14 Bolt disc brake conversion kit comparisons

[Redfred]

I've done a good bit of research on disc conversions so ill spare everybody by not asking all the questions that have been asked many times as far as the options for e-brake, etc.. I just want to order a full kit with everything needed and I also want the e-brake calipers. Based on those two requirements, I've narrowed it down to the following two:

LugNut 4x4:
http://www.lugnut4x4.com/product/eaton-and-gm-14-bolt-rear-disc-brake-conversion-kit/

Great Lake Off Road:
http://www.greatlakeoffroad.com/GM-14-Bolt-Full-Disk-Brake-Kit-w-ebrake.html

Im leaning toward the Lugnut 4x4 version because it appears he provides the caliper bracket that has the bends that eliminate the need for spacers.

Ive read that the e-brake is not super strong but the application was mostly in the rock crawling and extreme wheeling applications. If they hold the truck fine on just like a steep drive way or that type of thing then they would suit my needs. So I just had a few questions:

1- Does the caliper e-brake type hold fine in normal conditions?
2- Is it always mandatory to use a prop valve or is it a case by case thing?

 

[Redfred]

Has anybody bought one of those kits?

 

[big dan]

I think most people here buy the brackets from one of the vendors and piece the kit together. Last one I did I had good used rotors and non-ebrake calipers and ended up spending less than $100 total buying the brackets, new brake hoses and pads. I would bet you can piece together a kit with e-brake calipers and buying all new parts for $250.

Ive never used e-brake calipers on a swap, would have been nice on the one with a manual tranny but not a big deal to me. Just had to find a flat spot to park or shut the truck off when I got out.

But to answer your proportioning valve question, I think some have got an adjustable valve, some just used a different master cylinder and some have done nothing different so I would say its a case by case thing. On my truck I didn't change anything, back brakes lock up a little faster than I would like but only in a real hard braking situation, normal braking it does great and stops faster than my wife's new kia. On my scout, brakes don't work worth crap with rear disks but its manual brakes and a totally different animal, have to get a different mc to make it work.

 

[big dan]

Just for fun I checked it out. New rotors, pads, brake hoses, and e-brake calipers from rockauto.com is a little over $200. You can save $50 if you come up with a couple cores to send in for the calipers. Brackets can be had from diy4x or ruff stuff for $50-70, both of which are bent to keep from having to use the spacers and come with mounting hardware. Ive used brackets from both and like them. That is why you're not getting a lot of feedback on the complete kits you posted.

 

[K85 Octane]

curious which calipers those kits run and which caliper BIG DAN used in the Rock search. Caddy?

 

[Redfred]

I was taking the lazy route by looking for a kit but I didn't know the convenience cost me that much. All I need to do then is get banjo bolts and caliper pins. I would assume the older calipers take the standard threads.

Thanks for checking that.

 

[big dan]

curious which calipers those kits run and which caliper BIG DAN used in the Rock search. Caddy?

I think it was a 79 el dorado. They were like $42 each with a $25 core.

 

[big dan]

Thanks for checking that.

No problem, Im a major tight wad so Im always looking for a cheaper way to do it which is the main reason why I don't run e-brake calipers. Regular calipers are like $15 each for remans.

As far as banjo bolts, I don't know the thread size for sure but the last set of reman calipers I got came with new banjo bolts

 

[brans87]

your right big dan just looked them up on there site. I am hoping to do this myself on the cheep, so will watch this and any more info would be great!

 

[Redfred]

I was on Rock auto but they don't mention anything about the ebrake lever and you cant see it in the pic. Ive since read where its uncommon that the remans still come with the lever still intact?

The only guarantee that I know of now is one of the kits. I might research a drive line brake to see how much that will cost me. Im willing to gamble with the holding ability of the el dorado caliper ebrake but id rather pay the extra cash with the kit than play musical chairs multiple times with the calipers. Maybe ill just keep a set of cinder blocks in the truck

 

[brans87]

I can see it in picture clearly here on rockauto's website

 

[bp71k5]

The 14b needs the earlier calipers, (pre -1978) I believe. None of those come with the levers anymore except if you buy them from TSM. The smaller axles use the 79-85 caddy calipers.

