Rear Disc Conversion - Effing Drums!!

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 25, 2006

Ok, so I know most of you have already made the switch from the prehistoric drum brakes to the nice discs, however Im just now gonna jump on the band wagon.

I just decided that I've put the last set of shoes on my truck. I had it out wheeling, and the drums where packed full of mud, and the axle seals leak (I have rebuild kits for both sides). I took one side apart thinking I was just going to adjust them, and noticed it was time for shoes. So I order some through work for $10, and figure I would throw them on. Well, those two problems listed earlier made for one messy and tedious brake job on the rear, and Im completely sick of it. If it werent for the fact it was torn apart in the middle of my driveway, I would have just said screw it and left it on the jack stands.

Basically what I would like to know, is whos brackets you guys used, and how you like them. I have a good idea as to how to do the rest, Im just not sure of whos brackets I want to order. I want something bolt on for simplicity, and the ability to put them on another housing should I swap this one out for the wide track anytime soon. Anyway, below is my list of parts, so let me know if Im missing anything, or have anything wrong.

1. Brackets - unknown brand
2. Calipers - 78-85 Monte Carlo
3. Rotors - 86-89 Chevy Vented
4. Lines - I will make/buy as needed
5. Proportioning Valve - Wilwood Manual
6. Master Cylinder - 1" bore (already installed)
7. Residual Valve - Wilwood in-line style if needed

I dont care about the parking brake, I will probably go with a T-Case parking brake eventually, but for now I just want the damn drums gone. I plan to install all this after I get my rear axles rebuilt with new bearings and seals so when it goes back together, it will be all nice and new and I wont have to deal with drums or leaking axle seals anymore!

~T.J.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and how the eff do I put it back together without the backing plate after I put new seals and bearings and crap on?

CrustyJeep · Oct 25, 2006

You will most likely want a larger M/C. At least 1-1/8" I think. Some people use Corvettes, some use Ford truck ones, I use a mid-70's Chev truck one. Many will work, you just need to verify the bore size in the catalog when you order.

For caliper soft lines, I use a pair from some sort of Cadilac. They are 8 or 10 inches long, 3/16 flare at one end, banjo on the other. Perfect, and usually in stock at your local parts house.

You're right on the prop valve, but I would also rip out and toss the stock one. You don't need it.

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 25, 2006

Ive heard 1" works well, we shall see. Its less than 3 months old so Im gonna run it and see how it works.

As for the proportioning valve, I plan to toss the stock one, I already have all the parts/adapters to do that, Im just waiting for one big job of it.

~T.J.

CrustyJeep · Oct 25, 2006

Adapters? You can use 3/16" flare nuts on your metric hard lines. Get a flare tool, a tube cutter, and a little bender and make your own lines/adapters.

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 25, 2006

'Tis already done. Thats what I meant by adapters, just regular 3/16" line with a metric tube nut on one end, and a standard on the other. Its adapting, right?

Ok, so my shopping list is as follows (PartsAmerica part numbers):

184071 - Chevy Monte Carlo Caliper Left
184072 - Chevy Monte Carlo Caliper Right
RRD154M - Raybestos Pads For Said Calipers
4536847 - Chevy Monte Carlo Brake Line (12" long, banjo to tube nut)
5962RGS - Chevy K1500 Front Brake Rotors

Total of parts $143.93

Now for some brackets... Whos to use?

~T.J.

JNK-RNR · Oct 25, 2006

http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/

Toyota Rear Disk Brake Brackets
Click to Enlarge

Part # TOY-RDB-001
Price - $80.00pr.

Part # TOY-RDR-001
Price - $90.00pr.

Part # TOY-RBL-001
Price - $90.00pr.

Add large tires to your truck, with a winch and some other extra weight, and it doesn't stop. We have installed disk brake conversions for over 5 years, and in that time, we have used many conversion parts, some worked, most didn't, very few fit well, most required work to get bolt holes to line up, such as certain cast versions of this design bracket. What we did was to take the good, and the bad, and build brackets that work every time. There is only .003 tolerance on these brackets, which required us to start by laser cutting .375 ( 3/8ths) steel, then forming it, then final machine of the holes that bolt to the axle housing and the caliper. Once using this 3 stage process, we came out with the perfect bracket. We also needed it to be one piece, not 2 or 3. Simple makes install easy. These brackets use common Chevy car calipers. Years of the calipers are 79-85 Monte Carlo or Cadilac Eldorado, front or rear depending on if you need the e-brake or not. There is a small knob on some calipers that will interfere with the bracket, grinding is ok. They can be bought new from race shops for about $80 pr, or any auto parts supply should carry them. E-brake style calipers are about $300pr. We supply a modified Chevy rotor if needed, they are $90pr, part # Toy-RDR-001. The braided brake lines needed to connect the Toyota to Chevy caliper are part # Toy-RBL-001. The brake lines are $80 pr and are full length braided lines to the Toyota factory T fitting.

---------------Disk Brake Brackets Installed.

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 25, 2006

Looks like those be it, I knew of them, I just thought there were other options.

