Rear Disc Brakes...

[Degnol]

I think you'll get what you need if you ask for "GM metric" calipers or Monte Carlo calipers.
X2 on Steve. He has helped me countless times with my personal f'ups and has done a fair amount of work on my truck.....while I watched and got drunk. Kind of a cruiser spa/boutique

Ed

 

[aggiecruiser]

Hey Poser,

Got a quick question(s) for you....In the second picture of post #26, it looks like the rear brake routing no longer routes in series through the OEM proportioning valve that is mounted to the forward face of the booster at about the 6 o'clock position. Am I seeing that right?

Is this how you do all of your rear disc brake conversions? Trying to get an understanding of the proper routing required here. I have read on this post about needing a 2 lb residual valve for the rear discs, and also needing an adjustable proportioning valve. All of that is fine and dandy...Just trying to reconcile that with what is currently there (OEM)

So for me at least, I have a 1/79 FJ40. Becasue I have stock discs, I think that means that I have a OEM 2lb residual valve on the OEM master cylinder (for the stock front discs), and a 6lb OEM residual valve on the OEM master cylinder (for the stock drums rear).

Becasue I am going to rear discs, I would think that the following is necessary:

1. Removal of the OEM residual valve (6lb) for the rear circuit.
2. This part varies as a function of who you ask...Removal of the stock OEM proportioning valve from the rear circuit routing.
3. Installation of a new 2lb residual valve in line for the rear circuit. Perhaps accomplished by getting a OEM front cicuit 2 lb residual valve and installing where the 6lb residual valve used to be. Also accomplished perhaps by simply installing an aftermarket job from like summit.
4. Installation of a new adjustable proportioning valve in line after the new 2lb residual valve for the rear circuit only,leaving the OEM proportioining valve OUT of the circuit routing all together.

Do I have this correct?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[1911]

...3. Installation of a new 2lb residual valve in line for the rear circuit. Perhaps accomplished by getting a OEM front cicuit 2 lb residual valve and installing where the 6lb residual valve used to be. Also accomplished perhaps by simply installing an aftermarket job from like summit.

Chris,

I'm in the middle of converting the rear dums on my 1980 to discs also. FYI, the parts guy at Toyota of Fort Worth that I sometimes use for Cruiser parts (and seems to be a decent parts guy & interested in Crusiers) spent some time looking in the computer system and told me that there is not a single 2 lb. (front) residual valve in North America, they would have to come from Japan. I also tried NAPA and they said they could only supply an entire master cylinder but not parts thereof. I haven't tried Summit yet but may - OEM Toyota parts from Japan would take 2 weeks to get here (according to said parts guy). I am going to try running mine without a residual valve in the rear circuit and see how it does, since many mudders do so. If I don't like the pedal, I guess I'll look for an OEM or Summit valve at that point.

Thread hi-jack over, sorry.

 

[Degnol]

I don't have any residual valves and don't feel like I need them. But they are plentiful in the inline version from Summit and the like. I think if you have the stock proportioning valve, I'd leave that in place and install an adjustable one. Many have said they still have the rears locking up with the P-valve adjusted to maximum bias. Some have even installed two adjustables. It all depends on weight and I suppose tire size

Ed

 

[mrjay2u]

I read somewhere you can use calipers from a 79-85 Eldorado, Riviera, and Toronado and 80-85 Seville and have the e brake in the caliper. I don't know if this is correct, but someone here can verify this

Poser, What is your solution to a disk conversion for a bj 42 with the e- brake on the rear drums?? I want to replace my drums when the brakes need new shoes and still keep my stock e brake handle . Thanks Tim

 

[WaTrout88]

When installing the caliper on the front side of the axle, is it also required to grind down the ridge at the bottom the caliper where it comes in contact with the bracket? Also, the calipers are labled left and right. Do these need to be reversed when installing the calipers at the front side?

I had installed the caliper with your bracket on the backside of the axle and it fits perfet with no modifcations but it appears to be too low to the ground, fear of smashing it on rock!!

I like putting the caliper on the front side of the axle housing, so that the bleeder is at the top, and the hose can route above the leaf spring, using it for a little protection, in a spring under application.

One thing that needs to be addressed however is the casting ridge around the area where the brake hose attaches to the caliper. I did not want to route the hose rearward and create a loop, so I had to remove a little bit of the casting so that the hose could be attached 90 degrees to the caliper.

