Stash's FC Sedan

[Stash]

Awesome Rob - thank you..

We were looking at this yesterday confused as we knew something was wrong.
I had originally purchased this front end from someone else.
The locating bracket on the plate had push closed against the plate.

We soon worked out these brackets needed to be re-bent into shape.

thanks again..

Stash

[FireKraka]

Great to see your back at it Stash

Regards
Neil H

[Stash]

Hey Rob.

I looked at the steering arm mounting holes and there is no thread in there.
Any ideas?




Worked on rebuilding the steering box today





Lastly, with an EH Diff do i need to move the pipe connection bracket over to the right?



more tomorrow...

[Stash]

Update  29 March 2017

Test fitted the new refurbished EK steering column.





Placing of new engine mounting brackets thanks to @FCHOON







Test fitting engine and trans







Now a bracket is being made to hold the rear engine/trans mount



Once all that is done, Engine, trans, steering and front end will be removed, go back to temp storage and body work will be finished and painted.
cheers

John

[Errol62]

Hey Stash
The EK auto tunnel got my attention. Is that a pre-commodore trimatic behind the 186? I have the same setup in mind for my EK van so I'm interested in how you deal with the rear mount. Previously I've used a cut down HQ-Z rear x-member with modified manual floor pan.
I ran EH rear in my EK 215 sedan. Relocated the brake hose mount to adjacent the inner u-bolt, drivers side as per stock axle setup. I used the EH bump stops but they chopped out as I left the original mount bolts in the chassis. One of the bolt heads lined up with the top of the EH stop. This time I thought I would use the original bump stops and weld the plates from original axle housing on to the EH housing.
Keep up the good work and informative posts.
Cheers
Clay


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Stash]

Clay,

Correct with the pre-commodore.
I think the HQ cross member is a common solution and Ken has a good example in the forum if you search.
As the car is currently in a small engineering workshop in Adelaide, the guys are making up a custom piece.
Their only concern was that they preferred to bolt the piece through the other members rather than bolt it vertically.
When i have the piece, i will throw it up here.

I have an EH rear - I need to move the brake hose mount.
I will have to look at what we do with the bump stops.

Cheers

Stash

[Errol62]

👍👍


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ardiesse]

Stash,

Sorry for not replying earlier - been overseas.  You asked about the bolt holes for the steering arms.
I looked at the photos of the stub axles, and I think they're Torana, not HR.
Briefly, Torana stub axles have a 3/4" UNF thread for the adjuster nut and the holes for the steering arms are plain, HR stub axles have a 5/8" UNF thread and the holes for the steering arms are threaded.
Gotcha Warning: Torana stub axles have a higher steering axis inclination than HR, meaning you'll have to use more shims on the upper control arm shafts to achieve zero camber (upper control arms may foul on the subframe).

It may be worth your while chasing down a pair of HR stub axles.

Rob

[Stash]

I looked at the photos of the stub axles, and I think they're Torana, not HR.
Briefly, Torana stub axles have a 3/4" UNF thread for the adjuster nut and the holes for the steering arms are plain, HR stub axles have a 5/8" UNF thread and the holes for the steering arms are threaded.

Rob, would this explain the HT rims hitting the top grease nipple?

[ardiesse]

Stash,

No, the HT-rims-hitting-the-top-grease-nipple problem is caused by incompatible offsets between the HR hubs and the HT rims.

I had an HD X2 which I set up with HR steering knuckles, LJ XU-1 discs, calipers and hubs*, and 6x14" HT rims, and it all worked out fine.

I would suggest, since you have the HT rims and Torana steering knuckles, that you go to LC-LJ front discs and calipers.  These come in two flavours: 1/2" thick discs and 5/8" thick discs.  The thicker discs were fitted to the XU-1s.

