Rear Disc Brake Conversion MAF vs. SOR vs. JTO

[AlexJet]

Which Rear Disc Brake conversion would be considered as the best?
What are the benefits and disadvantages of:

Man-A-Fre 42431-60RRKIT $550

Specter Off-Road 292-400C $650 (members $552.50)

JT Outfitters 164071&164072 + RBDROTOR + RDBCONVHOSE + RDBBRACKETSTLC $400

 

[Pighead]

How 'bout Poser?

 

[Jan-78FJ40]

None-waste of money.
Make sure your break system is up to snuff, adjusted correctly, and the drums in the rear are just fine.
J

 

[Mace]

You really want to lose your parking brake?

 

[lehiguy]

I "lost my parking brake" years ago and it was a spectacularly good move. My rear brakes just never worked right, furthermore, I detest drum brakes. I love the rear disks. FTR, the calipers are from an '88 Monte Carlo (fits about a thousand other GM cars) the rotor is from an '88 four wheel drive 1/2 ton regular cab Chevy, NOT the extra cab. Weld-on brackets can be had from many sources, I think I paid $10.00 each from Advanaced Four-Wheel Drive in Salt Lake City. The brake lines you can have made anywhere that does hydraulic hoses for around $10.00 to $15.00 each. The only thing unique about the kits is that the pilot in the rotor has been machined out to fit over the Cruiser's axle, (which you can have done at any machine shop local to you) and the caliper bracket bolts on instead of being welded. You can do this on your own for 1/4 the cost, or just plop down your cash for the kit.

 

[AlexJet]

None-waste of money.
Make sure your break system is up to snuff, adjusted correctly, and the drums in the rear are just fine.
J

My axles are old and been sitting in the barn for a while (read years), so drums are rusted and cracked, cylinders seized, most internals are in not worth restoring condition.
So I thought why spend money restoring the drum when I can get disc.

 

[AlexJet]

You really want to lose your parking brake?

I have driveshaft parking brake just aft of TC, so there is no issue with loosing it on the wheels.

 

[AlexJet]

I "lost my parking brake" years ago and it was a spectacularly good move. My rear brakes just never worked right, furthermore, I detest drum brakes. I love the rear disks. FTR, the calipers are from an '88 Monte Carlo (fits about a thousand other GM cars) the rotor is from an '88 four wheel drive 1/2 ton regular cab Chevy, NOT the extra cab. Weld-on brackets can be had from many sources, I think I paid $10.00 each from Advanaced Four-Wheel Drive in Salt Lake City. The brake lines you can have made anywhere that does hydraulic hoses for around $10.00 to $15.00 each. The only thing unique about the kits is that the pilot in the rotor has been machined out to fit over the Cruiser's axle, (which you can have done at any machine shop local to you) and the caliper bracket bolts on instead of being welded. You can do this on your own for 1/4 the cost, or just plop down your cash for the kit.

Do you know if 15" wheels will fit Conversion?

 

[Mace]

15" wheels fit just fine.

 

[Tapage]

I did mine with TSM kit and was fine other than extra cash wasted in e-brake calipers .. in fact .. I loose my e-brake and sometimes I really miss it ..

 

[AlexJet]

I did mine with TSM kit and was fine other than extra cash wasted in e-brake calipers .. in fact .. I loose my e-brake and sometimes I really miss it ..

Is this the one?
FJ-40+ Land Cruiser

 

[Elbert]

I too like the simplicity of the disk brake setup over drums. I do know the GM calipers with the built in emergencey brakes are hell to impossible to keep adjusted (cadillac seville rotors 79 or so year model) that some people use. Built in emergencey brake does not stay functional and its suppose to keep brakes adjusted but does not work well for that purpose.

I'm still running OEM drums on the rear and I would like better brake performance along with mechanical emergency brake.

 

[Benjaman]

None-waste of money.
Make sure your break system is up to snuff, adjusted correctly, and the drums in the rear are just fine.
J

Ditto.

 

[pappy]

How 'bout Poser?

What 'bout Poser? x2

 

[lcwizard]

The Specter and MAF kit look to be the same. The big difference is the rotor. Their rotors are manufactured by DBA ( disc brakes Australia ) for that application and the JT is a generic type chevy rotor machined to fit the rear cruiser axle. The DBA rotors are a premium rotor. The generic are a bit less...hecho en China

 

[Mace]

How much difference do you honestly think that the premium rotors make in a rear application FJ60?


BTW, there is nothing about a cross drilled/slotted rotor in a cruiser that is a good idea.

 

[TobyB]

"I have driveshaft parking brake just aft of TC"

OK, now THAT I would like to see a kit for!

"BTW, there is nothing about a cross drilled/slotted rotor in a cruiser that is a good idea."

except, in a stretch, they shed water slightly quicker when wet. But that's a big stretch.
Race cars don't even drill rotors much anymore... 'cept maybe Porche.

t

 

[AlexJet]

How much difference do you honestly think that the premium rotors make in a rear application FJ60?

BTW, there is nothing about a cross drilled/slotted rotor in a cruiser that is a good idea.

It may sound funny, but "premium" kit from MAF are actually a few bucks cheaper then "generic" kit from SOR, but when it comes to replacement parts for the kit, SOR parts are cheaper.

 

[lehiguy]

Whatever you do, don't get any kit that uses the front calipers from the older, solid axle Chevy 4X4 1/2 tons. The fluid volume requirements for these is simply not compatible with the rest of your system. The mechanical advantage you would have will make for a freaky strong brake, but one that requires pedal pumping and feels squishy. Yes, as a matter of fact I did learn that the hard way.

 

[AlexJet]

I think most use '88 Chevy Malibu (Chevy S10) brake Calipers and '88 1/2 ton Chevy pick-up (Silverado I think) Rotors.