited by 76lxhatch, 28 September 2020 - 10:05 AM.

[rexy]

I did this to the old LX sedan and hatch a while back. The sedan was Torana pattern and the hatch HQ.

I think there was a theory that the wagon handbrake cable was longer than the sedan one?

 

While I didn’t have a problem with axle slop that might have been dumb luck. Both conversions were on nine inch diffs which probably had disc brake seals fitted when they were built.

 

“Perhaps not bolt on but certainly not hard.
Did this recently to the LX sedan.
Went to wreckers and bought complete rear brakes off a VS wagon ie backing plates, calipers, discs, handbrake cable and rear brake lines.
Had torana pattern drilled onto discs (apparently this is fine and was done by romack UPC in melbourne).

Pulled old brakes off.
Bolted commodore backing plate to diff flange (same bolt pattern)
Add disc.
Bolt up calipers.
Add brake lines with ends changed to suit ($5 by the local brake place as couldnt find my flaring tool). Had to use the long orig torana line and one of the commodore ones to get lengths right.
Bleed brakes.
Add handbrake cable. Find out it is tantalisingly close but slightly too short to meet torana threaded rod.
Weld 4inch long piece of flat steel to commodore handbrake cable front grabber and bend end of flat at 90%. Drill hole. Add nuts x2 and adjust.

 

Total cost:
Wrecker bits $140
Redrill discs $40 for both
Redo lines $5
Make longer front handbrake "pickup" - zero (scrap from shed pile)
Brake fluid $5
= $190

Total time including retrieving bits from pick a part - about three hours.

The braking is much improved over the well adjusted torana drums.

Has the unexpected bonus of giving a somewhat firmer more confidence inspiring pedal feel.

If I had realised how painless it was I would have done it years ago.”