Now, as far as parts compatibility is concerned - LC-LJ hubs are the same as HK-T-G hubs.  HK (all), HT (6-cyl) front discs are 1/2" thick; HT (V8), HG (all) front discs are 5/8" thick.  LC-LJ (non-XU-1), HK (all), HT (6-cyl) calipers interchange, as the brake discs are 1/2" thick.  LC-LJ (XU-1), HT (V8), HG (all) calipers interchange, as the brake discs are 5/8" thick.  The difference between the two series of calipers is that the calipers for 5/8" brake discs have a 1/8" thick spacer between the two halves of the caliper. Oh, and the 5/8" thick front brakes also have a 1/16" thick spacer between the caliper and steering knuckle to centre the caliper correctly on the disc.

But - HK-T-G front discs are larger in diameter than LC-LJ front discs, and so HK-T-G steering knuckles are quite different from LC-LJ steering knuckles.

*Rather than pay the premium price for "genuine" XU-1 hardware, I went down to my local wreckers and bought a pair of HG front calipers and any old HK-T-G discs and hubs.  I then bought a pair of replacement XU-1 discs and bolted them onto the HK-T-G front hubs.

Find someone who's wrecking an HG with disc brakes, and buy the front brakes complete.  I can give you the numbers of two "private" HK-T-G wreckers if you'd like.  Change the front discs over to XU-1, ditch the HK-T-G backing plates, and you're in business (except that you'll need to get custom front brake hoses made up to suit the FC's brake pipes).

Rob

[Stash]

too good Rob

[Stash]

New rear mount bracket for the trimatic has been fabricated. (Clay you might be interested in this)
Each end fits over car frame with bolts going through sides rather than vertical.
The guys at Simax, welded tube in the holes in the members on the car, to stop them being crushed when tightened and having more support for the bolts.



   

[Stash]

After trial fit of engine, trans, we have welded in new engine mounts.
Spent wednesday, pulling apart the front end to get powder coated.
(photo - pre ball joints removed)

[Stash]

Not sure whether this should be a separate post or just keep it in my "under construction" page.
I decided on the latter.

Question for everyone and particlularly Rob:
Can any confirm these steering arms and stub axles?

Arms



Axles

[59wagon]

Hi Stash,

I've got a HR disc brake front end with the same numbers as you for the steering arms.  I can't see a number on my stub axles in the same place as yours, but after a bit of Googling, I suspect yours are UC Torana - can't be certain, though.  Here's a link to an eBay add for UC Torana axles in which you can just see the number if you zoom in: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/281470327869

Cheers,

John

[Errol62]

👍 thanks Stash
Cheers
Clay


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ardiesse]

Stash,

I agree with John.

Your steering arms are HR, so are the backing plates.  But the stub axles are definitely Torana, and later than LC-LJ.

Rob

[Stash]

thanks guys and Rob - pretty much confirms what you said before.

Current breakdown:

• Steering Arms - HR
• Backing plates - HR
• Hubs - HR
• Stub Axles - Torana
• Discs - to be confirmed
• Callipers - HR (i think)

I will measure disc width to check.

So sounds like all i need based on your advice Rob is:

• to get some HK-T-G hubs.
• possibly need new discs, callipers and pads

thanks again..I wish i could remember where/who i got the front end from

[Stash]

just found old email.

rotors/discs are also HR.
so XU-1 discs here we come :-)

[ardiesse]

Stash,

Or you can use LC-LJ (disc) hubs if there are any.

Now, I've got a pair of UC Torana front calipers I bought in the mid 90s when I was toying with the idea of substituting them for the awful LX calipers on my HD X2.  The UC calipers suit LH-UC front discs.  I never got to the stage of setting them up on my HR front suspension to see whether they foul on the crossmember at full lock.  It was about at this stage that I said to myself, "stuff it, just go XU-1 front brakes."

One thing I didn't mention is that it definitely helps to track down the original stainless dust covers, anti-squeal shims and anti-rattle springs for the K-T-G-LC-LJ front calipers.  They tended to last until about the first pad change in service, and then got thrown away.  Which is a shame, because they do stop pad rattle and squeal.

Rob