andyr354

greatlakeoffroad.com

Just got a set of brackets from him to do the GM 14b in my rockcrawler. Uses GM 3/4 ton front calipers that are cheap and easy to find. My brakets were $67 shipped and I can get loaded calipers cheap at the local parts store. Also uses the matching chevy 4x4 discs.

apwatson50

That looks like a really easy cheap conversion!! Other than loosing your parking brake. I think i'm going to have to do that one.

DesertRat93

I put together my rear disks a few months ago. My truck stops WAY better compared to the old drums. I used calipers from a '78 El Dorado to keep my E-brake. I got my brackets from the same place as Andyr354, greatlakeoffroad.com. He sells them for a Dodge D60 rear but they fit the Dodge D70 too.

Jbolt001

I know I'm a little late into this thread but I thought I'd post my experience for those thinking about doing this.

I have about 35k on my EGR disc brakes so I can give a pretty good review. When I first started looking for a conversion the two options were EGR & TSM. Both systems looked identical other than EGR offered an e-brake adapter at the time. After calling both companies I decided on EGR, even though they were more expensive, because I got a better feeling about customer service. This is not to say there is anything wrong with TSM. I did the conversion because I was tired of constantly fixing problems with the drums. I know many people have had great success with the drums but not me. My 93 came with 3” shoes and large wheel cylinders as part of a towing package from the dealer. AT 22k the left drum literally cut in two. I never heard a thing until it locked up. I thought it was just a bad shoe but he other shoe was to the rivets. From then on I have had to change the shoes every 20k. I’ll also add I was not towing or running heavily loaded.

When I asked the various forums about converting to discs I received many warnings that the master cylinder was too small, the ABS won’t work, you will need to remove or change the proportioning valve, the stopping power will be less, the pedal will be spongy etc etc. 35k later I can say with confidence the brakes work as well or better than the drums. I’ve never had an issue with the ABS or proportioning valve. The stock master cylinder works just fine, even with worn pads there is plenty of fluid. I did hear from one person who had issues with ice locking up the calipers and changed back to the drums.

At first there was a spongy feeling to the pedal and I attribute this to air in the system and not properly adjusting the e-brake (for the e-brake calipers). The rear calipers do a fine job of trapping air and are not to keen on giving it up. A power bleeder would make short work of this but for us poor folk who have to bleed their braked manually all I can say is when you think you’re done you are 1/3 the way there. Once the air is completely out the pedal is fine.

The biggest short coming is the e-brake setup or lack there of. EGR supplied a “universal” mounting bracket that was totally worthless. I don’t believe TSM offers any brackets at all. The EGR unit works on the 2nd Gens but does nothing on the 1st Gens. To add insult to injury there are no instructions included with the bracket, but then how could there be when it doesn’t work on a 1st Gen any way. I ended up fabing up my own adapters for the stock e-brake cables. So be prepared to do some custom work if you go with the e-brake calipers.

My biggest concern about the EGR or TSM system is they use a modified rotor off an early 1980s F250 4wd. The Ford has ½” wheel studs where as our Dodges have 9/16” studs which also have larger diameter heads. This means the stud holes need to be drilled out to 9/16” and the counter bore pockets for the wheel stud heads have to be opened up. Both EGR and TSM can supply replacement rotors but if one were on the road and had problems it could be an issue.

Pros

Good stopping power
Easy to service
Easy to inspect
Replacement parts are cheap

Cons

Modified rotors
No “Bolt-on” e-brake system
High upfront cost of the calipers
Poor installation instructions

All in all I would'nt go back to a rear drum system.

Jay

BearKiller

I have hated the Dana 70 drum brake system in my ton from day one.

I use my truck to make my living pulling big loads of cattle on 1200 to 1500 mile hauls, sometimes farther.

It is terribly dis-heartening to have a spring break or one of those stupid thingies that hold the shoes to the backing plates come loose and have a break start dragging, and eventually smoking, when loaded with livestock, at night, and a long way yet to go.

The only way to fix the problem is to pull the axle, then pull the bearing, then the hub, and after you get half the rearend scattered out on the ground, then you can actually see the brakes. What a poor design.

My aim is to find an early 80's Ford Super Duty -- the ones with the huge rearend and 10-hole wheels -- and swap it's disc-brake rearend onto my truck.

Please don't deter me because this swap is completely do-able.

DeanM

That is what I did except I grafted the whole rear frame onto my truck. It has been a lot of work and in hind site I should have gotten the whole F450 frame and installed my cab and front axle on it.

I am in the process of converting the vacume booster system to the hydro f450 system.

Dean

shift220

A proper rear disc brake setup is far superior to any drum setup. This means the size and quality of the disc brakes (everything from the master cylinder and back) are appropriate for the use of the truck. There just isn't a comparision between the two.

BearKiller

Can we see some pictures??

I just recently missed a cab-burnt F-450 $1200 that was advertised in a truck sales paper. When I called, someone had already bought it.

When I find one, I will probably also use the straight front axle.

DeanM

I do have some pics but I don't know how to post them. Any tips on that? One thing you will have to figure out is the parking brake on your F450 swap. I ended up modifying and using 2 Porsche calipers with a hand pump in the cab. It should be nifty.

Dean

BearKiller

I have a MICO lock on my brake line that is wonderful. They should be required original equipment on any kind of hydraulic-braked truck. I wouldn't own a truck without one, they are that good.

That being said, I still would want some kind of manually applied park brake just in case a wheel-cylinder bled off or some other unforseen circumstance were to take place.

Maybe a set of down-riggers or a chunk of wood in front of the tire.