Series 2 Disc Brake conversion?

[Tikirocker]

As part of my 2a restoration I am considering a disc brake conversion, front and back. I know of two foreign companies that sell expensive kits, Zeus and TIC and was wondering if anybody else has bought a kit and or done their own disc conversion to a Series vehicle? I don't want to have to bother with washing out the drums after getting muddy and constant adjustments ... discs would make life allot simpler. Any advice or suggestions apreciated.

[LandyAndy]

Hi Simon
I looked into those kits you mentioned,VERY EXPENSIVE.
Several people mentioned to me that there was a conversion kit made in Perth in "the olden days" ,it was a Valiant system Im told.Ive heard it from several people but nobody could give any reasonable leads.
I figured it was a combination of Rangie disc rotors and valiant calipers.
Perhaps other Series forumites have heard of this combo.
Andrew.

[Tikirocker]

Hey Andy!

Yeah, they are prohibative those kits ... the TIC kit for just one axle comes in at about $1114.00 AUD!!!! :eek: I know a guy on the Land Rover Fanatics forum in the UK who has made his own conversion kits for about 40 quid UK and they look the ducks nuts ... I was hoping there were some ingenious Aussies who had done the same thing over the years ... I'm amazed this isn't more popular with Series drivers here in OZ given our landscape and requirements. The system that the UK guy uses is a bolt on system to standard Series hubs. I might have to ask him if nothing comes up from our Aussie fella's.

Best Simon. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[p38arover]

I'm sure I've seen an article on the 'Net re making one's own conversion.

Ron

[Tikirocker]

I'll do a search Ron but if anything lobs up at your end please let me know.

[Ace]

Would you be able to use defender parts or wont they fit? Matt

[JDNSW]

Originally posted by Ace
Would you be able to use defender parts or wont they fit? Matt

No - Defender and Series swivel and hub arrangements, although generally similar, have virtually no bits that fit each other.

Although it is possible to fit discs (e.g. those expensive kits) you have to ask whether it is worth the effort to avoid a bit of routine maintenance. If it worries you that much I would suggest changing to a 90/110.

[Ace]

Originally posted by JDNSW+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JDNSW)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Ace
Would you be able to use defender parts or wont they fit? Matt

No - Defender and Series swivel and hub arrangements, although generally similar, have virtually no bits that fit each other.

Although it is possible to fit discs (e.g. those expensive kits) you have to ask whether it is worth the effort to avoid a bit of routine maintenance. If it worries you that much I would suggest changing to a 90/110.[/b][/quote]

I should have realised the answer to that question when i realised no one actually does it.

But JD is right, for the cost and the hassle of finding the bits its probably easier to pull them off after a trip and clean them out, or better still, although very hard, stay out of the mud. matt

[101RRS]

I do remember reading an article on a series 1 that had a valiant engine in it in the late 70s - it had constant 4wd (well sort of) but as it didn't have a centre diff they used to unlock one free wheeling hub when driving on the hard stuff. It had disk brakes on the front and I am sure they were off a valiant. Not sure this helps.

Gazzz

[abaddonxi]

So I guess swapping in a Defender axle isn't the way to go?

Why not, is it the spring mounts or something else?

Cheers
Simon

[DaveS3]

Its a bit of work. But very possible
The way to do it is to get some Stage 1 V8 front spindles (mine will be for sale soon https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ )This will bolt to your existing housing. These spindles use the same diameter bearings as RR hubs :wink: You need to machine the hubs some amount (not sure how much) and also make up a caliper mount, to suit the hubs ect

THE109 on Outerlimits has done it and had pictures and lots of info.

If you convert to defender/RR/Disco diffs you need to cut the spring mounts off, change castor and set pinion angle ect - then also worry about steering (pretty much convert to power steering at the same time)
Also heaps of work, but you get a wider track which is helpful.

Hope this helps.
Dave.

[JDNSW]

The basic problem with fitting coil spring axles to a Series Landrover is that the track rod is right where you want to put leaf springs. There are ways round this but none of them are particularly satisfactory. The simplest is to put spacers between the spring and the axle, but this decreases ground clearance under the springs and lowers the whole vehicle, which is OK if that's what you want, but it usually isn't (and the coil spring Landrovers have unequal angles on the front prop shaft, which is likely to cause problems with vibration. The other way of doing it is to tilt the axle, but this upsets the steering geometry and the angle on the U-joints on the front prop shaft, and a third way of doing it is to make a cranked tierod - but I doubt that you would get engineering approval for that anywhere in Australia.

