Fitting EH Brakes to the FC

[oldgrey58]

I'm looking to fit EH brakes to my FC to improve braking and still look period. Also I already have a set of the EH ones.

Apart from changing the brake lines it seems to a be an easy bolt on switch over for the front brakes. However the rear brakes are not so simple.

The FC banjo and brake backing plate has a square bolt pattern and the EH has the top bolt holes wider apart and slightly lower. The photo's below show the difference. I want to keep the FC banjo so that I have the original look and do not have to play around with the leaf spring mounts. I'm assuming the FC rear axles will still fit with EH brakes.

 

Can I simply weld up the top bolt holes in the EH plates and drill new ones to get the square pattern?  Some modification is still needed to the brake backing plate to make it fit.

I'd guess that someone has done this before so I'd welcome any comments or help you can offer.

[FCRB26]

I think most fitted the eh diff.

[mcl1959]

yes, fit the eh diff, the fc banjo bolts straight in and the spring mounts are ok as well.

ken

[zl296]

u can use eh panelvan/ute front wheel cylinders..cheaper to by than sedan ones

little bit of a file they fit....

[hsv-001]

Then your handbrake cable mounts become an issue , at the backing plate or at the other end. If your not going to discs than the best thing to do is just change the front as that's where the weight is anyway.

[fcwrangler]

You can also just fit the EH shoes & drums onto the FC backing plate by skimming the edge of the drum a couple of mm so it fits flush with the axel face.
Jim

[DN2168]

I just fitted an EH front end and an EH diff. In hindsight I should of gone for an EJ front end as it has the holes in the outrigger.

[Trevor_B]

Re handbrake cable, Auto Cables in Melbourne make an FC rear cable to suit EH drums for about $120. Uses FC rear clamps so fits without any mods. Quick service too, got mine via mail in 24hrs!

http://www.autocables.com.au/

Cheers,
Trevor_B

[oldgrey58]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Jim - does your suggestion mean using all the FC brake bits (wheel cylinder etc) and replace the EH shoes and drums with the EH ones?  Does that work with the shoes - the FC shoes have the anchor pin and links at the bottom whereas the EH has just an anchor pin at the top.  Wheel cylinders are differently placed as well.

I'm still keen to keep the FC banjo for originality and I know that the NOS rear axles I have will fit. 

Also keeping the FC banjo makes for easy conversion back to original if I want to someday.

[hsv-001]

Like I said previously ,later axle is wider , flexible brake hose mount is on opposite side and  EH handbrake cable mounts differ. Not really worth the trouble as most of your braking is done up front it would be better to boost the front drums [the EH ones ] hide the booster under the front guard if you like but vacuum units were often fitted after market very early, I think VH30 in fx-fj ect. I would stay with the FC rear and EH front . Just my thoughts .

[oldgrey58]

Thanks to everyone who posted.

With nothing to lose I had a go at modifying the EH backing plates and while I could get them to fit they wouldn't work with FC axles (as predicted by HSV).

It's back to standard brakes and I'll fit that booster.

Regards