Anyone done SLH 1 or 2 on an 88 or 89 Omni? Trailing arm bolt-on questions.

[AngelesRunner]

Have an 88 and 89 Horizon. Want to do SLH 1 or 2 to improve braking and go to 5 lugs. Have GLH knuckles, KYB GR2 struts, new bushings and ball joints in cleaned/painted control arms. Have 89 Caravan calipers, rotors, new brake lines.
For rear I thought I was good but when I tried to compare 220 mm drum backing plate to the 88's trailing arm the bolt holes don't match up. For this SLH project do brake backing plates require modification? If not, what actually bolts-on? 89 is still a daily driver but the 88 is up on jackstands thus the comparison to it's trailing arm bolt holes. When the 89 goes up on jackstands for conversion I have to do it quickly and all at one go to get it back on the road.
I had a 1990 LeBaron with rear discs bought at the local yard for completely removing the 24 mm master cylinder, proportioning valve and rear disc brake complete package. While I waited, they crushed it by mistake. Now they will get me the parts I need but what do I ask for?
Does anyone have personal knowledge of what, if anything, is a bolt-on for SLH 1 or 2?

[tryingbe]

Have you read this?

http://www.dempseybowling.com/shelby/slhpkgs.htm

For the front, you use the GLH 5 bolts rotor. Minivan caliper bracket, minivan calipers, minivan pads. For the rear, you get the disc setup from a 10 inch disc 89+ car with the internal drum parking brake, from the 4 bolts spines all the way to the calipers. Also get the master cylinder, and proportion valve.

Everything is a bolt on, I went with stainless steel lines while I was in there.

[AngelesRunner]

Yes, I have read it. I've been reading and following all 3 forums for 5 years. What brought this on was I was replacing the rear brakes including both steel lines from the wheel cylinders, the rubber hoses, and the drivers side line from the proportioning valve back to the rubber hose on my wife's 94 Shadow. I tried some 220 mm drum backing plates from "Varga" which are found on the Chryslers (Dynasty, acclaim, spirit) about half of the time. I was going to upgrade from the 200 mm drums stock on the Shadow to 220mm rear drums. The backing plates would not fit the bolt holes on the Shadow's trailing arms, nor would they fit the bolt pattern on the 88 Horizon's trailing arm. Now, these are supposed to be the parts used for the SLH conversion so it bags the question "Do any of the larger parts, drum or disc, simply bolt on without modification?"

My question is to you, "Have you personally done a SLH1 or SLH 2 conversion on a late model Omni or Horizon or is your information from reading about it?

[tryingbe]

I did mini-van front brakes and 90+ disc on my 85 GLH. Never messed with the drum stuff, they goes into trash as soon as they are off.

[AngelesRunner]

What car provided the rear disc brakes and what about the proportioning valve and master cylinder? I was going to use MC, prop valve, and the solid rear discs from a 90 LeBaron on which I had paid $350 for the parts including 4 nice 5 x100 AMR rims and tires and the struts for my wife's car and they crushed it by mistake. They will find me the parts I need. What would you ask for?

I have everything you say for the front and am waiting to change out to GLH 5 lug knuckles when I do this conversion.

[4 l-bodies]

I've done this swap many times. Most recently put stock GLHT knuckles and 220mm drums on my 36k mile 88 Omni. Just wanted to get it converted to 5 lug and GLHT suspension for starters. Everything bolted right on. Are you aware that the spindles bolt pattern in the rear are made so they only can be bolted on one way? The holes are offset. This wasn't meant to be sarcastic, just trying to help.
Todd

[turbovanman²]

Yeah, the rear is cake, the disc spindles bolt right on.

Just get a Minivan MC, that way you know its a 24mm and the parts store can't screw it up, lol.

[AngelesRunner]

For: 4 L Bodies:

What car provided the rear 220 mm drum setup? Did you use it's spindles and brake backing plate?

[4 l-bodies]

For: 4 L Bodies:

What car provided the rear 220 mm drum setup? Did you use it's spindles and brake backing plate?

Rear 220mm backing plates came off one of my GLHT's that I had upgraded to rear disks.

[AngelesRunner]

So your rear brakes came off of a car with the same trailing arm. I'm looking to be sure that I can get the 220 mm brake backing plate off of another non L-body car and it will bolt on to an L-body trailing arm. Spirit/Acclaim/Dynasty Shadow/Sundance LeBaron? What fits? Because I thought Dynasty would fit but the bolt pattern is different from a Dynasty's brake backing plate to a 1988 Horizon trailing arm. Anyone know, with personal experience, of a specific model and year that is a bolt-on fit to an 88 or 89 trailing arm?

And anyone know if the trailing arms are the same for 88/89 and earlier? Because Addco doesn't list their Omni rear sway bar as fitting an 88 or 89 and when e-mailed, they asked for a picture of the arm so they could check it out. They didn't know.

