rear drum to disc conversion

by coreys73chevelle Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:39 am

where is the best place to get a conversion kit to change the rear to disc from drum?

jegs has it for $699 and i saw one somewhere else for $899 and one for $1299 but cant remember where they were. Sad

by Limey SE Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:07 am

buy a whole caprice and take alot more parts than just the disc brake conversion !!!!!!!!!!

by coreys73chevelle Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:13 am

what year?

by Limey SE Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:26 am

92 IS THE BEST YEAR I HERE BUT I THINK 92 TO 96 IS THE ONES THAT ARE SO SIMILAR

by BlackChevelleSS Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:56 am

99ish 2wd blazer at a junk yard or something... Will have to make some spacers and maybe turn down the outside of the axles a small bit.

by coreys73chevelle Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:56 pm

what do you mean turn down the axles?

by BlackChevelleSS Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:26 pm

The outside of the axles where the lug studs are is too big around for the inside of the blazer disk. I have not confirmed this but its what ive heard. I have a blazer rear and front disk setup that im gonna try and swap on sometime.

by jonny o Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:59 am

Try speedway. A lit of dirt trackers use our cars/chassis and I think there are a number of bolt on coversions. In the $300 range too.

by Cdub74 Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:49 pm

NPD, has a large range of prices and kits for the rear drum to disc conversion. I bought the best one they had it was around $1,200. That came with cross drilled rotors, and red painted calipers. It is a true bolt on! the cheaper kits might not have everything you need...but it wouldnt hurt to call Summit or Jegs to ask.

by pila Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:46 pm

Maybe a moot point, but why rear disc brakes? My Malibu stops fine with 9.5 " drums in the back. They can be converted to 11" easily also, like the '76 and '77 El Camino has.

by JB2wheeler Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:05 pm

pila wrote:Maybe a moot point, but why rear disc brakes? My Malibu stops fine with 9.5 " drums in the back. They can be converted to 11" easily also, like the '76 and '77 El Camino has.

I agree. Its your front brakes that work the hardest. JB

by Limey SE Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:24 am

also the 75 76 Laguna came with 11" drums

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:59 pm

probably just out of convenience...i HATE drums

by Malicruiser Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:12 am

They're not too bad to work on if you go buy a drum brake spring removal tool. I bought one for $10 when I rebuilt the drums on ranger literally came apart. Anyone else had that happen to them?

by pila Sun Jan 02, 2011 7:49 pm

I realize that many new cars have discs all around. I do wonder if disc brakes are less expensive to put on the new cars, as opposed to the drum system. The mfgrs usually figure out a way to save a few bucks when producing cars. Quite a few less moving parts in a disc system, and easy to install and replace etc.

If working on your own brakes, a few tools to do it are sure cheap compared to having it done at a shop. And the spray-cans of brake cleaner really work good to clean the crap off when working on drum brakes.

by The Dude Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:28 am

pila wrote:Maybe a moot point, but why rear disc brakes? My Malibu stops fine with 9.5 " drums in the back. They can be converted to 11" easily also, like the '76 and '77 El Camino has.

Limey wrote:also the 75 76 Laguna came with 11" drums

All 76-77 cars had the larger rear drums AFAIK & I'd also have to agree that they provide plenty of stopping power. If I ever want more, I'll find a way to rob the ABS stuff off of a late model Caprice/Impala. At least then I wouldn't get flat spots on the tire in an emergency stop.

by pila Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:18 pm

Yeah, the ABS would be a good idea.

by The Dude Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:49 pm

Should be a bolt on ordeal since the Caprice shares much of the same parts. Rockford would be the guy to ask though.

by Fishgrinder Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:12 am

Several kits over at Summit, if you haven't seen them allready

http://www.summitracing.com/search/year/1973/make/CHEVROLET/model/CHEVELLE/Department/Brake-Systems/Part-Type/Disc-Brake-Kits/?Ns=Rank%7cAsc

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:21 am

pila wrote: The mfgrs usually figure out a way to save a few bucks when producing cars. Quite a few less moving parts in a disc system, and easy to install and replace etc.

ive learned this as a mechanic as well, i do notice that "cheaper" newer cars like rangers, nissan versa, etc. have drums in the rear, thats probably still a way they cut cost.

by JB2wheeler Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:58 am

TWBouska AKA Wooderson wrote:
pila wrote: The mfgrs usually figure out a way to save a few bucks when producing cars. Quite a few less moving parts in a disc system, and easy to install and replace etc.

ive learned this as a mechanic as well, i do notice that "cheaper" newer cars like rangers, nissan versa, etc. have drums in the rear, thats probably still a way they cut cost.

Why not? Drums in the rear are just as good as disc brakes, unless you are into racing at Watkins Glen or live on top of a mountian in Colorado. JB

by Malicruiser Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:11 pm

Or if your hauling heavy loads a lot, then the ease of maintenance is good to have.

by TWBouska AKA Wooderson Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:55 am

JB2wheeler wrote:
TWBouska AKA Wooderson wrote:

ive learned this as a mechanic as well, i do notice that "cheaper" newer cars like rangers, nissan versa, etc. have drums in the rear, thats probably still a way they cut cost.
Why not? Drums in the rear are just as good as disc brakes, unless you are into racing at Watkins Glen or live on top of a mountian in Colorado. JB

i know what you mean, i burn through brakes a lot where i live because i live in the hills so i go through front brakes probably once a year..where my parents maybe only have to do their brakes cause they live in a desert.

by McCauley5983 Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:52 pm

ive heard that disk brakes on the rear on mostly for asthetics purposes aand that drums do the same job since the proportionong valve is gonna adjust them to work the same regardless. the only difference ive really noticed is that the disk brakes lock up quicker than drum but both do equal job of stopping

by pila Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:09 am

They do look nice for sure. I suppose the brake dust gets on the rear wheels as well as the front on late model cars etc.
My partner has a 2001 Chevy 4X4 and it has rear disc brakes. He's had a lot of trouble with his. The parking brake on his is a drum brake inside of the main rotor. I couldn't
afford the upkeep on a truck like his. The big baloney tires it cam with sure aren't cheap, and he fixes it more than I fix my old '92 pickup.
But it's only money !! Very Happy

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