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do it yourself front brake upgrade for the r30

rsx84
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rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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there are some bits to this that are beyond me but the whole process was quite easy...

firstly what tools i needed, socket set, spanner set, hammer, rubber mallet, car stand, neddle nose plyers, WD40, screw driver, brake bleeding kit and a trolly jack..

firstly remove the wheel, i left the car sitting on a stand, i then blead the calipar then disconnected the rubber brake hose from the metal line. then i removed the calipar, next i unbolted the sway bar and the other bar next to it, next i undid the 2 bolts at the the bottom of the strut, this lets the lower section fall slowly to the ground.

you can now remove the strut and rotor no problems, i then jacked the whole lower section up to a good level working hight to remove both nuts holding the unneeded hub part on.

i then put the s-13 hub onto both the tapered bolts, finger tighten the nuts, next i put the coilover in and bolted it at the top, then i bolted the sway bar and other bar back on, then lined up the hub with the coilover, using the jack (still in the same place) i jacked up the hub part to line up the holes then slide the bolts in place, i then jacked the whole lot up and tighten the centre hub nut up.

last thing i did was lower the trolly jack and it all sat in place, the rotors, once redrilled to 4 stud, slip on and then i bolted the calipar on.

i did all this as a test as i still need to get the hub machined the match the tapered bolt on the steering arm, i need new brake lines to match the gts-t calipars and get the steering lined up straight.

lastly make shaw you have rims that will fit?? mine is sitting there without the calipars on as the 15" TRX rims just dont fit anymore.

the last 2 pics show the coilovers at the highest i could set them without a key and about 3cm from the bottom of the coilover, at the lowest setting i could'nt get the car off the trolly jack :uh-huh: :uh-huh:

costs so far:

reco'd front s-13 coilovers $690

s-13 hubs $190

front gts-t rotors/callipars $200

redrilling rotors $80

rear coilovers $200 need to be reco'd so thats another $200+

still yet to get brake lines to match the gts-t calipars to the r30 brake lines, custom bolts to fit the s-13 steering arm ends to the r30 system, new springs front and rear and new pads and a wheel alinement

put curser over the pic for more info before clicking to enlarge pic!

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rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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ok so, The s13 hubs and struts bolt right in, Including the lower Ball joint adaption plate, (orginal R30 item) ?  

Sorry i seem to find it a big vuage myself, maybe i cannot understand. You cannot retain the s13 5 stud?

can you tell me which part in which picture your talking about?

i think its the s-14/15 thats 5 stud?? i went 4 stud due to $2500 already spent on rims, and i dont have to change the rear end as well.

i'll rename some of the pics

rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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So what brakes are they, and what struts?  (I'll assume S13 coilovers)

Does it still use the R30 ball joints?  Mine are near replacing time but I've heard they are hellishly expensive to get

i'm using JIC s-13 coilovers with r32 GTS-T calipars and re-drilled gts-t rotors.

with the ball joints i'm still using the r30 ones as they were fine, rubbers still in good nick, i might look at the s-13 steering arm to see if i could swap the ball joints over or at least that end part of the arm.

DR JOSH Community Regular

DR JOSH

Posted
Posted

R30 ball joints were $190 for 2 all on new arms so they aint that expensive. And before you go looking s13 steering arms are completely different without a chance of fitting, I have already checked that avenue.

Now for my next trial fit s13 rear cradle with adjustable everything, I reckon it can be done I just dont know how hard it would be.

stagefumer11 Rising Star

stagefumer11

Posted
Posted
R30 ball joints were $190 for 2 all on new arms so they aint that expensive. And before you go looking s13 steering arms are completely different without a chance of fitting, I have already checked that avenue.

Now for my next trial fit s13 rear cradle with adjustable everything, I reckon it can be done I just dont know how hard it would be.

Dear god thats expensive, It only cost me for a whole lower arm and ball joint 50 bucks brand new

rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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omg, that looks so sexy with the front low like that. The part i refuring to is really how does the lower mount on the Strut itself mount to the R30 ball joint adaption plate? does the s13 use the same style system ?

you've got to take the adaptor plate off the r30 before you can put the s-13 hub on. if you look at this pic, i've high-lighted the corosponding s-13 hub parts. once you get a look at the hub it will all fall into place..

Matty T Collaborator

Matty T

Posted
Posted
Dear god thats expensive, It only cost me for a whole lower arm and ball joint 50 bucks brand new

Yes, it is quite expensive. I was quoted $135 each (plus GST). I ended up getting them for $99 each. A bit of a bugger, because I will be going through them a fair bit - my DR30 is a rally car. My first run in it is on Sunday at Bega. Woohoo!

Perhaps you could send me a box of them with "Happy Birthday!" written on the outside (stupid import taxes)...

stagefumer11 Rising Star

stagefumer11

Posted
Posted
Yes, it is quite expensive. I was quoted $135 each (plus GST). I ended up getting them for $99 each. A bit of a bugger, because I will be going through them a fair bit - my DR30 is a rally car. My first run in it is on Sunday at Bega. Woohoo!

Perhaps you could send me a box of them with "Happy Birthday!" written on the outside (stupid import taxes)...

Happy b-day to you happy b-day to you :P

DR30RULES Enthusiast

DR30RULES

Posted
Posted

Can someone who has actually had the S13 converstion done and driven around while, tell me what it is like?

I have been talking to discopotato about the whole thing and the guy does make some very good points (mainly bump travel I think) about why this is not an ideal set up. (as for as I know)

I am having it properly sit up by a suspension specialist so hopefully this will minimize any problems, Yes?

Surely the lighter strut bodies of most aftermarket coilovers would reduce unsprug weight much more than converting std front struts to height adjustable coilover?

I have heard that reducing unsprung weight is one of the best things you can do to improve the way your car handles.

Cheers

I dont know shite :confused:

rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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you gotta think if the s-13 coilovers were set up with good springs (Lb) then they are going to be fine regardless?? if you put these into an s-13 are they going to work differently than if they are in a r30, in the r30 i have the fronts sitting about an inch from full height, if i lowered it any more then it will just scrape on every bump..

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rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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throught i'd get around to finishing this, i need info on brake lines, what ones to use as the r30 screw ends are to big to fit into the gts-t calipars, and the lines that came with the gts-t calipars were cut...

any ideas as to what to look for?

cheers matt.....

DR JOSH Community Regular

DR JOSH

Posted
Posted

On mine I just pulled that little bit out of the caliper that is ment to seal on, so I could run the standard r30 line with the copper washer to seal it all in.

Either that or just get some braided lines made up which is what I will be doing soonish.

rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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maybe the hr and dr brake lines are different..

it looks like i have to take the coilovers out for a little bit as i was specking to a bloke about compliance he said i cant have them in for compliance....

rsx84 Veteran

rsx84

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Maybe but my lines are out of an MR30 and they were the same the DR ones.

Another idea is you could simply grind the thread back so it isn't quite as long, That is what a mate of mine did.

i'll have to go back to the HR struts so while i'm doing this i'll have a close look at the lines or even try to get some later model MR lines as mine is a 82' HR30 so maybe the 84-85 lines are different??

cheers mate......

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