R33 Gtst Caliper Adapters

[hardsteppa]

so while I love the look of the GKTech adaptors, there's me not exactly being known for my patience, so have decided to make my own adapters to run the 324mm GTR discs. What could possibly go wrong, I know.....

anyway, have sourced some 10mm plate steel, got carbide burrs, grinders, tap/die sets etc and a plan in mind. Be curious to hear from anyone else that's made their own or been involved with it, and any suggestions inputs etc. I think the hardest part is going to be getting the spacers right and making sure they're the right height and machined dead-flat. Thinking of using washers stacked to the right height, once they're under tension between caliper and bracket there shouldn't be any flex, but open to feedback and ideas......?

[GTSBoy]

Washers? Really?

Start with some plate that is at least the right thickness and remove the required metal, rather than starting with somethign too thin and slapping on some loose bits of random steel ring.

[hardsteppa]

I know right/ trying to figure out if it just sounds like a shit idea, or actually is. If they're good enough to use as shims though( and they are, I've had a top-notch company in melb do this when fitting big-brake kit to my other car) then is it an issue to use them en-masse. My concern with using trying to machine something to fit, is getting it exactly even, which will require the work of a company with specialist equipment, whereas the washers will be an even surface. Will probably use another piece of the 10mm plate and then shim with washers as needed, but once again, fire away with feedback or suggestions.

[GTSBoy]

No. Just don't assemble a bracket out of loose individual pieces of steel, regardless of whether it's one bit of plate and a stack of washers or two bits of plate and a washer or two. It's just not kosher. These are brakes we're talking about. They're the only thing keeping you from decapitating yourself under the back of a tray top truck.

[sweefu]

There are other places which make adapters already, I'd just buy some off the shelf.

[niZmO_Man]

If you can't be bothered waiting for GKTech to make it, buy a pair from UAS.

[hardsteppa]

Nah son, theyre like several hundreds of dollars's. Rather put in a bit of time and effort and make my own, for that kind of money

[GTSBoy]

It will cost you the same (or more) to draw it and get it made on a mill. Anything less than milling from solid is poor form.

[sweefu]

GTSBoy is right. You'll end up paying more in time, materials and labour to get custom adapters made, and you might still have difficulty with the fit.

UAS are $350, GKTech can't be that far away, chances are getting your own made up will take a couple of weeks anyway.
My vote goes to UAS or waiting for GKTech, I'm not sure making your own would be worth the time/money/bother.

[hardsteppa]

"You'll end up paying more in time, materials and labour to get custom adapters made, and you might still have difficulty with the fit. UAS are $350, GKTech can't be that far away, chances are getting your own made up will take a couple of weeks anyway."

fair call indeed, have enough projects to keep me going for a while yet, and looking forward to the GKtech adapters having bought a few of their other products, so thinking I might just hold off for a while anyway.

however...?? ahh man I expected more from you GTSboy, like some input of real-world experiences or in-depth knowledge, not just "it's just not kosher" and "it's poor form"....you've let me down!! What about " the increased leverage from the larger diameter disc will exert far great force on the mounting bolts and using spacers instead of a solid fixing point will have more flex which could break mounting bolts or throw caliper out of alignment".....or, "the hub and disc spin at high speeds, if the calipers are not aligned correctly on the adapter this may lead to uneven wear and warpage"

I've had a 10mm plate steel bracket/aluminium spacer brake kit on my Celica for over 10 years with out any issues, it's been checked over by a top race workshop in Melb and ok'ed and then checked by an engineer and mod-plate cert'ed in Brissy, so I know this style is fine, although a CNC machined piece is preferable, same as a high quality billet caliper is preferable over 2 pieces bolted together (as in, like the stock R33 caliper).

[GTSBoy]

Nothing has to be CNC'd. I could make one on a mill by hand. A lot of precision work was done that way for the 200 years before computers started driving them for us!

You wouldn't get caliper adapters like you describe approved in SA, that's for sure. They (Regency) don't really like brake adapters at all. And they have something of a point. Changing the way the brake forces are transmitted to the upright and introducing new and extra fasteners will make any sensible engineer squint in mild horror at least. The very idea of brake adpaters is bad enough. If you're going to have them, they need to be top notch. Not made from spit and prayers.