Anyway, I was thinking since all the other lines are SS braided, I might splurge and get Skys SS lines too, just because theyre SS and they go from the caliper to the stock T fitting on the axle, which is nice. Less to move and fab and all that.

So, I think I have it planned out completely now, time to give them a call I guess!

~T.J.

CrustyJeep · Oct 25, 2006

84Toyota4x4 said:
4536847 - Chevy Monte Carlo Brake Line (12" long, banjo to tube nut)

You don't want long soft lines, you want shorties... The shorter the better.

You need a long one from frame to axle (whatever you already have wil work), and a shorty on each caliper...

laughter · Oct 25, 2006

I think you need to have the middle of the rotors machined out a bit as well, correct?

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 25, 2006

CrustyJeep said:
You don't want long soft lines, you want shorties... The shorter the better.

You need a long one from frame to axle (whatever you already have wil work), and a shorty on each caliper...

Well, I was thinking about taking the soft like I have now from frame to axle, splitting it in the middle, hard lines out to about 6" from calipers, then soft lines. I just need to find some soft lines that would work in the right length.

laughter said:
I think you need to have the middle of the rotors machined out a bit as well, correct?

Correct. I plan on using a sharpie and a die grinder :redneck:

~T.J.

crash2 · Oct 25, 2006

iTS EASY.
get a v6 master cylinder.
dana 44 rotors
dana 44 calipers
AA weld on caliper brackets

there--all done :;

bite me · Oct 25, 2006

JNK-RNR said:
http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/

Toyota Rear Disk Brake Brackets

Click to Enlarge

Part # TOY-RDB-001
Price - $80.00pr.

Part # TOY-RDR-001
Price - $90.00pr.

Part # TOY-RBL-001
Price - $90.00pr.

Add large tires to your truck, with a winch and some other extra weight, and it doesn't stop. We have installed disk brake conversions for over 5 years, and in that time, we have used many conversion parts, some worked, most didn't, very few fit well, most required work to get bolt holes to line up, such as certain cast versions of this design bracket. What we did was to take the good, and the bad, and build brackets that work every time. There is only .003 tolerance on these brackets, which required us to start by laser cutting .375 ( 3/8ths) steel, then forming it, then final machine of the holes that bolt to the axle housing and the caliper. Once using this 3 stage process, we came out with the perfect bracket. We also needed it to be one piece, not 2 or 3. Simple makes install easy. These brackets use common Chevy car calipers. Years of the calipers are 79-85 Monte Carlo or Cadilac Eldorado, front or rear depending on if you need the e-brake or not. There is a small knob on some calipers that will interfere with the bracket, grinding is ok. They can be bought new from race shops for about $80 pr, or any auto parts supply should carry them. E-brake style calipers are about $300pr. We supply a modified Chevy rotor if needed, they are $90pr, part # Toy-RDR-001. The braided brake lines needed to connect the Toyota to Chevy caliper are part # Toy-RBL-001. The brake lines are $80 pr and are full length braided lines to the Toyota factory T fitting.

---------------Disk Brake Brackets Installed.

X2 these things are beefy

and the part # for the brake lines you need are Raybestos BH38149

Toyotanut · Oct 25, 2006

crash said:
iTS EASY.
get a v6 master cylinder.
dana 44 rotors
dana 44 calipers
AA weld on caliper brackets

there--all done :;

Do you have part # for the AA brackets? Also does it matter what year the d44 calipers and rotars are off of?

toyparts · Oct 26, 2006

ive got izuzu trooper rear discs on my toy rear axle ,its mostly a bolt on job ,
the only fabbing you have to do is cutting the mounting brackets out of 1/2 inch steel plate and drilling the hole,s then it bolts up using 2 of the 4 bolts holding the axle in , the threads on the rubber lines are the same as toyota and you can adapt the parking brake arms to use the stock yota parking brake cable,,,,, you have to get the wheel mounting surface turned down alittle,
and if you are using an ifs rear axle like i am the center of the rotor needs to be opened up a little too ,,, calipers and rotors from pull a part with pads and brake lines $30.00 steel for the mounting brackets from everett steel $6.00 turning the wheel mounting surface and turning the center of the rotors freebie from a friend with a lathe

i used a sawzall to cut the backing plates off my axles
no porp valve on mine anymore but im running the trooper master cylinder
this is all on a sami

64FJ40 · Oct 27, 2006

84Toyota4x4 said:
Correct. I plan on using a sharpie and a die grinder :redneck:

Why not just get it done right?

If you don't have a machinist friend, Freeride did mine for a case of beer.

crash2 · Oct 27, 2006

Toyotanut said:
Do you have part # for the AA brackets? Also does it matter what year the d44 calipers and rotars are off of?

I'll dig them up....

84Toyota4x4 · Oct 27, 2006

64FJ40 said:
Why not just get it done right?

If you don't have a machinist friend, Freeride did mine for a case of beer.

I could do just fine of a job with a die grinder Im sure, but I think it would be rather time consuming. I have a couple friends who have machine shops, I would have to check with them if they could do it, otherwise I might hit him up, or do it myself.

~T.J.