This is an early report so I can't tell you how it stops yet. Missing a few parts.
I'm glad I have an 02 to look at and see what they did differently. Although not everything is apparent to the eye.
This was neither cheap nor easy so far. I would probably recommend a good aftermarket set up if you wanted to do the swap.
Originally I was told that the brackets on the axle (Dana 80 in my case) would bolt up to the new disc backing plates. This was not true. Here is the scary part. I had to torch the flanges off the axle shafts and weld on new brackets that I had made. I will post pics later of how I did it. It wasn't easy hitting the first one knowing there was no turning back. After torching off the bulk I ground the rest smooth with the grinder. This left about a 4" diameter shaft. I used a 4" hole saw to make a hole in the new bracket and it fit with some play. After bolting the new bracket to the backing plate we the shimmed it so the rotor would sit in it's proper place and adjusted the parking brake on the drum part to hold it all in place. Slid it on the axle and that gave us the depth needed. As far as orientation we had to guess at this but looking at the other truck it was close enough. Tacked it on and removed the rotor/hub assembly and welded it in place. So far so good. Everything seems true and spins freely. Alignment looks true also.
Went to put in the new brake lines and the fittings are different size on the distribution block on the top of the axle. We have to replace the line from the axle to the frame. You also have to drill and tap a hole for the new lines to attach. Parking brake cables are different also. Not just on the backing plate side but where they come together and connect to the cable coming from the cab. From the cab there is a connector right under the drivers door forward. Then it goes to a smaller length to connect to both. This cable is a different length also. Then how the cables come together is also different. Waiting on those parts also.
Finally we went to replace the master cylinder. This also looked bolt in from the outside. Not so. There is a bracket that it bolts to. The hole that the plunger fits in is a different size because of the larger piston in the new master cylinder. I went this far already so we reamed the hole to a larger size and then we come to find out the rod coming out of the hydroboost was longer. Once again I'm glad we had a truck to look at. We pulled the one off the 02 and made a template for length and cut mine off and ground it round.
I talked with someone else that had done the swap and they didn't change the master cylinder. I figured it was important because of pedal travel. The brake cylinders on the drums are tiny compared to the dual pistons in the disc calipers. To move those would reqire a lot more pedal travel with the smaller piston in the master. Secondly the resevoir is twice the size. As the pads get low more fluid is required to move the larger pistons. I suppose you could just keep adding to the level but I had already gone this far and wanted to do it right.
Anyway, the parts should be in by tuesday. So that night we'll finish the install and bleed the brakes and then I'll report back on how it works.
Garrett
I'm glad I have an 02 to look at and see what they did differently. Although not everything is apparent to the eye.
This was neither cheap nor easy so far. I would probably recommend a good aftermarket set up if you wanted to do the swap.
Originally I was told that the brackets on the axle (Dana 80 in my case) would bolt up to the new disc backing plates. This was not true. Here is the scary part. I had to torch the flanges off the axle shafts and weld on new brackets that I had made. I will post pics later of how I did it. It wasn't easy hitting the first one knowing there was no turning back. After torching off the bulk I ground the rest smooth with the grinder. This left about a 4" diameter shaft. I used a 4" hole saw to make a hole in the new bracket and it fit with some play. After bolting the new bracket to the backing plate we the shimmed it so the rotor would sit in it's proper place and adjusted the parking brake on the drum part to hold it all in place. Slid it on the axle and that gave us the depth needed. As far as orientation we had to guess at this but looking at the other truck it was close enough. Tacked it on and removed the rotor/hub assembly and welded it in place. So far so good. Everything seems true and spins freely. Alignment looks true also.
Went to put in the new brake lines and the fittings are different size on the distribution block on the top of the axle. We have to replace the line from the axle to the frame. You also have to drill and tap a hole for the new lines to attach. Parking brake cables are different also. Not just on the backing plate side but where they come together and connect to the cable coming from the cab. From the cab there is a connector right under the drivers door forward. Then it goes to a smaller length to connect to both. This cable is a different length also. Then how the cables come together is also different. Waiting on those parts also.
Finally we went to replace the master cylinder. This also looked bolt in from the outside. Not so. There is a bracket that it bolts to. The hole that the plunger fits in is a different size because of the larger piston in the new master cylinder. I went this far already so we reamed the hole to a larger size and then we come to find out the rod coming out of the hydroboost was longer. Once again I'm glad we had a truck to look at. We pulled the one off the 02 and made a template for length and cut mine off and ground it round.
I talked with someone else that had done the swap and they didn't change the master cylinder. I figured it was important because of pedal travel. The brake cylinders on the drums are tiny compared to the dual pistons in the disc calipers. To move those would reqire a lot more pedal travel with the smaller piston in the master. Secondly the resevoir is twice the size. As the pads get low more fluid is required to move the larger pistons. I suppose you could just keep adding to the level but I had already gone this far and wanted to do it right.
Anyway, the parts should be in by tuesday. So that night we'll finish the install and bleed the brakes and then I'll report back on how it works.
Garrett