Drum to Disc brake rear end swap how-to!

[rlith]

Well I got the new rear end in! I had wanted disc brakes for a long time, I came across a good deal on a g80 (limited slip posi) rear w/ disc brakes from a 99 blazer. It only had 33k on the rear and I got it for $180.00 bux! YAY.... So I finally get around to installing it this weekend with the help of Grappler...(Thanx once again bud)...

The install is fairly straight forward: (see notes at the end of this page): So I started by picking up the rear at my local wrecking yard. It's been sitting in mud for almost a year (the back end of the blazer it was on had no wheels and it's a messy yard)...

Here is the rear...As you can see there is a lot of surface rust...

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear.jpg

Fortunatly the emergency brake shoes were in good shape as seen here...


Grappler taking a break before the installation... (see ending notes)

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/e-brake.jpg

The dust shields were toast (rusted and bent) so I pulled the diff cover, then the axels and put new ones on.. In this pic you can see on the left side how bad they were banged up... on the right side I had already removed the dust shield...I also took the opprotunity to change the diff fluid... Sprayed out the casing with 2 cans of brake clean, let dry, then added Valvoline Durablend (dino/synthetic mix) 80/90 weight gear oil.

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear2.jpg

I used a wire wheel on an air rotary tool to get any scaling and debri (i.e mud) off of the casing. I then used a spray on rust inhibitor/converter/primer and let it sit overnight. (actually a couple of days because I couldn't get back to it). I then put on 2 coats of Rustolium Black w/ hammered finish on to it. This gives the benifit of being less rusty later on (gads I hate salt) and it actually looks good. I may do my whole frame in the stuff.

Here's a pic of it when it was half painted. You can see on the right the finished product while on the left it's still bare. Definatly an improvement.

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear3.jpg

I then cleaned up the calipers. Ground out the dirt and grease on the calipers themselves (aluminum, not iron, very light weight!) then cleaned and painted the actual caliper frame in the same color as I painted the rear itself.

In this pic I had test fitted the newly cut rotors and the calipers.... They came out very well...

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear5.jpg

rear side...

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear6.jpg

Once the new rear was finally ready for installation we of course had to pull the old one... This was simply a matter of diconnecting the vent hose, brake line T, emergency brake lines, u-bolts, drive shaft. Remember when you pull the u-joint, run some tape around both the end caps so they don't fall off when manuervering the shaft around.


Then we jacked it up and slid it out lengthwise....

My baby don't got back...

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/empty.jpg

Here is the old rear in all it's glory (and salt)

[rlith]

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear8.jpg

Installtion is the same as extraction, just in reverse....

Grappler taking a break before the installation...

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/poo-poo-head.jpg

Without Caliper but with caliper frame: Note.. I took the opprotunity to install red polyeurethayne bushings on my swaybar to replace the OEM 10 year old rubber bushings....

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear10.jpg

With full caliper installed.
http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear11.jpg

Angle 2
http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/rear/rear12.jpg

Finally when you've reattached all your brake lines, simply bleed all the air out of the calipers and lines. Test drive, enjoy!!!!



Some notes and conclusions:

Overall this is not a difficult swap. If I had been less concerned about the type of rear I was getting (g80) there is actually an easier way to do this. The above will work on 84 to current... This will also work... If you want to add OEM stock disc brakes to your EXISTING drum rear without changing the whole rear you would only need the following....

All 98 and up parts (these will work all the way down to 86)

Backing plates (27.00 per side )
Calipers (30.00)
Caliper frames (20.00)
Pads ($20.00)
Discs (36.00 per side at advance auto parts)
OR a loaded caliper from Advance autoparts (includes frame, pads, calipers, bolts, et-al)
Stock bolts
Dust shields (12.00 per side at the dealer)
Brake lines to the caliper...($15.00 each)

Simply remove your old shoes and the backing plates, install the new backing plates then the calipers, etc... Bleed and go...


EMERGENCY BRAKE INSTALLATION..

