54 replies to this topic

[yel327]

Anyone know what is different about an L34's upper control arm, engine crossmember and steering arms? I'm just wrecking out an LH SLR that has a few L34 bits on it. It has L34 front calipers and I just pulled them off to stick them on Ebay, but I noticed that the L34 has a different part number for the above 3 items and wondered how to tell if the ones on this car are L34 or not. I remember years ago buying a complete NOS suspension and brake upgrade kit that had every part in it required to convert an SLR5000 to L34 specs in suspension and brakes and it also had the upper control arms and stubs, but the stubs aren't listed as a different part number.

[yel327]

Just noticed the L34 part numbers of 9932965 for LH stub and 9932964 for RH stub. These are the same part numbers as HJ/X/Z for cast iron calipers, but do not swap side to side thus meaning L34 had rear mounted calipers? Is this correct?

I've built a few LH-UC's before using HQ-WB stubs and HZ PBR calipers with normal Torana steering arms and it all fitted OK, so I wonder why the difference particularly if L34 had rear mounted calipers. How can I pick these different steering arms from normal ones?

Byron

[REDA9X]

L34 doesn't have UC upper arms, they are standard LH. The calipers should be HQ, but the brake line comes in from the top, not the bottom like on HQ. Crossmember no different and steering arms similar to A9X, not the same. Sorry I'm not at home to double check numbers for you

[dattoman]

It won't have UC top arms
Even A9X didn't

It should have HQ stubs
HQ style calipers with hose inlets at the top (Cast iron PBR)
The rest I believe is the same as normal LH unless they beefed them up but I don't believe it was the case
Not sure on the A9X steering arms... don't think they had them either

[yel327]

I know what L34 calipers look like - this car has them plus I had a NOS set a few years back. Just bemused about the other bits as I have the L34 parts catalogue in front of me and wondered what the differences are, as they have different part numbers for upper control arms and steering arms. Heard recently that the L34 had a second set of upper control arm mouning holes - any truth in this?

[REDA9X]

Datto, A9X did have UC upper arms. The reasons for different part numbers is due to the bushes used as they came as a complete unit. I can't remember about the second set of holes on the L34.

[slr5640]

I have some pics here of an L34 front end. It has two sets of upper control arm bolt holes and also has a bump stop welded to it very similar to an A9X.
UC against an L34 is on the right

[yel327]

The bump stops - are these to stop the calipers hitting the crossmember? If so the L43 must have had rear mounted calipers (as the part numbers suggest) (and unlike the A9X) and must have had a horrible turning circle. If the calipers were rear mounted the steering arms should be the same as normal Torana.

With those second set of upper control arm mounts the L34 must have pioneered some parts of the type 1 RTS that appeared mid LX. Lowering the upper control arms was how Holden achieved the more negative camber prior to A9X/UC.

You can actually see that Holden then raised the upper holes up higher for A9X and UC. See that adjacent to the UC upper bolts the steel next to it goes straight into the top plate, but in the earlier ones it curls inwards? You can't drill those early crossmembers out higher for A9X/UC upper arms as the bolts don't fit without modifying the side bits.

Edited by yel327, 10 February 2008 - 09:00 PM.

[REDA9X]

The calipers are front mounted, thats why the inline was changed from bottom to top. L34 steering arms are similar to HJ one tonner. I forgot about the bump stop on L34.

[yel327]

I don't understand how the L34 calipers can be on the front if the part numbers in the L34 Supplement are right, as the part numbers are the same as the HQ-HZ side for side. If the supplement is right then the calipers will be on the rear like a HQ-WB, otherwise the part numbers should have swapped sides (hence breaking conventions where the LH side of the car is always odd numbers and RH side even). I know the A9X caliper is on the front, and I also noticed that the L34 brake lines seem short when on the hoist and turned full lock like James has found. The SLR I am pulling apart has the calipers at the front with top entry hoses into HQ style PBR. James I think you may be spot on about the KPI, and those calipers look like Girlocks to me, if they are alloy housings then they are A9X - they should be scalloped out in the cast iron carrier to clear the tie rods.

[REDA9X]

Ok you asked the question I answered it, the calipers are on the front on an L34 simple. James, you have A9X calipers there

[dattoman]

I've seen a few A9X's
Not a single one had UC upper arms
Even the 201km car

Maybe some did and some didn't

[REDA9X]

they should all have them, but they ran out so some are spaced to do the same job.

[yel327]

Ok you asked the question I answered it, the calipers are on the front on an L34 simple. James, you have A9X calipers there

Then the L34 parts supplement is wrong.
Anyone know what is different about the L34 upper control arms? With the calipers on the front it makes sense that the steering arms would be different so it looks like this car has L34 calipers and steering arms.

[Toranamat69]

With the HQ stubs on the L34 it also makes sense the steering arms are different as this is the main reason they need to be different to regular Torana ones.

I have only looked under 1 L34 and the steering arms looked exactly like A9X ones to me.

You can actually see that Holden then raised the upper holes up higher for A9X and UC.

UC-yes, A9X-no

M@

[Toranavista]

According to the feature on L34 in AMC the top arms had some metal removed for more clearance. Perhaps this is why the part number is different as it incorporates this modification for the spare part.

[yel327]

According to the feature on L34 in AMC the top arms had some metal removed for more clearance. Perhaps this is why the part number is different as it incorporates this modification for the spare part.

Could be right - like the valley cover (inlet manifold).

[yel327]

With the HQ stubs on the L34 it also makes sense the steering arms are different as this is the main reason they need to be different to regular Torana ones.

I have only looked under 1 L34 and the steering arms looked exactly like A9X ones to me.

You can actually see that Holden then raised the upper holes up higher for A9X and UC.

UC-yes, A9X-no

M@

I would have thought it was to get the tie rods away from the front mounted calipers? Torana steering arms bolt up fine to HQ-HX stubs. They are simply swapped side to side and the Torana arms go on. Even works with UC PBR alloy calipers, with the cast iron pad carrier changed to HZ style (with HOLDEN on it rather than TORANA). You just have to use the UC lower slide and hex key.

The steering arms on this LH i'm wrecking seem to bend down further at the front, so maybe that is where the difference is?

[yel327]

CHOPPER said:

You may find it has UC top control arms.

REA9X said:

L34 doesn't have UC upper arms, they are standard LH.

What CHOPPER meant to say:

If the upper control arms in his LH SLR have different part numbers, maybe they are UC top control arms. I never meant to suggest the L34 had UC upper control arms, as I know they didn't.

The SLR in question doen't have UC upper arms - they are easy to spot. The question was what is different about L34 upper control arms and steering arms that cause them to have a different part number from stock LH.