drum to disk front axle

[Mikesta]

I have a rare 66 opel kadett wagon www.fjtoys.com/opel.

Right now I have the engine/trannie out, and a couple trannies in the mail with a ton of other parts. I will be painting the motor bay black, probably 20-40% gloss... will also be cleaning up the heater element, radiator mechanism and degreasing the bay.

My question is about the front axle... I have a complete 70's wagon with a 1900 w 2 barrel carb... racing cam etc that I am going to be parting out... but It has disk front axle... has anyone done the axle swap?

I know I'd have to swap out the brake resevoir, but will the axles just bolt in ?

Im a Toyota Landcruiser freek, but this is my 35mpg car that I'm probably going to keep forever... might as well do it now before I slap the motor and trannie back in.

Thanks in advance Opel techs.

[BQS4]

Mike;
The only thing I can think of is that the disc front will be stiffer as it held the heavier motor. Putting it under the lighter motor will make it stiffer. try looking to see if just the swapping the spindle assemblies would work, that way you keep the 1.1 spring rate, but, upgrade to the disc brakes.

[Killer Texas GT]

The spindles should be able to swap over to the 1.1 front suspension, but the 1.9 supension off of a 70's Ascona will not work on your wagon, I can verify the change over for you as I have spindles from a 72 Ascona wagon and a 68 wagon with 1.1 front suspension. You my have to change brake booster also.
rk

[Mikesta]

my 70 is a kadett as well.. not a ascona, they kept alot the same under the engine compartment

[BQS4]

Mikesta;
I'd still swap just the spindle assemblies, that will allow you to mount all the disc brake stuff, and also the brake booster, then you're set to go.

[heimue]

You can not swap the axles (neither front nor rear) between "small" engine Kadetts (1.0-1.2) and "large" ones (1.5-1.9). The front axle is different, where the motor mounts are sitting on it. It does not make sense to change the complete axle anyway, because besides the motor mounts the axle bodies are identical. The spring is of course a different strength on the larger ones. The disc brakes on the small and large axles are identical, so the drums on your small axle must be replacable by using disc parts from the large axle. Just find out exactly which parts you need from which axle, but it all will fit together smoothly. As mentioned by others, you will need the booster from the 1.9, and you either have to take out the backflow valve for the front discs or (better) use the complete booster/MC assembly from the big one.

Dieter

[GTJIM]

Try looking at this thread:http://www.opelgt.com/forums/group-5-brakes/5774-convert-kadett-front-drum-brakes-discs.html

[Mikesta]

good stuff thanks for the answer on that...

If I do this swap, I have the parts to do it...

Cheers

Originally Posted by heimue You can not swap the axles (neither front nor rear) between "small" engine Kadetts (1.0-1.2) and "large" ones (1.5-1.9). The front axle is different, where the motor mounts are sitting on it. It does not make sense to change the complete axle anyway, because besides the motor mounts the axle bodies are identical. The spring is of course a different strength on the larger ones. The disc brakes on the small and large axles are identical, so the drums on your small axle must be replacable by using disc parts from the large axle. Just find out exactly which parts you need from which axle, but it all will fit together smoothly. As mentioned by others, you will need the booster from the 1.9, and you either have to take out the backflow valve for the front discs or (better) use the complete booster/MC assembly from the big one. Dieter