serious

Hi all, been thinking about swapping out the drums for disk. I figure my brakes are more than likely shot and in need of replacement, so why not.
I have a couple of question though:

1. How's the brake porportioning with the swap-does it feel well balanced or more front or rear biased? Do you need a new master cyclinder or anything of the like?

2. Do the disc have as much stopping power as the drums? I'm thinking more, but you never know.

3. My truck has ABS, so how do i deal with that? Just disconnect it or what?

4. Seems like most of the parts you can just buy at a local parts store, so is it even worth it to buy a kit or just put together my own?

5. Are there any problems with the E-brake hook ups for the calipors that have them? Does the ebrake actually work with this setup?!

Any comments are welcome as i would like to know what i'm getting into here.
Thanks
Brent

apwatson50

Check this out,

http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/dana70discbrakes/

Aaron

shift220

1) It will feel more evenly balanced after the swap. The rear will also be easier to lock up. If it is a problem, then you can get a proportioning valve to cut down on the pressure.

2) Much more stopping power.

3) ABS should still work, although i'm not sure where the sensors are on these trucks. Most likely it will be fine.

4) Probably cheaper to buy all your own parts, but i'm not really sure. You can always get reman's or stuff from the junkyard.

5) It might take some time to rig something up, but it can be done. Most calipers should have something built in.

apwatson50

3) The sensor is on the ring and pinion so it will still work, no outboard sensors.

5) Not all calipers have something built in, I am planning on using 3/4 ton front calipers so no e-brake on these. I am just going to get a micro brake to lock up the front wheels. Makes burnouts easier. haha

serious

With the calipors that have ebrake hardware, do the oem dodge cables work with it, or do you have to munkey with it or get different cables?
Thanks
Brent

99 cummins

I think it was EGR brakes that had a kit all put together to do this with. Came with or without parking brake and everything was pre designed to do the swap. http://www.egrbrakes.com/index-main.htm

Underpsi

You can use all parts from your local auto parts supplier! The only thing you will need to fabricate is caliper brackets

apwatson50

That Great Lakes offroad has the brakets for ~$60

Underpsi

is that for both or each?

Edit: can't find great lakes site could yopu possibly post it
thanks

BearKiller

Thanks for that link.

That is exactly what I want to do to my Dana 70.

I bet if a man had one of those brackets, he could use it as a pattern to make brackets that would incorporate two calipers.

K-20 Chevy trucks are a dime a dozen around here, in fact I have one in the lot right now; a man could cheapen this deal to near nothing after robbing a junk truck.

apwatson50

They have a website but it looks different than the last time I looked at it and it looks like its being worked on right now. The last time they had a price specifically for the D70 brackets and after thinking about it I think it was ~$75 for the pair.

DesertRat93

I did my swap with parts from the parts store. The only custom parts were the brackets I got from Greatlakes Offroad. I used '78 ElDorado calipers for the e-brake using my factory cables, and a proportioning valve from an '02 Dodge. All four wheels will lock up at the same time. Oh yea, I had to go with a bigger bore M/C to move enough volume of fluid for the rear calipers. Too much pedal travel with the stock M/C.

serious

Were the porportioning valve and master cyclinder all bolt in stuff? What was the bias like before you did the porportioning valve? How much did the pedal travel before the new m/c? Did you have to pump the brakes or anything like that?
Brent

DesertRat93

The '02 proportioning valve has a different flare type on the brake lines, but the guts are a direct swap into ours. I used a 80's 1 ton GM M/C with a 1 5/16" bore, I couldn't find a Dodge one with a bigger bore than our trucks that would bolt up. The 1 ton GM M/C is easily modified to fit anyway. With the stock M/C the pedal would go almost to the floor no matter how much I bled it out. You pretty much had to pump twice to get a firm pedal. With the GM M/C the pedal travel is minimal and is rock solid. I have read some past posts were some have made the stock M/C work with rear discs, but I couldn't get it to work for me.

ruquik

anyone know if the set up on that offroad site will work for a dually???