Audi 80 (FWD) rear drum to disc conversion...

[Gerard]

Hi Ken,

I think I'm going to try and find some GTi Mk2 spindles over here first.

Yeah, we're a bit stupid on the import duties. Only this year have they
removed the import duties on computer equipment. As for auto parts, this
is how they figure it. Import duty on auto parts is a mere 20%. However,
customs reckons they probably let alot of stuff slip through that never
gets charged, so they make their money off the stuff they do manage to
catch. They adjust the indicated value by 10% to account for this. Take
that total figure and add the 20%. Then take that whole figure and add
VAT of 14%. 1x1.1x1.2x1.14 = 1.5048... 50.48% effective import duty! :(

What competition?

One of the applications I work on at my current job is the system we've
written for VW which is used to find out whether they can manufacture
imported parts at a cheaper price locally. Basically, a new car arrives
in VWSA, they put out tenders for the various parts and then compare it
all to the price they'd be paying to get it from Germany. Sometimes it
is still cheaper to get the thing from Germany and pay the shipping and
duties.

Ken Keith wrote:
> 
> I have an '88 90 with rear discs here in Arizona that I'm parting out.
> 
> I also have rear discs from the same type of car on one of my Coupe
> GT's.  I swapped over the whole axle, hub to hub.  I did it for
> aesthetics mostly, as I dislike seeing drums behind revealing wheels.
> 
> I have to adjust/fine-tune the brake bias toward the front a bit, as
> I've discovered that the rears lock up first.  I didn't change the
> proportioning valve, but my research at the time indicated it might be
> necessary.  One is less linear than the other apparently, and more of
> a binary, on/off affair.  If I can't get it dialed in enough, I'll get
> into the proportioning valve issue again.
> 
> I can't imagine shipping to SA would be cost effective, I heard that
> place has some import tariffs and stuff, trying to protect them from
> dangerous outside competition.  But let me know if I can help somehow.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Ken
> 
> gerard gerard at 2226.co.za wrote:
> 
> someone's considering converting rear drum brakes to discs on his Audi 80
> front-wheel drive machine.
> 
> I spent time looking through ETKA trying to figure out what parts can be
> used that could be sourced locally. I'm in a country where the 80/90 is a
> very rare thing.
> 
> Some parts are available from the type-44, others need to be bought new, and
> the list's good friend Chris Semple over at Force 5 Auto has good prices on
> some other required parts.
> 
> But in all my looking and checking I overlooked the entire rear axle. Ooops.
> 
> Seems this needs to be swapped for one from a 80 with rear discs. I
> suspected it, but only noticed it when I finally got pics of the 80's drums.
> There's no mounting or the calipers on the axle.
> 
> Short of having to bring a complete rear axle into the country, what can be
> done with this to fit rear discs?
> 
> Doh! Typical dumb me.
> 
> G.