Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) disk brakes?

[jhnbrll]

has anybody put disk brakes on the rear axle? and if so where did you get them?

 

[bmoeller]

Do a search on the forums for rear disc brake conversions.



Here you go. http://www.egrbrakes.com/index-main.htm

 

[grtescpa]

Originally posted by jburelle

has anybody put disk brakes on the rear axle? and if so where did you get them?

Its a wise move. I did mine a year ago. It works great! Only had one problem. Depending on what cable arragement for the park brake was installed , you might have trouble. I had the cable that used an off- set adjustment. It worked fine for drums but not the disc conversion. I had to remove the short intermediate cable and add a turnbuckle. I also had to weld the cable guides to the holding brackets. If you run into this problem let me know. I'll e-mail you photos of my rear axle and park brake set up.

 

[JAmos]

What difference does this make in stopping power?(rear disc brakes) I have been wondering lately what I should to to improve my braking performance. I put ceramic pads on the front didn't notice much difference. Sometimes it seems like the brakes fade for several seconds and then grab again. I don't hear an ABS buzz or chatter, just lose some braking power for a few seconds. I just checked the shoes/pads and no oil/grease/ect. They still have good wear left. Seems same on dirt and pavement. Have tried to listen but can't hear/feel skidding. I should say that on dirt roads they will sometimes fade then lock up the rears. As I am usually stopping at a stop sign/somebody pulling out in front of me/ect. it a straight line. I haven't noticed the fronts lock up or loss of steering. I don't think that sand on the roads from snow storms is a factor either. By the way this is during harder/faster stops. Am I expecting too much, or is there something better out there? Always important to stop before we run over the honda's after we just wasted a ford or chevy. TIA Jordan

 

[wsmalley]

Are you sure you are locking both rears or are you just getting one wheel? Mine used to lock one tire up Going down my driveway (30* slope 100ft long) in the mornings but I determined that problem to be a bad axle seal leaking fluid onto the drum, making it extremely grabby. Replaced the seal, cleaned the drum and shoes (thankfully they weren't contaminated, just wet) and never had the problem again.

 

[JAmos]

Not sure if both rears are locking up. Had problems with both wheel seals last fall(rear axle). Changed both seals, cleaned the shoes and drums, reassembled. Jordan

 

[Matt42]

Try New Rear Cylinders First

Originally posted by JAmos

What difference does this make in stopping power?(rear disc brakes) I have been wondering lately what I should to to improve my braking performance. I put ceramic pads on the front didn't notice much difference. Sometimes it seems like the brakes fade for several seconds and then grab again. I don't hear an ABS buzz or chatter, just lose some braking power for a few seconds. I just checked the shoes/pads and no oil/grease/ect. They still have good wear left. Seems same on dirt and pavement. Have tried to listen but can't hear/feel skidding. I should say that on dirt roads they will sometimes fade then lock up the rears. As I am usually stopping at a stop sign/somebody pulling out in front of me/ect. it a straight line. I haven't noticed the fronts lock up or loss of steering. I don't think that sand on the roads from snow storms is a factor either. By the way this is during harder/faster stops. Am I expecting too much, or is there something better out there? Always important to stop before we run over the honda's after we just wasted a ford or chevy. TIA Jordan

Before you go to the time and expense of switching to rear discs, try replacing the rear cylinders with those for a 1 ton. That was a Chrysler TSB fix for certain heavily loaded trucks. I made the change to mine, which is usually lightly loaded. It made a huge difference, at least to me. I'd still like to have rear discs, but the drums work enough better with the larger cylinders that I've put the conversion very low on the to-do list. It's now somewhere below shaving my dog.

 

[JAmos]

Thanks Matt, I will try this out soon.



Question to all, I just had my emergency brakes release themselves automatically and let my truck start to roll away. Nothing happened this time but a few months ago it happened at IHOP and my friend and I managed to stop the rolling while another friend reapplied the brakes. What is failing? What do I need to fix? TIA Jordan

 

[JAmos]

No one has experienced this? See prev. post.

 

[grtescpa]

Originally posted by JAmos

No one has experienced this? See prev. post.

The only thing I could think of to do that would be a worn or stiff rachet set on the brake release. Is the spring broken? rachet hammer loose? try setting the park brake while stepping on the brake pedal at the same time. Then try rocking the truck back and forth in the gears to see what is letting go.

 

[JRS]

I replaced my rear wheel cylinders with the 1 ton and replaced the shoes with full carbon-kevlar shoes from Porterfield. (I purchase brake pads for my race car from them) Carbon-Kevlar works best at higher temps. , so higher drum temps. is not a problem for the material. Also, when replacing the shoes/cylinders check your star wheels. I have replaced the one on the right side of my truck twice now. The other two had frozend up. In fact, when I first went into the auto parts store down the street from me, the guy behind the counter recognized the part in my hand and had a new one sitting on the counter by the time I got there. This is never a good sign! ;-) He doesn't even stock the left side wheels, just the right. Oh, and it goes without saying, any brand of pad or shoe you get should be bedded in before you go out and "really test" the brakes. Early extreme testing forces up resins from the material to the surface. they will glaze over and/or you will get green fade. Some pads/shoes say "bedded in at the factory". The still should be bedded in.

 

[grtescpa]

Originally posted by JRS

I replaced my rear wheel cylinders with the 1 ton and replaced the shoes with full carbon-kevlar shoes from Porterfield. (I purchase brake pads for my race car from them) Carbon-Kevlar works best at higher temps. , so higher drum temps. is not a problem for the material. Also, when replacing the shoes/cylinders check your star wheels. I have replaced the one on the right side of my truck twice now. The other two had frozend up. In fact, when I first went into the auto parts store down the street from me, the guy behind the counter recognized the part in my hand and had a new one sitting on the counter by the time I got there. This is never a good sign! ;-) He doesn't even stock the left side wheels, just the right. Oh, and it goes without saying, any brand of pad or shoe you get should be bedded in before you go out and "really test" the brakes. Early extreme testing forces up resins from the material to the surface. they will glaze over and/or you will get green fade. Some pads/shoes say "bedded in at the factory". The still should be bedded in.

A note on the Kevlar brake-in: You must do extreme braking about 5 times (55 mph to full stop) to burn the material in. Then let them cool down completely. A slow easy brake-in will not work. Ask the brake experts at EGR.

 

[JRS]

Maybe they sell a different kind of Carbon-Kevlar pad. I just followed the directions that Porterfield sent me.

 

[grtescpa]

Originally posted by JRS

Maybe they sell a different kind of Carbon-Kevlar pad. I just followed the directions that Porterfield sent me.

Maybe. I purchased mine from EGR when I changed the front rotors. The guy told me on the phone that you had to seat them in hard to get 100% efficency. Something about the pads wearing out too soon or uneven heat transfer. I did what he said and its been the best set of pads I ever had. No fade