[4 l-bodies]

So your rear brakes came off of a car with the same trailing arm. I'm looking to be sure that I can get the 220 mm brake backing plate off of another non L-body car and it will bolt on to an L-body trailing arm. Spirit/Acclaim/Dynasty Shadow/Sundance LeBaron? What fits? Because I thought Dynasty would fit but the bolt pattern is different from a Dynasty's brake backing plate to a 1988 Horizon trailing arm. Anyone know, with personal experience, of a specific model and year that is a bolt-on fit to an 88 or 89 trailing arm?

And anyone know if the trailing arms are the same for 88/89 and earlier? Because Addco doesn't list their Omni rear sway bar as fitting an 88 or 89 and when e-mailed, they asked for a picture of the arm so they could check it out. They didn't know.

Yes I remember Dynasty's are different. I remember looking up long ago the rear spindles on many cars. IIRC, Dynasty's were the odd one. If you really need to know this, look up spindles for various cars in parts books. I think you will find in many cases the spindles are the same whether they are rear disk or drum. Sure there are some exceptions, but if the L-body spindle is the same as a G-body for example, then the backing plates will bolt up (providing they are 220 and not 200mm drums and not disks of course).
Trailing arms were slightly longer in GLH cars vs. the non GLH l-bodies. About .500" IIRC. Easy to duplicate with some 1/4" stock on each side.
Todd

[rbryant]

Yes I remember Dynasty's are different. I remember looking up long ago the rear spindles on many cars. IIRC, Dynasty's were the odd one. If you really need to know this, look up spindles for various cars in parts books. I think you will find in many cases the spindles are the same whether they are rear disk or drum. Sure there are some exceptions, but if the L-body spindle is the same as a G-body for example, then the backing plates will bolt up (providing they are 220 and not 200mm drums and not disks of course).
Trailing arms were slightly longer in GLH cars vs. the non GLH l-bodies. About .500" IIRC. Easy to duplicate with some 1/4" stock on each side.
Todd

The Dy Nasty is always an oddball. The front suspensions are also a bit different (don't try to swap kframes onto a GJKHPA body) and their rear disc setup is also different. I wasn't aware that the actual spindles were different or a different bolt pattern but it isn't really that surprising.

In general I just avoid them.


Notes for GJKHPA and L bodies:

• The rear spindles are the same from disc to drum.
• The rear hubs are slightly different from disc to drum. The rear drum hub is offset about 6mm outward from the rear disc hub. This means you can still use the rear drum hub with a rear disc setup without getting hubs from the donor car. I haven't tried using rear disc hubs on a rear drum setup (and I have no motivation to) but it might not work.

-Rich

[AngelesRunner]

The Dy Nasty is always an oddball. Their rear disc setup is also different. I wasn't aware that the actual spindles were different or a different bolt pattern but it isn't really that surprising.

In general I just avoid them.

Notes for GJKHPA and L bodies:

• The rear spindles are the same from disc to drum.
• The rear hubs are slightly different from disc to drum. The rear drum hub is offset about 6mm outward from the rear disc hub. This means you can still use the rear drum hub with a rear disc setup without getting hubs from the donor car. I haven't tried using rear disc hubs on a rear drum setup (and I have no motivation to) but it might not work.

-Rich

Went to my local salvage yard and they pulled up 89 Horizon rear spindle stub axle on their computer and the only model Dynasty that is compatible is 1988. Basically all Acclaims/Spirits/LeBarons/Omnis/Horizons/Shadows etc. use the same rear axle but only the 88 Dynasty matches them.

If you look at the 88 Dynasty it looks EXACTLY like an Acclaim with the vertical rear window. The 1988 Dynasty parts would probably all fit just like the rear stub axle if it is the same car as an Acclaim/Spirit rebadged to be a Dynasty.

Bummer because I bought the complete 220 mm rear brake package off of a Dynasty that wasn't an 88 and the bolt pattern on the brake backing plate/stub axle is different and won't fit a Horizon.

[rbryant]

Went to my local salvage yard and they pulled up 89 Horizon rear spindle stub axle on their computer and the only model Dynasty that is compatible is 1988. Basically all Acclaims/Spirits/LeBarons/Omnis/Horizons/Shadows etc. use the same rear axle but only the 88 Dynasty matches them.

If you look at the 88 Dynasty it looks EXACTLY like an Acclaim with the vertical rear window. The 1988 Dynasty parts would probably all fit just like the rear stub axle if it is the same car as an Acclaim/Spirit rebadged to be a Dynasty.

Bummer because I bought the complete 220 mm rear brake package off of a Dynasty that wasn't an 88 and the bolt pattern on the brake backing plate/stub axle is different and won't fit a Horizon.

Interesting.

I find it easier to just avoid the Dynasty. Many of the years were a 36mm caliper instead of a 34mm caliper on the rear discs so the calipers are an upgrade if you want a stronger non vented rear setup. Even then the Intrepid/Concordes used the same calipers for a few years and are much easier to find.

I added some rear disc brake info in a KC article which might help.

As a side note, the PT cruiser axle stubs also have a slightly different bolt pattern from our cars and won't fit without grinding making them not worth using.

-Rich