Quick question on the brake upgrade?

[Subafreak]

Ive searched some threads on using the vented disks on the gen 1,s and got some mixed answers.

 

My dilema is, iv'e done the rear disk swap on the 74, after swapping the front drums to gen 1 disks. Now realizing the rear brakes are bigger than the front i belive i would like to upgrade to the vented front disks.

 

What i found in my search was some people saying they used the vented disks from the gen 2's on the gen 1's. Now i didnt think gen 2's used vented disks, i thought they first came on the Loyals, but it's been awile since iv'e had a gen 2 so can anyone confirm this?

 

My second question is once i find out what im getting the vented disks from, is the vented disk/hub assembly compatible with the gen 1 spindle, wheel bearings, and axle and will the vented disk caliper bolt right up to the spindle?

 

Some of what i read from the people who had done it said they converted over to the gen 2 or Loyal spindle, or spindle and control arm, but did not state if it was necessary to do so.

 

So if anyone can answer my questions it would be greatly appreciated.

[nipper]

I have never seen non-vnted disc brakes, and yes you need bigger ones on the front since they do 80% of the work.

[Kostamojen]

Supposedly you can fit Impreza/Legacy hubs on there, which would be worth it IMO, but you need Impreza style front coilovers and some changes to the front linkage.

 

Thats what I would do.

[moosens]

I have never seen non-vnted disc brakes

 

 

there's lots of them from the 70's and early 80's and even my Loyales ....

 

 

 

 

Thats what I would do.

 

I think he's trying to keep the spiffy , period correct (somewhat) 13" wheels ... Jesse ?

[Subafreak]

You sir are correct, staying old schoolish on this one.

 

So does anyone know the answer to my question or will i have to be the one to find out for everyone else?

[Caboobaroo]

I've had my hand in this pot for some years now since I've done a little bit with modifications to gen 1 suspension and brakes.

 

I know in mid '83 on the EA81 cars, they went from solid rotors to vented rotors. You can use the rotors on a gen 1 stage 2 car but I'm not sure about older (maybe i should go grab my stack of 70's FSMs lol) but you also need the calipers as the calipers for the vented rotor cars are wider.

 

I went as far as to use EA81 control arms on my '79 wagon to use the EA81 ball joints and the EA81 knuckles.Llet me find a couple pics....

 

 

I bolted the main control arm section of an EA81 into the crossmember then made new strut rods the identical length and size as the gen 1 stage 2 rods, welded them on after I had the weight of the car on the control arm (which is why its on a jack in a couple pics) and voila, done.

 

I had access to a metal lathe when I made them so I could turn the ends down where they go through the mounts at the tranny crossmember .

[Subafreak]

Ok thats some good info and explains my confusion with the gen 2's having vented rotors. The last gen 2 i had was an 81 and i remember it being a upgrade when i swapped the front brakes from a Loyal onto it.

 

This car originally had drum brakes all around so i swapped the front disks assemblies from a 78 Brat onto it and everything went on the same way, the ball joint was the same size, the strut hole was the same size, and the axles were the same except the shaft part was just a bit thicker from the 78.

 

So if you say the rotors and caliper from a gen 2 will work on a gen 1 stage 2 then they should bolt right up to my 74 since i already have 78 spindles on it.

 

Now i think it was your post i had originally read that had me wondering.

Did you put the rotors and calipers on the gen 1 spindles and hubs before you decided to swap over to the gen 2 spindles?

 

Because i would like to just keep the spindles and axles that i have and the gen 1 stage 1 control are set up is quite a bit different than later years.

 

Thanks.

[Caboobaroo]

I had originally swapped the gen 2 parts onto gen 1 stage 2 knuckles but after I did, I realized I needed ball joints as mine were shot. This is when I proceeded to the part store and found out gen 1 stage 2 ball joints were like $40 a piece:eek:

 

Gen 2 ball joints were $16 a piece. So the extra time I spent making the lower control arms made up the difference in price but it was worth it.

[Subafreak]

That is great! Exactly what i wanted to hear. Thanks for the answers, you have saved me a great deal of worry and time.

 

May all your projects go well! You have now been blessed.