[Tikirocker]

Interesting chat gents but there IS a much easier way of doing all this using a bolt on system just like what Zeus and TIC offer. By the way I e-mailed Phillip of YICAN to see what the Aussie prices were for the Zeus per axle set and it's bloody $1800 AUD odd for one axle pair!!!

There are a couple of guys at the UK Landy fanatics forum who have done it for about 40 pounds ... I'll get onto them and actually report back to this thread with the details incase others are curious. You certainly don't have to change diffs and grind things off ... these guys have done a simple conversion kit just like those companies without needing to pay through the nose. I believe however that they spoke at length to some guys who had some kits to get specs etc.

More to come ...

[Tikirocker]

Interesting chat gents but there IS a much easier way of doing all this using a bolt on system just like what Zeus and TIC offer. By the way I e-mailed Phillip of YICAN to see what the Aussie prices were for the Zeus per axle set and it's bloody $1800 AUD odd for one axle pair!!!

There are a couple of guys at the UK Landy fanatics forum who have done it for about 40 pounds ... I'll get onto them and actually report back to this thread with the details incase others are curious. You certainly don't have to change diffs and grind things off ... these guys have done a simple conversion kit just like those companies without needing to pay through the nose. I believe however that they spoke at length to some guys who had some kits to get specs etc.

More to come ...

[LandyAndy]

Hi Simon
There is the other method of upgrading the front brakes dramatically,I did it on my "Toy"
It involves using the wider drums from the original 6cyl Landy or Stage1.
These drums are 3'' wide compared to the standard 21/4"wide.As you can appreciate an extra 3/4"inch wider over the friction area makes for a lot bigger surface area for the brakes to work on.
The brakes are a straight swap no mods needed.You MUST get all the associated parts from the 6cyl axle,backing plates,wheel cylinders,drums and shoes.
Its very easy to spot the difference in drums,the 3" drums have "square shoulders" compared to the 21/4" "round shoulders".
Standard wheels still fit the same.
It would work best using a series3 booster and dual brake line setup.
The 3' setup will also fit the rear axle,but some sort of proportioning valve(holden 1 tonner) would need to be fitted.I intended doing this on the "toy" but didnt find a second 3" drum set.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 8) 8) 8)
Andrew

[JDNSW]

The original question by tikirocker was to avoid cleaning and adjustment problems by going to discs rather than to improve the brakes - and your proposal certainly is effective. Not sure whether the wider drums are needed on the back, certainly not on an 88, maybe on a 109. If you need a proportioning valve to reduce braking - did you need that much braking in the first place?

Another point is that the 3" brakes were apparently fitted to all models S3 in late production - certainly fitted to the 1981 2.25 diesel I have.

[LandyAndy]

Hi JDNSW
I only added the rear option just to let him know they fit,as I tried mine to see at the time.I think you will find County/Early Defenders have the rear 3" setup.
My Toy has a Ford 302V8,stock at the moment but if the project is ever finished it wont be a stock motor and probably a 351V8.If it goes it has to stop.The proportioning valve would allow full brake force on the rear axle suiting the load that was on board at the time.
Andrew

[HarlingtonStraker]

Saw this add in the REMLR.COM supply shed page

Shazzymann Custom Chassis
Contact 'Grant' -a fellow Land Rover enthusiast- for wheelbase modifications to your Land Rover chassis, rust repairs and rear cross member rebuilds, suspension mods, Rover V8 and disc brake installations for short and long wheelbase Series 1, 2, 3. Ph Grant 02 66366148 NSW.

might be worth a look

J

[Tikirocker]

I've seen Shazzymann and might give him a shout to see what kind of Disc mods he does. Here's the limk to the thread by Tonk which shows what the English boys have been doing for home made bolt on disc conversions ...

http://www.landroveraddict.com/ubbthreads/...true#Post232059 (http://www.landroveraddict.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB6&Number=232059&Searchpage=2&Main=232059&Words=disc_UBBT_PHRASE_brake_UBBT_PHRASE_conversio n&topic=&Search=true#Post232059)

I'd be interested in what you boys think. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[Tikirocker]

I've seen Shazzymann and might give him a shout to see what kind of Disc mods he does. Here's the limk to the thread by Tonk which shows what the English boys have been doing for home made bolt on disc conversions ...

http://www.landroveraddict.com/ubbthreads/...true#Post232059 (http://www.landroveraddict.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB6&Number=232059&Searchpage=2&Main=232059&Words=disc_UBBT_PHRASE_brake_UBBT_PHRASE_conversio n&topic=&Search=true#Post232059)

I'd be interested in what you boys think. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/