 

[pierce88K5]

I have the TSM version installed on my 88 Blazer with the e-brakes and they only hold on a very slight incline. If you need them to hold for rock crawling purposes, go with a driveline brake or you will be sorely disappointed.
Wes

 

[dremu]

Some folks have reported positive results with the Caddy calipers. I personally am not one of them, but then I live on a hill.

I'm also REALLY picky about my parking brake, and remind everyone it is a PARKING brake and not an EMERGENCY brake. I'd be impressed by anybody actually hitting the parking brake pedal in an emergency stop.

Anyway, if you live in a jurisdiction where a parking brake is required for inspection, you might rethink your "need" for disc conversion. On one of my trucks I actually went back to drum, after farting about with discs for a coupla years. They stop just as well and the parking brake works.

That said, on my other truck I have a driveline parking brake, which holds the truck quite nicely. (Except the three inch roll downhill as the Detroit in the back settles, which in turn unsettles passengers )

All the various parking brake solutions have their potential shortcomings, i.e. a driveline brake doesn't do any good if your driveshaft is busted, the inline hydraulic locks can leak down, drums require adjustment and can fill up with mud/rust, etc. I don't much like cinderblocks, but I do have a coupla big rubber chocks Just In Case, you know

If you insist on using the Caddy calipers, for your 14 bolt axle you'll want the 1976-78 El Dorado type. As mentioned, these are larger than those used on the 10- and 12-bolt axle conversions. IIRC, they use the same banjo bolt, a metric one, as used on later front calipers.

Should your calipers be lacking the hardware with them, you can make your own. A 14mm closed-end wrench makes a good lever (though it's a PITA to drill tool steel) and an appropriate spring is available from Dorman, their #071-005. I did a thread with pix about this.

Finally, the adjustable prop valve may or may not be needed. Lots of guys report they are happy with their brakes without it, so I'd do the conversion first. You can always add the prop valve later if you think your rear brakes are locking up before the fronts.

-- A

 

[big-blue]

Redfred, have you looked at the MotorCity K5 kit? I too am getting prepared for my conversion (91 v2500, 14bolt semi-floater) and will be doing the parking brake option. However, MotorCitys kit is like $200+ more than Lugnut's for basically the same setup. I like the price of Lugnuts obviously, and I don't mind not having the "Detailed instructions". Not sure if MotorCity's kit has their instructions in detail or not - but if they did, I still don't see the increase being worth it.

 

[kgblazerfive]

I have $130 into my parking brake, works really well. I forget to turn it off once though and you can drive on it.

If my vehicle needed a parking brake to pass inspection I would run the one with dual caliper mounts that uses the lever brake for the second one.

 

[rebelgregory]

I bought the great lakes kit. Nice parts, nice fit, brakes work well with no prop valve change. However I did upgrade the master cylinder to a 4 wheel disc type. Yes it's expensive, but the calipers you need ARE NOT available on Rockauto (or most anywhere else) with the lever arms. Trust me. Pics:

 

[rebelgregory]

I swapped the calipers left to right so I have to take them off to bleed them, but everything on mine is mounted above the axle tube. This allowed me to fab up brake line brackets with hardware store springs. I'm one of those people that has good luck with the caddy e-brake. Holds the truck very well. But you have to use it just about every time you park to keep it adjusted.

Is it an expensive kit? Yes. I priced eveything separately in various forms and I might have spent an extra $50 to get it as a whole kit (all new parts). It was worth it for me. However, I will warn you that bolting on parts is the easy part. Getting it right can take research and modification - prop valves, master cylinders, brake lines, etc. Unless you're willing to go through all that, it's easier to just stay with drums or go non e-brake discs.

 

[CGT80]

The best thing I did was to get rid of the caddy calipers and go with the front caliper from a 79 K20 pickup. I used the lines that my front brakes take, which is a 79 C20. The caddy calipers sucked as an ebrake and that adjustment also effects how they perform hydraulically. If you got them adjusted perfectly, they stopped well, but adjustment wasn't much better than the original JB7 drum brakes that the truck had.

It would not be hard to piece the parts together. I also really like powerslot cryo treated rotors and hawk hps brake pads. Use the cheaper calipers and spend the money for good rotors and pads. Do something else for a parking brake. I use a block of wood when needed or a wheel chock. The dual caliper setup with a dedicated mechanical caliper looks like a trick setup.