29 replies to this topic

[blackout]

Hi guys - installing this setup at the moment on my LH and I've run into an issue with lack of clearance between brake caliper and tie rod end (jammed up against each other). The discs and calipers are VT commodore (with UPC adaptor kit).

 

I assume the control arm packaged was designed with stock torana brakes? 

 

Have asked USS for some advice also. 

 

Has anyone else had any similar issues? Or have any suggestions?

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

https://unitedspeeds...ar-control-arms

Attached Files

•  thumbnail_IMG_8521.jpg   141.67K   19 downloads
•  thumbnail_IMG_8520.jpg   149.5K   22 downloads

[Liam S]

UPC Kits strike again.

Can you swap the stubs left to right and mount calipers to the rear?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[blackout]

Cheers - wil give that a shot


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[claysummers]

Isn’t the caliper upside down miss Jane? Bleed nipple should be on top. Swap side to side will fix that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blackout]

Thanks- sorry should have mentioned I tried both sides (both pretty tight).

Will look into swapping stubs over and see if that works




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UCSLE]

They are AU2 Calipers .

What size wheels are you using ? if you can up size the rotors 

[blackout]

15inch rims.. not sure how much I can increase rotor size - but will look into it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[axistr]

If you fit UC or Harrop A9X steering arms you will gain the clearance you need and still be able to keep the calipers front mounted. By swapping the calipers to the rear the calipers will hit the K-frame on full lock.

[blackout]

Thanks for this - the A9x arms look like a good option !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rexy]

Swapping stub axles wont help.

Using a UC or harrop steering arm will or getting smaller tie rod ends.

 

Ane the tie rod ends fully engaged in the steering arm? I didn't have clearance issues in that location when I fitted that kit to my hatch.

[blackout]

Yep tie rod ends fully engaged.. I wasn’t aware you could get smaller tie rods.
What calipers do you have?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slack one]

swapping stub axles around why wouldn't it help. Gary.  

[rexy]

I have that exact UPC 287mm kit (Im assuming its that one)

The adaptor dogbones look a little different though. Are you sure they are UPC?

 

In the pinned section for brakes there are a few pics of this conversion.

 

Swapping stub axles makes no difference as the relationship of the caliper, adaptor and stub axle are unchanged by this. It just changes whether they face forward or backward.

[RoyalPlum76SS]

Both the Hoppers and the UPC 290mm kits (UPC was just a copy of the Hoppers kit) were designed to have the calipers in the trailing position.

I would swap stub axles across and trial fit the calipers in the rear position.

When you've done that make sure you move the whole assembly through a full range of motion, lock to lock and through a full range of suspension travel.

Some people have had issues with the caliper touching something and others, including myself, have not.

Sometimes a tiny amount of notching the contacting area is needed.

If you don't want to do this, you could use UC steering arms as mentioned above, which will of course clear the tie rod from fouling on the caliper. Their use though will probably cause another issue, bump steer, as they would then leave the tie rod end in a slightly lower incorrect position. (Harrop arms would be even worse) The only way to fix that issue then, would be to add the matching UC upper control arms (the offset balljoint effectively pivots the whole stub assy back, lifting the tie rod end back to optimal position) but these are pretty rare on the ground and expensive these days.

[axistr]

I have been making 287mm & 298mm kits for the past few years and don't need to swap the calipers to the rear mount position. The vast majority of calipers rear mounted I have seen all hit the k-frame on full lock causing a very low pedal or no front brakes until the driver pumps the pedal a couple of times. Even standard HQ brakes rear mounted hit.

 

Engineers don't like people cutting, welding and using big hammers to clearance brake calipers. Many people have also grind bits off the top control arms to gain caliper clearance, a massive big No No, However LH arms are a very tight fit with 287mm kit. The bump steer curves I plotted many years ago using UC arms will give the best curve even with LH-LX top control arms. Adding  1- 1 1/2 deg positive caster to LH or LX k-frames using UC arms makes the curve basically the same. 

 

I had a look on the Harrop web site yesterday and they are not listing A9X steering arms, instead they are listing them as UC arms to suit LH,LX,UC so not sure what's going on there.     

 

 kframe.jpg   68.36K   13 downloads

[Liam S]

I have been making 287mm & 298mm kits for the past few years and don't need to swap the calipers to the rear mount position. The vast majority of calipers rear mounted I have seen all hit the k-frame on full lock causing a very low pedal or no front brakes until the driver pumps the pedal a couple of times. Even standard HQ brakes rear mounted hit.

Engineers don't like people cutting, welding and using big hammers to clearance brake calipers. Many people have also grind bits off the top control arms to gain caliper clearance, a massive big No No, However LH arms are a very tight fit with 287mm kit. The bump steer curves I plotted many years ago using UC arms will give the best curve even with LH-LX top control arms. Adding 1- 1 1/2 deg positive caster to LH or LX k-frames using UC arms makes the curve basically the same.

I had a look on the Harrop web site yesterday and they are not listing A9X steering arms, instead they are listing them as UC arms to suit LH,LX,UC so not sure what's going on there.

kframe.jpg

I just bought steering arms from Harrop and they assured me the steering arms for Torana on their website are the A9X style.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Liam S]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[73SUNBURSTEXYOUWON]

Hi guys - installing this setup at the moment on my LH and I've run into an issue with lack of clearance between brake caliper and tie rod end (jammed up against each other). The discs and calipers are VT commodore (with UPC adaptor kit).
 
I assume the control arm packaged was designed with stock torana brakes? 
 
Have asked USS for some advice also. 
 
Has anyone else had any similar issues? Or have any suggestions?
 
Cheers
 
 
 
 
https://unitedspeeds...ar-control-arms

Also whats that blanking plug protruding there. Seems intrusive, to foul on the capscrew beside.
Cant that be changed to an allen socket style to be flush with the outside of the tie rod end casting.

Or is the camera angle making it look worse than it could be?  20221105_110929.jpg   288.31K   11 downloads

[axistr]

 Screenshot_20221105-180521_Chrome.jpg   70.1K   11 downloads

Attached Files

•  Screenshot_20221105-180521_Chrome.jpg   70.1K   9 downloads

[Liam S]

Screenshot_20221105-180521_Chrome.jpg

Yep that page was what prompted me to ask if they are A9X arms or not. They claimed they are…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[blackout]

Thanks for this. I have ordered the Harrop arms. Hoping bump steer won’t be an issue - the united speed shop tubular UCA are apparently based on UC geometry ..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Liam S]

Thanks for this. I have ordered the Harrop arms. Hoping bump steer won’t be an issue - the united speed shop tubular UCA are apparently based on UC geometry ..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You will need to capitalise on those two mods, ensure your UCA mounting holes are in correct position (will need to drill new mounting holes). There is several thread on this in Suspension.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[blackout]

Cheers Liam - didn’t know this!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Heath]

The UCA upper mounting hole position (dropping it) is not related to either of those two other modifications.

 

But you probably want to do it anyway while the front end is being worked on. Costs nothing and it's certainly an advantage.

[blackout]

Hi guys - thanks again for the advice .

Harrop arms arrived today and test fitted - plenty of clearance now for tie rod ends. The new arms sit hard up against the calliper bracket- but assume this can be fixed by grinding down the bracket a few mm’s?

In terms of dropping the UCA mounting holes - do you think this can be done without welding in extra support (around existing holes)?

Thanks again
Cheers



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk