You do know those calipers need support on the ends were the machined faces are and NOT just the 2 slide pins . I have never seen them mounted your way you have them .
CK5
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(Getting shafted by a) 14bsf build
- Thread starter 4x4blaze
- Start date
On front brakes, absolutely. On rears that do 30 - possibly 40% of braking, I do not believe they are necessary. Especially on a sub 4000lb blazer.
Your name may as well be Ray Charles if that's the case. Out of every single DIY kit that I have searched for, none of them have any "brace" off the front. It would take and amazing amount of force to shear the slide pin bolts. If it works for all the other people running similar conversion kits, I'm confident it will be just fine for me.
If I do want to add a brace, I could easily weld a piece of stock to the front of my bracket to "catch" the front of my calipers. Would not be difficult.
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wow . . . Ok then go for it . . . Almost all other disc brake kits use older calipers and the pins lock in the outside also unlike these . . But what ever no need to be rude about it with name calling . . No more from me to you after this 
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That is a valid point actually, most rear disc conversion kits use older square body front calipers which have through pins and don’t rely on the backing plate for support but instead just as more of a holder.
It's all good brother, we have the right to disagree!
I've based my brackets off of a popular kit more involved in the drag scene more so than 4 wheeling (because I want to keep my 15s, and most drag guys run 15s). Their main guinea pig truck that these were originally designed for traps 150mph in the quarter. With a very similar rear brake kit. And there's quite a few running around without issue..
So who knows! The tab grabbing the front of the caliper definitely strengthens it, but according to all of these kits sold on various trucks, it doesn't seem to be mandatory.
^^^(Yes, the caliper is upside down)
& Also, I'm all about constructive criticism, I wouldn't be on this forum asking for help if I knew everything. But the constant "Thats not ever going to work" vibe this thread has been nailed with does get a little irritating! Maybe it will, maybe it won't! Guess what, I'll cut it off and refabricate the entire thing! Time will tell!
Did you test fit a wheel. I am surprised the sample photo's have the large JB8 caliper, can't read a tire size on that 5 lug wheel.
Can the caliper move to keep even pressure on both sides of the rotor?It's all good brother, we have the right to disagree!
I've based my brackets off of a popular kit more involved in the drag scene more so than 4 wheeling (because I want to keep my 15s, and most drag guys run 15s). Their main guinea pig truck that these were originally designed for traps 150mph in the quarter. With a very similar rear brake kit. And there's quite a few running around without issue..
So who knows! The tab grabbing the front of the caliper definitely strengthens it, but according to all of these kits sold on various trucks, it doesn't seem to be mandatory.
View attachment 465267
^^^(Yes, the caliper is upside down)
View attachment 465268
View attachment 465269
& Also, I'm all about constructive criticism, I wouldn't be on this forum asking for help if I knew everything. But the constant "Thats not ever going to work" vibe this thread has been nailed with does get a little irritating! Maybe it will, maybe it won't! Guess what, I'll cut it off and refabricate the entire thing! Time will tell!
If so you are fine.
If the caliper is mounted solid you will have pressure on the piston side only.
A fixed caliper only works if it has pistons on both sides.
Not sure which type yours is.
Edit: all the calipers shown are single piston so need to float
I know that but normally they are threaded at that end and the rest of the pin is smooth for sliding.
He could have a bolt that is threaded at the plate, I don't know.
I am just trying to give him constructive criticism to explain why some are arguing that this will not work.
I don't see that end so I can't tell
It's all good brother, we have the right to disagree!
I've based my brackets off of a popular kit more involved in the drag scene more so than 4 wheeling (because I want to keep my 15s, and most drag guys run 15s). Their main guinea pig truck that these were originally designed for traps 150mph in the quarter. With a very similar rear brake kit. And there's quite a few running around without issue..
So who knows! The tab grabbing the front of the caliper definitely strengthens it, but according to all of these kits sold on various trucks, it doesn't seem to be mandatory.
View attachment 465267
^^^(Yes, the caliper is upside down)
View attachment 465268
View attachment 465269
& Also, I'm all about constructive criticism, I wouldn't be on this forum asking for help if I knew everything. But the constant "Thats not ever going to work" vibe this thread has been nailed with does get a little irritating! Maybe it will, maybe it won't! Guess what, I'll cut it off and refabricate the entire thing! Time will tell!
Not belittling the fab work effort at all but won’t the caliper create substantial resistance to movement once brake pressure is applied since the floating pins are all that’s retaining the calipers?
Those machined edges are there to keep the caliper from walking for and aft and the pins are to allow the float for in and out movement.
Correct, the style caliper that the OP is using usually sits in two bars machined into the knuckle, the pins are there mostly for slide, unlike the K10/k20 style that used the pins to both retain and slide the caliper, hence why they went the whole way through and threaded into the caliper and not the backing plate. I don’t see what’s supporting his caliper from moving fore and aft? I think that’s what Ray Charles meant
Agreed with ole Rays “vision” on this !
It's a floating caliper I don't see what the issue is with the OPs bracket. That's how the caliper bolts on is the mounting bolts are the slide pins.
Think about why the OEM’s took the added expense of machining the outer edges of those calipers - they did it for a reason.
With all the cost cutting measures in every part produced there must have been a need for the function of those edges - just something to ponder…
I'll take some bashing....But, all the manufacturers have mechanical engineers designing brake systems to achieve a design spec....
Said companies have bean counters that get rid of excess parts, steps etc... To save a dollar. If they left it on for eons, it probably serves a purpose.
Said companies have bean counters that get rid of excess parts, steps etc... To save a dollar. If they left it on for eons, it probably serves a purpose.
Are the factory rears a similar design as the later model fronts? Obviously they've been doing this awhile, but I haven't had occasion to observe them before. Had no clue they used a bracket in addition to the caliper itself.
I see what you mean by brackets on the ends of the caliper. I'm just not sure those 100% necessary if the pins retain the caliper
See how on this one there are still pieces on the end though that keep the caliper from going front or back. The pins hold the caliper but are mainly the slide portion. When you hit the brakes the moving rotor will want to pull the caliper towards the direction it is turning. Most of the caliper mounting bolts I’ve seen in that style caliper only have 4-5 threads. The end brackets are what gives the caliper it’s stability.
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Think about it this way - the pins allow floating function and the edge brackets aid in retention under braking so they work in tandem and complement each other for the total design package.
They are there for a reason - please don’t forget that and leave the fabricated job half done.
Chances are that whatever those calipers are sourced from have a bracket. Just adapt it. I can't remember seeing a caliper bracket with larger diameter than the caliper.
Or fab some more parts off the sides of the stamped steel brackets.
Or fab some more parts off the sides of the stamped steel brackets.
