everyone seems to talk about using other diffs to achieve disc brakes. no one seems to mention using a ute diff (which simply require moving the mounts) and getting disc over drum rear hubs off a bluebird and putting them on the 1200 axles (requires 4 tonne bearing press). this acheives 4 wheel disc at exactly the right wheelbase so why does everyone seem to avoid it, or is this not a well known method.

its my understanding that the 1200 ute diff is, and i quote "piss weak". using it therefore on something like a ca18 injected into a 1200 would probably verge more on stupidity than on common sense.

Hi 1200rallycar,
Does this method of using disc over drum rear hubs off a bluebird work for the front drums as well or is there an easier method for the front?
Cheers,
S

ive got a coupe so there already discs on the front, but i have put stanza struts in my car and i would have thought you could virtually put 1200 or stanza struts straight into your sedan or ute? what is the reason for not doing this?

The Ute axle with disc conversion would be nice but we in the States didn't get Utes. We have to make other stuff fit. I am intrigued by this "disc over drum" conversion though. Please, tell me more about how this is done.

As dimlight said, here in the states we didn't get those parts so we have to make do. Also, to me anyway, the relative weakness of the 1200 diff is important to address. I'm currently looking at fitting an AE86 Corolla GT-S diff to my Coupe. It's the same bolt pattern and shouldn't be TOO much more width.

so you guys dont reckon the 1200 diff is strong? i posted a while ago about it and most people seemed to think it was a good thing. maybe theres a diffrence between ute and coupe diff strength? does anybody know if the ute diff is a fair bit stronger?

about the toyota stud pattern, i got some toyota tarago wheels and yeah they fit over the studs. but i had to get inserts put in to the wheels to accept normal wheel nuts cause noone had ones that would bolt those wheels to my studs and i also had to get the inside diameter of the wheel bored out to datsuns 66mm as apposed to toyotas 60mm, mainly a problem on the front though as the wheels sit on the curve between hub and vertical and not flush against wall at end of hub. all up it cost me $75 for inserts, $20 for nuts and $50 to bore inside (Australian currency) which is a bit of a bitch considering the wheels only cost $120 in the first place though that was a very cheap price.

Hey,
Bummer about living in the states- no utes!
Anyway, I have only aquired the ute a few months ago and it has been a running project ever since :).
I'm not sure what the best method of ugrading the front brakes is that's why I've left the conversion till now, look before you leap I say.
So to upgrade the front brakes the easiest method is to put in stanza struts eh? Do I need to alter the spring heights and change suspension (please say no I just bought some new pedders shocks!)?
S

ill post a new topic and explain stanza strut install and a couple of other bit for ya and other aussies or whoever else can get these bits

To be perfectly honest, the reasons I changed to a B-210 rear axle were, 1) I had one and b) slightly bigger drum brakes. That diff survived with (poorly) welded spider gears for years behind my Z-20 engine. I've never had a diff break, or even know of anyone who has. I think there is a lot of "bigger is better" mentality out there which is really unfounded.
Oh yeah, I just remembered, I swapped a 200SX axle into the Chickenhawk recently. Once again, it had disc brakes and I had it on hand.