2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Rear disc brake conversion

[CNorthrup]

Anyone ever took the factory rear disc brakes off and put them on a drum brake rear end? Is it even possible to do? They look like they are the same housing. I could not find anything in the factory manual or online about this swap. Lot's of threads on after market brakes. I have a disc brake rear but has different gears and I don't want to change gears in the front.

 

[HHhuntitall]

IIRC, there is a spacing problem. The Drum brakes require less room on the end of the housing, so the backing plate is welded on at a different location.

 

[budnate]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Cummi...Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a1f68d326&vxp=mtr

 

[CNorthrup]

So the axle housings are a different width flange to flange?

 

[HHhuntitall]

So the axle housings are a different width flange to flange?

Correct

 

[HBarlow]

I was also thinking like Huntitall above that I had read the axle housings were different length but that's only heresay. I wonder how important a slight width difference really is? If you can live with it the kit linked by budnate looks like a good compromise. The ideal way to make the conversion is to find a complete disc brake axle housing and swap but finding one may be very difficult.

 

[HHhuntitall]

That would be the ideal way to do it, HBarlow, but the kit listed above works good. I've seen them used for many miles. Replacement parts is where it gets confusing, at times. And those E-brakes can be troublesome if not used regularly, and then if not adjusted regularly. That's a very similar type caliper used on the older Versatile tractors.....



Personally, for ease of maintenance, I'd go with a replacement rear axle housing out of a scrapyard. But they're prolific in my area. You can find them $500-1000. Otherwise, a new backing plate would be my next choice, and use factory Dodge calipers and E-brake, just so the drums and rotors are easy to find. And before all that, I'd proabably work on my rear and get the drum setup fixed. Good drum brakes will run a lot of miles, they just have to be adjusted up properly, which usually needs to be done every oil change or two.

 

[CNorthrup]

Like I said I have the complete rear end and was wondering if you could swap all the parts to the drum rear end. I am a low budget kind of guy, if I don't have to spend the money I don't! Lot's of tradeing!

 

[HHhuntitall]

Well, for low budget, I'd just swap the gears in the rears. It's not really all that complicated. You can read up on it from a Hayne's service tech, FSM, or on www.ringpinion.com

 

[tabell]

If you have the money to spend then do it. I did the wheel cyclinder upgrade on my drums and now I love actually having rear breaks and they actually self adjust when you put the emergancy break on.

 

[HHhuntitall]

Well, that's a good point... . I upgraded several myself, and always love the results..... I also try to adjust my brakes up every two oil changes, so my E-brake works better than most, and I have good brakes, overall. I don't like not having brakes... .

 

[Moe]

Any idea what part#s for the larger wheel cylinder? Also , can you still use standard brake shoes with the chevy? wheel cylinder? Thanks, Moe

 

[HHhuntitall]

Couple threads going into details, with part numbers:

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...rake-cylinders&highlight=chevy+wheel+cylinder



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...Night-and-Day!&highlight=chevy+wheel+cylinder



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...heel-cylinders&highlight=chevy+wheel+cylinder

 

[Moe]

Veddy interesting, Thanks, Moe

 

[tabell]

I did mine 1. 5 years ago. it cost me $300 for the wheel cylinders, shoes and new drums from napa.

 

[Joe Mc]

I recently did the conversion to rear disc with the kit from Blackbirds

http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.com/index10.html



I went the full monty w/e-brake calipers and the hose kit. Kind of an interesting kit. The main plate notice it's one piece and not several... is like 1/4" thick = very beefy. The Rotors are from a GMC/Chevy 1-ton SRW, the calipers (e-brake units) are from a 76-78 Caddy (forget the model), the hoses are from an 80's (I think) front Dodge 1500 4X4. There are thin spacers to provide correct spacing for the caliper to rotor line-up. The only thing I found a bit goofy was the e-brake cable set-up as the kit contained tabs that "could somehow - I guess" be bolted to the rear for the cable ends to set in, but I welded mine on. Then the cable needed to be sized to length and I located some bolt on cable stops. It's kind of hard to explain and I don't have any pictures yet to share. I was concerned with the way the e-brakes held at first = not that good, but then the more the pads wear into the rotors the better the bite. I found that to get them to hold better I would hit the brake pedal a few times and then while holding down a bit, set the ebrake.



You can get the kit without the ebrake calipers, but then how to set up an internal to the rotor hat (which is machined to accept shoe type e-brakes) shoe system???? One thing to mention the spring for the e-brake return on the calipers wasn't really strong enough to fully return the cable upon release of e-brake so I picked up a compression spring for each calliper at the local sears hardware and installed them on the cables between the cable end brackets and caliper e-brake actuating arm to help things "return".



If I had it to do over again and had $1000-1500 I'd go for an 01. 5 - 02 w/disc brake set up. But I was alredy into purchase and installed a used D70 w/Power Lock rear out of a learly 2nd gen that I picked up for $300+/-, and had lots of fab work into with cutting off swaybar and shock mounts from mine and welding onto the other, so I was committed.



Alot of folks that have done the drum to disc rear conversions had tales of not enough fluid to handle the big piston on the calipers with the stock drum master cylinder, needing a bigger master cylinder reservior or drilling a hole between the front and back circuit divider inside the existing reservoir and/or disconnecting the rear load proportioning device and etc. I guess I got lucky? Once I got everything installed, power bled the system and set up the e-brakes it worked fine?



Oh, I had a chipped tooth on my original D70 200k that I insalled a lock-rite-locker into around 150k and decided to just get another good rear. I looked far and wide locally and on the internet for an 01. 5 - 02 rear, w/disc and same ration and none could be had for under 1k then shipping and bla, bla. I got luck finding the D70 w/power lock locally. When I got it home and started to clean all the old oil out of the case I noticed the ring and pinion were replaced with (dated 08/03) DANA gears, new bearings, clutches etc and there was hardly any wear pattern. The truck it came out of must have had the rear rebuilt and then wrecked the truck? I really got lucky on that purchase - finally some luck came my way. So another reason why I was determined to commit to that rear. Yep I should be committed...

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Joe I'm glad to hear Blackbird has a decent kit because I just ordered it yesterday. I talked to the owner and he said Dodge used about 13 variations/spacer setups on the eBrake and that it wasn't practical to include a perfect bolt-on kit. Said it would require a little fabricating but I'm not too concerned.



The last two trucks I've had, '98s with Dana 70s, have both had troublesome rear brakes, mostly tweaked/warped drums that cause a lot of shaking upon braking. I just want better brakes and decided since I like my latest truck a lot I'm going for it. One plus for me is you lose several pounds of unsprung weight off the rear end.

 

[budnate]

shoot some pics of the install... . on the fence but getting close to jumping into the conversion .

Joe I'm glad to hear Blackbird has a decent kit because I just ordered it yesterday. I talked to the owner and he said Dodge used about 13 variations/spacer setups on the eBrake and that it wasn't practical to include a perfect bolt-on kit. Said it would require a little fabricating but I'm not too concerned.

The last two trucks I've had, '98s with Dana 70s, have both had troublesome rear brakes, mostly tweaked/warped drums that cause a lot of shaking upon braking. I just want better brakes and decided since I like my latest truck a lot I'm going for it. One plus for me is you lose several pounds of unsprung weight off the rear end.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I got the parts in and they look good, looks like it will be a straightforward install but just got to find the time now. Will be doing this outside but luckily it's been sunny and pretty mild here in this part of the north lately.

 

[AClayton]

I got the parts in and they look good, looks like it will be a straightforward install but just got to find the time now. Will be doing this outside but luckily it's been sunny and pretty mild here in this part of the north lately.

I have just secured a Dana 80 for my truck (see Dana 70 problems thread) and ALL the drum brake hardware needs to be scrapped. I am looking into this disc brake kit also. Did you get the e-brake calipers? Sounds like Joe MC is satisfied with the conversion also. I need 2 new drums and all the springs and adjusters and even new wheel cylinders to make the drums work and I'm thinking the disc brake kit could be a viable option for an extra $100 or so.