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Thought I would start a new thread on the rear setup.
At this time, I have the bits but have not completed setup due to wrong discs and a problem with the caliper. Hopefully this thread will answer those questions in time.
First off, Parts list.
New top wishbone and toe adjuster.
New hub assembly.
New top balljoints, the same size.
New lower wishbone. Though this is not necessary, I opted for this as well. It has a screw in type lower balljoint (Looks like an MGF type balljoint) if you have the Rover Parts, technical CD.
New solid discs. At this time, can't confirm, but DR4000 from a Nissan Almera 2.0 GTI.
All suspension components are painted in dark grey. If your chassis is like mine and light grey, they will need painting as they cannot be supplied in this colour so I was told.
The discs need to be bigger than the Rovers which hopefully the Nissan discs will accomodate.
Is there any reason you're holding the caliper on the wrong side of the hub? Also, the guide pins look to be at the end of their extension?
Looking at the design of the new lower arms, they look slightly more burly than the original items, but does the different lower balljoint design increase the interference with the caliper?
Just held caliper there for ease of taking photos. I've managed to borrow another caliper without pipe connected. Have a few ideas for tonight. One of them, removing bottom hub nut, bolt on caliper, then lower top section and hub onto lower balljoint. See how that goes.
Top section and hub £299. Lower wishbone/balljoint haven't a clue at the moment.
I might have to puurrchaase the rear setup although the brakes dont seem to work very well judging by the discs at lladlow on the converted cars....
Not fussed about the front anti roll bar and making my car understeer...........(to improve cornering) this goes against everything I have ever been told,heard,driven,witnessed,read,seen,watched,heard rumors about and instructed!!
Would much prefer a neutral car or if anything slight oversteer
The willwood calipers mount on the rear of the phase two upright, the oem calipers on the front....
I can only assume it has been done this way, to keep the bleed nipple correctly orientated.
I'm currently considering getting the new uprights, getting busy with my welder, and putting a plate on the rear to suit my Civic calipers (which should mount on the rear anyhow....).
Whatever the case, I'm going for the new setup, and will chop and weld to make them work for me.
The understeer statement is quite odd... i'm wondering if there's a "roll" missing before understeer..... which I'd agree would make the car easier to drive, as anyone who has driven an early S2000 in anger will testify (roll oversteer by the bucket load!).
OK got to the bottom of the caliper problem. Part me I'm afraid. The lower wishbone is very close to the bottom of the caliper. And if you have the banjo bolt in what I think is the correct place, the brake pipe fouls the lower wishbone. So this will need taking off and turning round to mis the lower balljoint, rebleed etc. I tried a spare caliper with pipes etc attached.
Now the disc. I was told by Marlin that I need a DF4000. Which is a front disc from a Nissan Almera. I opted for a rear disc from a 2.0 GTI Almera. Seems to fit ok and diameter leaves about 3-4mm clarance between carrier. Time will tell.
Car is now on the road and flying! Though brakes are a little spungy on this test drive, brakes are working great.
For thoughs that have the COMPLETE new rear end, top and bottom lower wishbones, hub etc, may get the problem with the caliper.
After speaking with Marlin though, could not come to a solution why mine did not fit. Ideas was I have different Rover calipers and me doing something wrong. But could not comfirm with pictures from theres. As Terry said they had to take the wheels off to get some pictures for me. But unfortunately, due to the move, they did not have a jack to use on the demo car.
So those with the new rear end, if you have a problem with the caliper, let me know. As I have a "fix". But it might only be me that has this problem, if Marlin are right.
I also want to take this opportunity to give Ian (Merlinman) a big thank you. With his engineering expertise and help, I would not be back on the road. One day he may post on here!
Does the car feel better to drive with the geometrically stiffer components? The feel of the back end of my car, is the only thing holding me back from booking a track day at the moment.
I'm still waiting on my rear suspension parts. Very frustrating.
I don't know the reasons why, but the new hubs are designed to work with an Almera GTI (N15) rear disc, which is 258mm in diameter, which is very similar to the high power ZR / ZS 260mm rear disc. However, the Rover disc has an offset of approx 48 mm (from memory), and the Almera disc is about 35 mm (again from memory).
I don't know the reasons why, but the new hubs are designed to work with an Almera GTI (N15) rear disc, which is 258mm in diameter, which is very similar to the high power ZR / ZS 260mm rear disc.
This is what I was wanting to know don't understand why the hubs were not designed to accomodate the standard rover 260mm discs.
I would like the new setup but just trying to justify it to myself and breaking it down it looks like £299 plus vat!!! a guess by John of £150 plus vat!!! for lower wishbones plus postage £15 plus £160 to replace rear discs
OK in the absense of radiator for a few days I have started looking at my rear hubs (new setup) and have a few questions about build order.
I have my donor rear hub thingy's which have the old broken bearings on the end, I have the new uprights and 2 new bearings.
Do I get the bearings pressed into the uprights or do I get them pressed onto the end of my rear donor hub thingy's. Looking at the build comic I think you press them into the uprights first in which case how do I later insert the rear hub thingy into the bearings pressing into the upright.
Also one bearing is red and one is black althought they both have the same part number IR8583 does this indicate they are specific for a side or is it just two different batches.
Press the bearing into the upright, then the drvie flange into the bearing, but be sure to press against the inner bearing shell at the same time as you press the flange in.
I wouldn't worry about the seals.
Oh, and if you've got an old bearing shell stuck on a drive flange, create a flaw in it with a dremel or similar cut off tool, and then smack it with cold chissel.
Having had to book my car in for its MOT today, i took the bits with me and my local friendly garage is going to press them in for me :-) they are also gonna machine the flange so my discs fit.
Very frustrating.