You can see the area marked in pink paint pen that is in the way and was removed from both calipers, permitting the hose routing that I was looking for.

 

[dgangle]

just install the calipers so the bleeders are at highest vertical position unless you want to remove them everytime to bleed

 

[DomSmith]

I just installed the rear discs on my cruiser after a blown wheel cylinder and they are simple as pie. Thanks to Steve for the great parts (sitting on the shelf for 18 months) and the write up. I referred to the pics many times just to make sure I was doing it right.

I would like to add how to load the Monte Carlo Calipers to this thread as I was not familiar with them and didn't have any old ones to compare to. I know this seems like a simple step but I was stuck on these last night and couldn't find a pic of where that pesky clip went anywhere on MUD.

Obviously I bought the calipers and pads separate...

Calipers:

Pads:

I was not familiar with the GM setup and really had no idea what the clip did in this application. I was deep into this at about 9PM when I got to loading the calipers so my resources were limited. I eventually talked with a buddy the next morning who showed me how the clip went.

First I removed the pins (they came installed in the opposite direction) as seen below...

Then I placed the clip on the pad that was up against the base of the caliper...

Then I loaded that pad (note that the clip goes inside the cup of the caliper and holds it in place)...

The other pad just sits in place...

Add a little Disc Brake Quiet before you load them if you like (I think this is a little excessive)...

Place the pins in the opposite direction so the threads screw into the brackets and there you have it...

EDIT: Sorry the links were bad for awhile. Re-linked...

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Those METRIC calipers as they are known in the streetrod and racing world are also available with cable actuated parking brake feature. Avaliable from Cadillac applications just cant remember what model or year. Speedway motors lists them in there streetrod catalog. As for the rotors they are from a 87 to 95 Chevy 1/2 ton 4wd truck you just have to have the ID opened to clear front hub or rear axle flange. Ive been running this Homemade set up for years and havent worried about drum wheel cylinders since.

 

[WaTrout88]

This is some great information here. Thanks DomSmith. Are you going to paint up those calipers so they don't rust?

What size Allen wrench is needed to tighten up the two caliper bolts?

I installed the same set-up and did not know where the clip was supposed to go so I left it out. Looks like I will need to pull it all apart again .

I am not sure what mounting brackets you had used but when I installed mine on Posers brackets. I had to grind down the little knob for the caliper to fit properly.

 

[Poser]

What size Allen wrench is needed to tighten up the two caliper bolts?

3/8"

 

[green71fj]

Poser, will you or do you by chance sell these brackets with just the caliper hole drilled in them?

 

[hedgehog23]

seen kits like this for the front brakes as well. Poser do you offer them as well? i think the front kits get around changing out to the fine spline axles no?

 

[Poser]

Poser, will you or do you by chance sell these brackets with just the caliper hole drilled in them?

You have a PM.

 

[Poser]

Poser do you offer them as well?

Sorry, I do not do anything with the front axle brake conversion.

i think the front kits get around changing out to the fine spline axles no?

That is one of the 'selling points' of those kits...


Most of these vehicles have had the front axle knuckle bearings and seals neglected over their many years of service and changing out the knuckle components and outer axle stub to the disc brake components not only upgrades the braking but also gets you into the knuckle and gets it serviced. It is really not that difficult of a proposition to convert the knuckles out from drum brake to disc brake components.

 

[hedgehog23]

It is really not that difficult of a proposition to convert the knuckles out from drum brake to disc brake components.

True , but an added expense and hassle for me trying to find the components for the axle swap.

 

[pappy]

I bought Steve's brackets many moons ago and only wish I had known he also provided the rotors. Here is a pic of my disk brake conversion on a spring-over axle. My calipers are mounted to the rear where the plumbing is nice and safe.

I used a brake master from a FZJ80 and mounted the proportion valve right next to it.

 

[Poser]

True , but an added expense and hassle for me trying to find the components for the axle swap.

You have to spend money either way....

This is far from a cheap hobby.

 

[hedgehog23]

True when i get to the brakes on my 40 rebuild ill shoot you a PM

 

[Kroll]

I did a full drum / drum swap to a 60 series disk / chevy disk conversion this past summer.
The rear disks were welded onto a full floater from an FJ45. The only real time consuming part was measuring the tie rod pipe and getting it threaded for 80 series tie rod ends. In the end it is worth all the cleaning, measuring and assembly.