gsl-se suspension swap confusion
Thread Starter
unregistered rex offender
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,644
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From: Spokane, Washington
gsl-se suspension swap confusion
My swap has been complete for over a year and everything works just fine.
Where the confusion comes in is in all the reading I still do on the subject while searching through suspension upgrade threads.
I don't know if it makes a difference, but my car is an 83 gsl. When I did the rear swap I used the e-brake cables from the 83, and it works just fine. goot travel on the lever, plenty of holding power on the brakes, etc... Everything I've read since says you HAVE to use the se cables. Why is this?
Second, I didn't change the master cylinder or proportioning valve. Again, I've never had an issue with braking. Last week some woman cut me off as I was accelerating up to speed in the suicide lane, and I had to brake HARD AND FAST. My brakes functioned perfectly.
I don't understand why these two items keep coming up as a must in this swap. Can someone elaborate please.
Where the confusion comes in is in all the reading I still do on the subject while searching through suspension upgrade threads.
I don't know if it makes a difference, but my car is an 83 gsl. When I did the rear swap I used the e-brake cables from the 83, and it works just fine. goot travel on the lever, plenty of holding power on the brakes, etc... Everything I've read since says you HAVE to use the se cables. Why is this?
Second, I didn't change the master cylinder or proportioning valve. Again, I've never had an issue with braking. Last week some woman cut me off as I was accelerating up to speed in the suicide lane, and I had to brake HARD AND FAST. My brakes functioned perfectly.
I don't understand why these two items keep coming up as a must in this swap. Can someone elaborate please.
Thread Starter
unregistered rex offender
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,644
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, Washington
Afterthought....is the proportioning valve mounted directly to the diff housing, or is it at the master cylinder? If it's on the diff housing, then I did use the one from the se.
I am in the process of putting a SE rear end into my 79. The I took the brake cables from the donor car but the I can only get one side on at a time. If I can get both on it seems that the e-brakes would be dragging and on all the time. Any ideas?
The cables are different lengths between the 2 sides, they don't interchange from side to side. If you can't connect the cables, or they seem too tight, then you need to 'un'adjust the parking brake handle. This is done by removing the plastic cover from the handle and turning the long, slotted hex nut CCW. E-brake adjustment is shown in the FSM. A properly adjusted e-brake handle only pulls up about 5 clicks.
As a side note to my earlier post, some say that both the proportioning valve and brake master cylinder need to be changed I didn't change either of mine and my brakes have been working fine. As to whether this is the best option or not, that's up to you. Keep in mind the disc systems do maintain some residual pressure at all times while the drum systems don't.
As a side note to my earlier post, some say that both the proportioning valve and brake master cylinder need to be changed I didn't change either of mine and my brakes have been working fine. As to whether this is the best option or not, that's up to you. Keep in mind the disc systems do maintain some residual pressure at all times while the drum systems don't.
