advice and knowledge assistance for lb circuit car

[jasonlblancer]

Hi people ive recently sold my sr20 toyota sprinter street car to focus on my newly aquired lb lancer hatch. it has been built to a point by a good friends dad who has been building engines and race cars for a long time. Its sat unfinished for yrs under a tarp and its now mine to complete and enjoy. it currently has a cams spec rollcage fitted with stripped interior and sparco fixed back. engine wise it runs a 2.6litre sigma engine fitted. specs of engine to my knowledge are magna head, 300° cam, weber manifold chssing some webers currently, custom made sump, custom made extremely cool exhaust manifold. engine is brand new never started. at the moment im stripping back the body and fixing some rust, prepping it for paint. once its painted im focusing on getting the engine running including fuel system ignition system prob msd running battery in rear of car and setting up some suspension. so i have some questions for people in the know.
1. car came with scorion rear discs calipers and backing plates will they fit my lb drum diff?
2. Why do people run sigma strutts?im going to be running 4 spot skyline or commodore calipers with my bilstein shocks and afco coilover kit so are sigma strutts neccersary?
3.do ke30 wagon leafs fit my lb.
4. Anyone got spares for these brisbane region.

[75glnt]

Why use sigma struts?

I think because they're an easy fit. Then you can go the coilovers sleeves, etc etc.
and hopper stoppers do a big brake kit for sigma struts. But it over $1k. Inc rotors, calipers and acc

[A112H]

Sounds like a great project Jase and welcome to the site.
Not sure about the Toyota springs.
People have fitted Scorpion disc setups to Galant and Lancer diffs but I am not sure how and I have never seen pics.
Sigma struts, the reason for these are that they are a straight bolt up fitment, they run bigger brakes than a Lancer or Galant, they use the same inserts as VB-VR Commodore so have a huge range of shocks available, they use the same pads as Commodore so again a big range. Also, on the 'green' struts they have a removable caliper bracket (other mitsu struts don't) so they allow easy fitment of a custom bracket to run bigger rotors and calipers.

Would love to see some pics of your car, especially the interior and extractors

[jasonlblancer]

Ok cool thanks for replys people. If sigma strutts have removable backing plates for calipers my setup must already be sigma strutts as they unbolt also. i noticed its running standard height king springs at the moment and looks to have a bit of positive camber more than i would expect. So how can i tell if there sigma strutts? Im gusseing strutt tube diameter and length. i should get some pics up on weekend

[A112H]

The best way is diameter, I have both in the shed and will go measure the difference for you shortly

[jasonlblancer]

That would be great cheers, i also went to my local wreckers other day and seen a old four door la lancer rusted out. i took a closer look and noticed it had a old school saas fixed back seat, koni adjustable red shocks in rear and some struts in front with green springs and super thick shock piston under dust cover. the strutt was also cut at the base and rewelded where it meets stub assembly dont know why? Engine was long gone but it had a facet (coil) shaped pump and fuel miser adjustable reg. so turns out i got the complete struts, rear shocks and pump/reg for 40 bucks. got struts apart and there bilstein p30-0088 part numbered and look adjustable if base is removed thinking it was a old rally car.

[A112H]

Okay, so the Sigma struts I have a 51mm measured with a vernier
What is funny is I also measured the GTO, guessing they would be the same as Lancer and early Galants but they also measured 51mm and the GTO is 100% stock.
Either the GTO got the bigger struts or my coil over Sigma struts are Galant, lol

[jasonlblancer]

Haha ok might have to suss it out at the wreckers there is two sigmas out there one is twin round headlights the other is rectangle i believe which struts am i after from which model sigma? Cheers.

[A112H]

GH Sigma is the one you are after
Check this link for model differences

[BIG26L]

The reason you run sigma struts is the bigger availbility of shock and much bigger wheel bearings than the lancer struts.

Oh, and PM sent..... I'm building a LC coupe as a tarmac rally car and a fair bit further into the build than you are. There are a few of us here that have been racing them for a number of years.

[jasonlblancer]

Ok so i measured my strut diameter being 51mm, disc diameter is 229mm and brake caliper bracket is detachable. Assuming there lancer struts due to brake disc diameter? only reason im interested is there is two sigmas at local wreckers and i know they will crush them asap so good time to get them if its worth it maybe even the control arms as there longer? oh and sanding bog in the cold sucks

[simon]

I think one reason for using sigma struts[on rally cars] was that lancer stub axles could bend if pushed too hard over rough stuff
if you get sigma lower control arms,try to get GJ onwards LCAs ,GH mounting bolt

[75glnt]

What wreckers?? I'm in south brissy and if they're green struts.. I'd love a set

[jasonlblancer]

Sussed out sigmas at local wreckers gn sigma has 54.5mm strut diameter roughly but didnt like the cast caliper bracket. And the other is a ge sigma with struts that look identical to my lancer struts. not sure i can use any of it maybe the gn lower control arms and bolt a gh lower ball joint to bolt to my lancer struts for more camber?

[A112H]

Yeah, I just measured the GC struts and they are 55mm so the GTO uses the same struts as LA/B and GA/B/C/D

[75glnt]

And don't galant struts have a removable caliper mount also?

[davetrees]

Yes

[davetrees]

the strutt was also cut at the base and rewelded where it meets stub assembly dont know why?

Probably to increase available negative camber ? Either that or to replace bent/broken stub axle.

bilstein p30-0088 part numbered and look adjustable if base is removed thinking it was a old rally car.

Very unlikely to be adjustable (externally) but most Bilstein dampers are rebuildable. If they are currently valved for rally use they'll probably be all wrong for circuit racing .... but you will be able to get the valving changed.

[davetrees]

Okay, so the Sigma struts I have a 51mm measured with a vernier
What is funny is I also measured the GTO, guessing they would be the same as Lancer and early Galants but they also measured 51mm and the GTO is 100% stock.
Either the GTO got the bigger struts or my coil over Sigma struts are Galant, lol

Early Sigma, Lancer & Galant all take the same strut inserts (GA & GB are 51mm diameter too).

Brakes on LA / LB / LC / GC / GD / GE are all the same too. Dunno about later Sigmas.

GA/GB brakes are different (larger diameter but thinner disc, different caliper & smaller pads) but the later brake/caliper combo bolts onto the strut.

[jasonlblancer]

Yep wasnt intending on using bilsteins as is, my mates dad was the shock doctor in ipswich for a number of yrs so he will re valve them hopefully to suit whatever afco coils i end up getting. think i will stick with my lancer strut setup and convert them to coilover i looked at the stub axle thickness and i cant see them bending anymore easier than my ae86 had for my application.

[jasonlblancer]