HR brakes

[nicko]

is there any problem using HR drum brakes all round in my FC,as it was for a red motor originally anyway.plus im running a fairly hot cam which will take away manifold vacuum so maybe the drums without power booster will work ok, ,
waiting with fingers crossed l.o.l.

[Fast_Eddie]

Firstly,

Check with your engineer/registration authority.

Several years ago, I wanted to run a red motor in an EJ, which had the same braking system as an EH. Essentially, it is exactly the same car. (They just got the styling right with the second version -just like with FEs and FCs........)

The advice at the time was that I had to use disc brakes, which theoretically doesn't make sense as the EH had a red motor with drums, but that was the hard and fast intepretation by the RTA guy I spoke to.

Now this may be affected by size of red motor etc, so that's why you need to check with current rules in your state. I didn't follow it through. I bought an FC instead, and the rest as they say, is history!

Secondly

Do yourself a favour, stop thinking about drums. Change to disc brakes. It is the best money you can spend on these cars...

Regards

Ed

[RET]

I agree with Ed,  the money spent on disc/drum is well worth it.  I've driven a club member's car that had red motor and unboosted HR drums all round, and it was a terrifying experience.  Truly, I have that feeling in the pit of my stomach even now, 5 years later, just thinking about it!

He drove Faecal (boosted discs/drums) and was a convert.

How many near-death experiences is it worth to save $500 ?

cheers
RET

[EJ_Dave]

What was that about the EH having better styling than an EJ- surely you're not serious Ed. My (daily driver) EJ still has unassisted drums too. And near death experiences are a bad thing?? C'mon guys

David

[Sarge]

For what its worth if you are going to do a brake conversion, you may as well go for disc brakes. The extra money that you may spend is piece of mind when you hit the pedal in a hurry and the car pulls up just in time. Oh and think of the time you will save not having to adjust them drum brakes anymore.

Regards
Sarge

[Fast_Eddie]

EJ Dave,

I was fishing for a response about the FC being the sorted out version of an FE, so I was surprised to run foul of the EJ fraternity on this web site.

Talking of EJ admirers, how are you both?

Sorry, I should stop now. I owned an EJ myself once upon a time.

By the way, if you are interested in another one, I checked one out recently that has about 60K miles on the clock. Absolutely perfect interior, including door trims and floor mats, immaculate boot mat, and under the bonnet looked good, however the paint was a little off, and some rust forming in the bottom of the doors. It's been sitting in a garage for about 20 years.

I would have bought it had it not been for the five FC's floating around here....

Regards

Edward

[Sarge]

Edward
           You should know better than to try an pull the piss out of an FE owner. For all FE owners know that God created the FE then went for perfection with the FC. Some years later he relised that you dont get any better than the FE. trying to cover his prior mistakes he then created Commodore.  
           As for you owning a EJ once, I had no Idea that your a country boy. Its funny how most country guys grow-up and remember what there mobile chock shed looked like.  

Regards
Sarge  PROUD AND PASSIONATE FE OWNER
          IF GOD DROVE HE WOULD DRIVE AN FE HOLDEN.

[Fast_Eddie]

Bingo!

[EJ_Dave]

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I think much of the preference for EHs over EJs is due to the red motor. To me EJs just look better. As for FEs and FCs....they're different are they?

For old Holden chat sites though there is no question this is the best one (and FE/FC are my 2nd favourite old Holdens.. grovel, grovel). Try getting advice on any grey motor related issue on an EJ/EH website.

Thanks for the info on the EJ Edward. Sounds good but I'll have to give it a miss for the moment (Wife, 3 kids, trying to save for a house... you know the story).

And on the issue of brakes...I would never seriously advocate drum brakes over disks. If you are spending money on an old Holden this would be one of the first areas you should look at- especially if you are fitting a red. I'll do it myself one day- even if I keep the grey.

Cheers,

(EJ) Dave

[nicko]

just spoke to mate who used to manage a wrecking yard for Holdens in Parramatta area years ago and he siad they used to grab the LH Torana spindles and use the right on left side and left on right side and worked well, but every thing i read about LH spindles mention geometry being wrong,does the swapping sides solve this .

[Fast_Eddie]

Nicko,

Can't answer your question about the steering geometry. I think the swapping of sides has more to do with caliper mounting and brake line connections, as well as fitting the steering arms up to the drag link?

You should check out the NSW FE/FC site Tech Section, as there is an article about installing an HR front end, which, although you already have one, is useful for ensuring that sway bars, rear brake compatability etc is covered off.

Personally, I would source some HR spindles, and use the HR drag link to ensure compatability and simplicity. I think DBA have new solid HR discs available, and they may have ventilated, slotted and cross drilled option available.

Speak to Hoppers Stoppers at Hoppers Crossing, who may be able to advise you on the correct stub axles, and your options vis rotors and calipers, and if you need to source second hand HR spindles and calipers, speak to Greg at Classic OzResuWrecktion at Toronto in NSW. 0414 482 846.

He provided me with HR control arms recently, couriered to my door, when no one else would break down an HR front end.

Regards

Edward

[Sarge]

Edward
I though you would have bitten harder than that.

Nicko
       Wish I had of know you where chasing HR disc and stubs. I just unloaded a set to APEX complete with booster and calipiers and lines. I no longer needed them as I have changed to HQ disc brakes on the front. Got sick of tripping over them so I worked a deal for other parts that I needed, or just wanted.

Regards
Sarge

[Fast_Eddie]

Sarge,

I saw no further need to play on your insecurity regarding prototype FC Holdens.  

Regards

Ed

[Sarge]

You Funny Man.

[FCwagon]

Nicko,
When you use the Torana set up you still need to keep the spindles on their original sides but you need to replace the steering arms with HR ones. Toranas have a shorter arm mounted at front (because of the rack & pinion set-up) I guess these are what need to be swapped from side to side. Using the Torana arms will not only change steering geometry a bit but they won't hit the lock stops on the lower wishbone.
The Torana set-up also has a different offset and will increase track width by about 1-2 inches.
I've just learnt the hard way (back pocket) after getting some expensive rubber fitted on wide Torana rims before trying them on the car -  they won't fit a HR caliper set up - D'oh.
cheers
Leigh

[Effie C]

DBA make solid,slotted and slotted / X drilled rotors to suit HR,I have the latter and they work very well.
CRS make an adaptor kit to fit late model discs and calipers to the HR front but they require HR Drum brake stubs, so if you go with the HR drum brake front you can at a later date change to late model discs etc. with out too much trouble. As to lack of vacuum fit a vacuum tank the same as some of the commodores have with large cams also available from American Autos I think.
But as has been said already it really depends on what rego requires.
Good Luck
John M

[mcl1959]

The Hoppers Stoppers kit will allow later model rotors to be fitted to the disc brake stub axles.  The problem with the drum brake stub axle conversion is you have to chop a piece out of the caliper bracket to fit them.
No cutting is required with the disc brake stub axle kits.
Ken