When we last left Project SC300 we had just installed our Grannas Racing T56 transmission swap kit and had gotten back out on track. With a solid drivetrain, it was time to look at the current weakest links — wheels, tires, and brakes. Since it was winter, it was an ideal time to get started, right? Everything would be done in time for the season! And, fortunately for me, Titan 7, StopTech, and Nankang decided that this crazy idea of building a road racer out of an SC300 was interesting. After lots of emails and conversations, a veritable cornucopia of awesome arrived at my doorstep.
Or, more appropriately, I decided to unbox the StopTech big brake kit first and figure out what, exactly, I was getting into. The JZZ30-chassis SC300/Soarer happens to have the same knuckles and most of the same running gear as the 4th-generation JZA80 Toyota Supra, so StopTech’s Supra BBK bolts right on.
Unboxed here is the front axle kit. It uses StopTech Trophy ST60 6-piston calipers on 355x32mm rotors. You can see that the kit comes with adapter brackets that attach to the factory Toyota/Lexus knuckle. The kit also comes with new braided stainless lines that replace the OE lines and have the proper hardware to attach to the new StopTech caliper. StopTech even provides a little tube of thread locking compound to use to attach the adapter bracket to the knuckle. The stickers are a nice addition.
StopTech provides a very detailed, printed manual with instructions for how to properly assemble, install, and attach the brakes.
The rear axle kit is just as impressive. It uses the StopTech ST40 4-piston caliper around the same size 355x32mm rotor. One important thing to note is that this rear axle kit does not accommodate the factory Toyota/Lexus emergency brake setup, so it will need to be removed.
Time to get the car properly supported and get started on the fronts!
No surprises… yet.
6 comments
This is real garage work, not your fancy Discovery Channel scripted stuff. Nice work!
You shouldn’t reuse hubs, they are just as much a wear item as the bearings.
@Mikhael – which part of the hub is a wear item? It rests inside the bearing / rides on the bearing.
Metal fatigue, I’ve seen hubs and bearings both let go on track cars. It’s also usually very difficult to remove the stuck on inner race without damaging the hub. Even if you do a lot of the time the hub is scored and scratched in the process and you risk spinning the hub inside the race once it’s installed.
Good points. I didn’t notice any issues with the hubs. The fronts were very clean and the rears are splined. We’ll see how it goes, I guess!
Pff, I’ve been running good tight junkyard hubs on my road race Camaro for years. It’s about a grand to upgrade to to the Corvette SKF hubs with the adapters. You’ll know when they’re bad, and if they were good last time out no need to waste money. They’re not going to suddenly explode and send you into the wall down the back straight at Road America. As far as popping ball joints with a hammer, it also works very well to just bash on the knuckle itself while leaving the nut loosely on. I rarely use a separator anymore, so much faster and easier to give it a few whacks and the boots and everything are reusable too. You’re definitely spending more than I would, but it should turn out like a show piece in the end. You gonna go with sphericals in the control arms?