From the center of the body you will see a bracket where your pedal cable and your ebrake cables. From the bracket to the backing plates, those 2 cables will need to be replaced ($23.00 per side at the dealer) as the drum style has different ends and won't work with the new setup.. (This is only for 95 to current, 94 and below have a completely different cabling system so you would have to figure out on your own on how to go about making the ebrake work)



Definatly better stopping power than with my drums, the overall upgrade was well worth it. Overall time was about 4 hours (this included breaks and what not)

[The Enemy]

i have only one question....

will it fit into a first gen s10? (pre 92) like my 89???

Lee

[rlith]

i have only one question....

will it fit into a first gen s10? (pre 92) like my 89???

Lee

Yes... But you have to go from 2wd to 2wd or 4wd to 4wd

[00S104.3]

Good job. :thumbup_1 Lots of usefull info.

[Mikz86TA]

Was the flex line from the chassis to the axle the same? I remember getting Earls Hyper-Flex SSteel lines for my T/A and since the kit came with front and back, it was specific for drums or disc. Is there any diffs on the S-series?

[JONGO8]

Why do you have to go 2wd to 2wd or 4wd to 4wd??????????

[Everfalling]

you can put disk brakes on drum brake axles?.....hmmm everything I've read except for this says you can't w/o changing the axle.....does the new backing plate have caliper frame bolts? cuz if so I think I might just do that next week.....

[Sparky2263]

everything I've read except for this says you can't w/o changing the axle.

Must've been at the other s10 site.........

:D

GM is king of interchange and no, you don't have to swap axles.

[87wildside]

Why do you have to go 2wd to 2wd or 4wd to 4wd??????????The housings are different widths.

[Everfalling]

can someone go into a bit more detail on the drum to disk without changing axles?
also I want to put 2 piston calipers on my truck also....I was told I would have to change the front spindles to that from a blazer also heard that my stock wheels won't fit anymore if I do

[88v8r]

where did u get the backing plates from. will a 1st gen blazer, or any 2nd gen rear bolt in a 1st gen 2wd truck.

[The Enemy]

so, i could feasabley (sp?) yank all the parts off a 99 4wd blazer, swap em all (with new or refurbished parts as needed) onto my 89 2wd axle, and live happily ever after??
do i need to change the master cylinder??

anything else i need??

Lee

[The Enemy]

All 98 and up parts (these will work all the way down to 86)

Backing plates (27.00 per side )
Calipers (30.00)
Caliper frames (20.00)
Pads ($20.00)
Discs (36.00 per side at advance auto parts)
OR a loaded caliper from Advance autoparts (includes frame, pads, calipers, bolts, et-al)
Stock bolts
Dust shields (12.00 per side at the dealer)
Brake lines to the caliper...($15.00 each)

Simply remove your old shoes and the backing plates, install the new backing plates then the calipers, etc... Bleed and go...


EMERGENCY BRAKE INSTALLATION..

From the center of the body you will see a bracket where your pedal cable and your ebrake cables. From the bracket to the backing plates, those 2 cables will need to be replaced ($23.00 per side at the dealer) as the drum style has different ends and won't work with the new setup.. (This is only for 95 to current, 94 and below have a completely different cabling system so you would have to figure out on your own on how to go about making the ebrake work)




Can you go without ebrakes and just forgo the inner system, or does it need to be in there?? the trucks an auto, and Ebrake cables around Iowa are notorious for rusting up, and quick...

Lee

[Hammer Head]

You don't need to run the E brake. So, you wouldn't need the 'drum in hat' shoe for the parking brake. I'd like to do this but I'd like to know what to use for a PB cable since I have the manual trans.

[The Enemy]

so i could gut the inner drum hat and the rest will bolt on correctly, right??
as long as the master cylinder on my truck will work, i'm off to the junkyard with my next bonus check!

Lee

[1low_s10]

exactly what I was looking to do Ill slowly buy the parts to convert mine..Thanks man for this how to.

[87wildside]

You don't need to run the E brake. So, you wouldn't need the 'drum in hat' shoe for the parking brake. I'd like to do this but I'd like to know what to use for a PB cable since I have the manual trans.Never mind who did this or that it's an 8.8, it should still work.


http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/pics/ford88_ebrake_cable16_720.jpg


Pic taken from

http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/ford88.html

[Hammer Head]

That's nice.

[andysutt]

Thanks for writeup... 2 bad the pictures dont work anymore