My Brakes are on!!!!!

[Spud]

Hey everyone!! Its been a very long time since Ive posted on the board but Ive been peeking from time to time. I finally got around to getting my new rear brakes installed. I havent gotten a digi cam yet but I can tell you guys pretty much how it went. For those who may not remember, I have a 1989 Corolla wagon with the 4af and the 3spd auto tranny. I decide that I wasnt satisfied with the brakes after my sis-in-law got her JDM spec 1992 Corolla FX GT with the 20 valve engine in it. I did some research and found out that the back end from an ae92 gts would fit my car. Having difficulty finding a scrapped ae92 gts I purchased a back end from a 1991 JDM spec Levin(basically the same as the gts). With this back end I got the callipers,hubs,rotors, backing plates, the whole works. Even a set of almost new original Toyota disc pads!!! All I needed to get now were the handbrake cables and brake hoses and Id be in business.
This turned out to be the longest part of the process as it took me a while to get the cables. In any event I got the cables and had steel braided hoses made as I couldnt find any original ones. The old back end was dropped off after cables and brake hoses were disconnected. The Levin back end was bolted up and the new cables and hoses connected. This post is kinda long so Ill stop for now and continue in another post.

[Spud]

Okay, after the back end was put on we put the wheels on to see how everything fit. It should be noted that Im running 15" wheels(Konig Flatline) wrapped in 195/50 15 rubber as the rear callipers would not accomodate my stock 13" wheels!!! Anyway, the wheels were touching the rear struts so we had to get some spacers. After the spacers were put on we realised that we would need longer wheel studs!!! So the callipers and rotors had to be removed and the wheels studs changed. After this was done everything was bolted back up and the brake lines were bled twice just to make sure. I took the car for a test drive and found the pedal a little spongy but the brakes held. As this was done last week Friday I decide to drive the car for the weekend to give the pistons and callipers a workout. I took the car for a very long drive to allow the pads to bed in. I can only say that the brakes worked fantastically. Much better stopping power than I had before. On Monday morning I returned the car to my mechanic for a final bleed and adjustment to the handbrake. I think the pedal was also adjusted for a bit more feel. Ive been driving the car for two days now and again, it feels great!!! All I need now is a new engine
My apologies to the moderators of this forum for the length of this post. If its too long they can edit it for content.

[|PuNiSh3R|]

Hey, Spud check out my page.. look at the pics I did the conversion as well on my '89 sr5 coupe

http://www.cardomain.com/id/punisher4af

[Flashmn]

I'm planning to put Avensis (dunno the US model) front brakes on my corolla, should be a easy swap

[Spud]

Hey there guys!!! Sorry for taking so long to reply to your posts but I had probs with my ISP all weekend. Yo PuNiSh3R, the car looks hype!!! I cant believe tha a 4AF can look like that!!!! Flashmn, I didnt know the Avensis was on sale in the US????

[|PuNiSh3R|]

What? Like this?


Check out my page I put up more pics.. I have a SHITLOAD of pics.. to many to upload to cardomain.. I wish I still had my own domain.
If you want the really FULL sized pics PM me or IM me or email me.
Let me know what ya wanna see.

[Spud]

Yeah man, das the pic!!!! Youve obviously done alot of work man. Big ups to you!!! Id like to see pics of the entire car actually. Whatever you think is cool. You can email them to me.

[|PuNiSh3R|]

You'd be better off IM'in me on AIM.. it's a LOT of pics.. I can't send through yahoo mail.

That pic is old now too.. I got a new set of carbs yesterday.. Same ones just newer and in a trillion times better condition.. they look brand new inside and out.

[RedAE102]

Congratulations, from a fellow rear-disk Corolla driver! Money well spent IMO, as it balances the braking force and makes more effective use of all four contact patches.

BTW, 14" wheels will accomodate the rear disks, as that is what I am running on mine.

[Spud]

Thanks RedAe102!!! The brakes feel good but Im going to change my front brake lines to steel braide as well to maximise the feel. At the moment Im hearing a rubbing sound from both sides as the wheels turn. I suspect that it may be the pads rubbing against the rotor cuz they may not be "bedded in" just yet. I can also hear when the pads make contact with the rotors as I brake. Just a friction sound I guess. Or could it be that the rotors need skimming???? PuNiSh3R, Ill do that when Im next on line....

[|PuNiSh3R|]

Did you guys change your metering blocks as well?

[RedAE102]

My right rear calliper was dragging after I did the conversion, and the cause was that the piston would not retreat fully into its bore. Made the rotor turn all sorts of pretty colours (none of which were the colour it should be!).... I replaced both rear callipers with remaufactured AE92 (Corolla Coupe GT-S) units from AutoZone. Worked like a charm... couldn't use the AE92 backing plates that came wil the callipers though, since AE92 rear disks were a tad smaller.

By metering block, I'm assuming you mean brake proportioning valve? No, I did not. It seems to me like my car was already set up for rear disks... my problem was that the fronts would lock very readily, but the rears didn't seem to be doing anything at all. Everyone who I told about the rear disk swap said that I better make sure I change the proportioning valve or else my car would swap ends under hard braking, but my car actually feels more stable under hard braking and comes closer to locking the rears along with the fronts, thus making more efficient use of all contact patches. I tested making a few "panic" stops the other night when it was really raining, and the brakes brought the car to a short, stable, drama-free stop (ok, the car did some very overly dramatic nose-dives, but other than that )

[|PuNiSh3R|]

roflmao, ya i got the same things from people about the metering block.. I said fuck you it ain't gonna matter.. "looking in my toyota manual I noticed that there was just slight differences in the pressures"...

SO all works it seems, but I get the same feeling like the backs aren't exactly doing their job.. but idk.. I flew down the off-ramp tonite at 80mph n had to stop at light 300ft down n i had no issues.. i was doin 40mph about a 100ft away n came to a great stop no issues at all.. with a slightly dip in the front.. altho i'm sure the suspension on these car isn't like it should be anymore .

I put on front brembo cross drilled n slotted rotors with toyota semi-organic pads.. they seem to work very nicely..
My junk yard rear calipers seem to work fine though.. no hang ups that I know of.. only issue is the hand brake.. does not seem to want to adjust well at all.. if I tighten it up so it actually works.. then my rears drag.. I didn't change the handbrake cables with the conversion.. I think I have an aftermarket center console tho.. one bigger than the factory which might be stopping my hand brake from coming up as far as it should. I need to paint my rear discs like I painted my front discs so they don't rust.. n I need to paint my front calipers like I did my rear! The paint came out awesome.. unfortunatly they are all dirty in that pic tho.

[Flashmn]

Nice work there punisher.. hehe looks familiar ;D

oh and spud, nope they dont sell the avensis in the US, and I aint from the US

[Spud]

I thought not Flashmn..but the Avensis is sold here in Jamaica. I havent changed the proportioning valve either although I was advised to by all whom I had asked about the conversion. It seems to me that I didnt need to change it. Ive tried to lock the wheels but no luck. Im sure Ill eventually lock them up tho . Naturally the fronts do most of the braking but I keep checking the rears to make sure they work. Ive noticed that when they are cold there is not as much grab but as they get warmer..... I guess thats just the pads. The handbrake feels odd when I apply it. I guess Ive gotten used to feeling it in the brake pedal. Must get myself broken from those drum brake memories .