I know this has been asked before and I can't find any definitive answers in the Forum archives, but is it possible to fit KE30 front suspension parts to a KE20 if so what bits is it best to use.

 

I am currently planning my 4AGE engine swap. My first objective is to get slightly bigger brakes and the better 114.3 stud pattern for a better wheel choice.

 

I am OK with the rear as I have a full KE30 rear axle complete with brakes etc. which I can nick parts from.

 

One area that is a bit of a puzzle for me is what shocks and springs to use if the KE30 stuff fits.

 

I only have access to very limited KE30 and KP60/61 parts as virtually all other late 70's Jap model car parts are non-existant here in the UK and not cost effective to buy from overseas due to shipping costs.

 

As always, any tips/help would be appreciated.

Hi

Easiest bolt on upgrade is ke30/55 hub (need to use Ke20 inboard bearing & seal), Ke55 backing plate and Ke70 calliper.

Put in good pads (the KE70 calliper let's you fit a fair bit better compound), braided lines, rebuild your master cylinder and put decent fluid in will give decent road going brakes.

Anything else is fairly major work.

Import of backing plates and calipers shouldn't be over the top.

 

Cheers

jon

Once again your main problem is the bolt spacing at the steering arm. KE20 is 80mm, KE30 is I believe 87mm. So no, the strut won't bolt in.

 

You could get more radical and use a KE30 lower arm (no idea how long that is or whether it will fit into the crossmember - shouldn't be too hard) and use the KE30 steering arms, but the KE30 steering arm is about 20mm longer than what you have now, so steering will be awful.

 

And even then you strut insert options are not brilliant.

 

Once again you are faced with the same old KE20 issue - the steering arm

Have you had any trouble finding front shock absorber rubber boots. If you have a link to buy some, can you let us know?

Thanks for the replies chaps, been reading around, thinking out aloud then for the front if I keep the KE20 standard struts as they are it seems I can use the KE30 calipers, backing plates, discs and hubs.

 

I appreciate that this will give only an extra 18mm or so diameter increase in brake disc diameter but it makes sense to me as I have the KE30 parts to do this and does not seem to be too much hassle. I was also considering using the standard KE30 brake booster and master cylinder would this be worth while?

 

At the rear I have a spare KE30 diff, that I could use with correct KE30 drive shafts, brake drums and backing plates. Again I understand that the brake drums etc will fit OK but is it really worth swapping the diff over or should I just change the drive shafts and brakes?

 

Just as an aside, will I need to use wheel spacers on the front if I want to match the rear track and not have to use unequal width wheels?

 

One final question, if my plan above is feasible what wheel diameter/width wheel would I need to look for and would the offset need to change as my current wheels are 13" with a zero offset and fit nicely in the standard arches after lowering all round by 1.5". I would be happy to use fender flares and slightly wider wheels as I thing my current wheels are only 6" wide (I appreciate I wont be able to use these anymore as the stud pattern would have changed).

 

Sorry for all the questions but the knowledge you chaps hold is like a goldmine!

Ke30 complete diff will be wider, and I expect the spring mounts will be placed differently to ke20 so a major operation to switch the complete 30 diff into the 20, for no benefit

As long as the diff centres are the same, the KE30 axles will fit into the KE20 housing with a bit machined off the end of the axle.

 

Another option that I did with my 20 was to fit the KE30 front rotors etc but swap the outer part of the rotor - the part that the wheel studs are in. This way I had the "better" front brakes but I could keep the three sets of wheels that I had collected for the car.

+1 on what Coln said

That's what we're doing to our 20 but with 70 calipers and rotors with 50 backing plates.

The only difference to the back brakes are the addition of self adjusters, same diameter and width of shoe, same diameter slave cylinders.

Iur front was originally drum so adding a dual master cylinder and a remote boater on the front circuit so we don't have to cut the body.

6" wide rims with good tyres is a lot of rubber on such a light car.

On 11/23/2016 at 10:01 PM, Jon said:

Hi

Easiest bolt on upgrade is ke30/55 hub (need to use Ke20 inboard bearing & seal), Ke55 backing plate and Ke70 calliper.

Put in good pads (the KE70 calliper let's you fit a fair bit better compound), braided lines, rebuild your master cylinder and put decent fluid in will give decent road going brakes.

Anything else is fairly major work.

Import of backing plates and calipers shouldn't be over the top.

 

Cheers

jon

Hi Jon can I swap full front suspension with hubs from a ke70 on my ke26 or is it easier to use ke30 suspension and hub? The idea is to get brake discs at the front and change to 4x114.3

On 7/5/2020 at 7:13 PM, Rickyn164 said:

Hi Jon can I swap full front suspension with hubs from a ke70 on my ke26 or is it easier to use ke30 suspension and hub? The idea is to get brake discs at the front and change to 4x114.3

have you got the answer?
I'm facing this issue currently