4x4k20
1/2 ton status
is it worth doing this ?
CK5
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rear 14 bolt disk brake conversion??
- Thread starter 4x4k20
- Start date
reddog64
1/2 ton status
yes
Pros: You never have to change a drum again. It's MUCH easier to service disc brakes: swapping pads is quick, and cleaning the calipers/rotors if you play U-Boat Commander in the mud is easier than trying to get gunk out of drums.
Cons: Costs more up front. Parking brake is a serious PITA, no matter what you do. May affect your ability to get inspected -- and ya know, y'all complain about CA smog laws, but I can drive a topless, doorless, parking-brake-less Frankenstein of a truck to the smog station, and as long as they can read the VIN and the engine looks right, they're happy. The state doesn't care how high the bumper or frame is off the ground, whether the damn thing will even steer straight... as long as it passes smog, I get a sticker.
This also can be the start of a very expensive hobby: you change one thing and it snowballs, pretty soon you have a more money sunk into your truck than your house
(Well, maybe not, depending on where you live, but in this economy it could happen!)Also in the Con category is that you *will* end up replacing your master cylinder, either because you realize your old one is worn out, or because you think you need something different for disc/disc (IMHO, you prolly don't.)
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George_Pimpdaddy
1/2 ton status
wow that pretty much sums it up
I didn't need a new master cylinder when I swapped mine to discs. I think the key to this is make sure when you bleed the brakes you do not push the pedal as far as it will go. If you do this you, more times than not, will ruin the seal in the master cylinder. Then you will have to replace it.
What I do when bleeding brakes is to stand outside of the truck, put my hand on the brake pedal and push it in short strokes until I get alot of resistance. Then I get in the truck and use 3/4 strokes of the pedal. You can put alot more pressure when using your foot so the pedal may go easy. Make sure you don't push it to the floor.
I hope this helps someone,
Mike
blazin_blazer
1/2 ton status
another for the pro-list, you will be removing a pretty good amount of weight by removing the drums and installing disks...idk what they weigh, but i believe its a fair amount. anyone care to guess/or know how much weight you remove by doing this swap?
my drums were adjusted wrong and I slammed the brakes on the road... rear end came out from me and I almost spun around...
then went to disc and will never look back... I can stand on my brakes as hard as I can and she will stop awww so nicely...
also easier to do brake jobs on.... I have '76 eldo calipers only for inspection...
they just get in and the brake clicks down and they release it.. so I could have rigged up a spring loaded setup just to make the pedal work...
then went to disc and will never look back... I can stand on my brakes as hard as I can and she will stop awww so nicely...
also easier to do brake jobs on.... I have '76 eldo calipers only for inspection...
they just get in and the brake clicks down and they release it.. so I could have rigged up a spring loaded setup just to make the pedal work...
Also to the pros to disc: The drum brakes have all that fiddly hardware that gets gummed up over the years. And they have the self-adjusters that don't 
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chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
definitely like mine much better.but i had to replace everything because of the bad brakes on the axle when i bought it.they were rusted pretty bad and i had to take a sledge to the drums to get them off.they didnt look pretty after i was done.i thought when you changed to disk you loose 120 pounds or so.those drums i think are 75 pounds apiece in the one ton bigger drum.so i lost alot of weight.since i believe the disks were 20 pounds apiece.the ebrake is the worst part of it.but if you can fabricate,you can make cadillac calipers work,or get a driveshaft flange brake.
