drums to disc...

[Chris Joyce]

On my 01ST I have drums in the rear. I need to do a brake job on the rear soon. Should I consider converting the rear Drums to Disc brakes? If I do convert, how much would a shop charge for this job? And whats the benefit of have Disc on all 4 wheels?

 

[Scott C]

Personally I was dissappointed when I saw my 01 with drum brakes on the rear. I'd take disc brakes any day. I don't know about swapping with the 8.8 axle but I know many people with Jeeps who turn their drums to disc's all the time, it's not cheap but if you have the skill to do it I'm sure it can be done. If you pay to have it done it might be easier to find another 8.8 axle with disc brakes and just swap 'em out.

 

[Fudged Undies]

<a href="http://www.mysporttrac.com/shared/msgboard9e.asp?BOARDNAME=MSG&VIEW=781050&sitename=mysporttrac"target=top>Rear disc conversion Update</a>

 

[Chris Joyce]

Is this possible on my 01 ST?

 

[Richard L]

joycie,

Caymen just converted his Sport Trac's rear drum brakes to disk brakes with a conversion kit. He has not done a project on this yet but did post an overview of this conversion with photos, and it looked simple enough!



I'm sure he will respond to you when he sees this post.



...Rich

 

[Tom Schindler]

Simple project if you are good with vehicles. Ford Motorsport makes a kit. it includes, capliers, Bosch Rotors, and parking brake backing plate/caliper mount.



Essentially, you just remove the rear differential cover to remove the center pin from your spider gears.



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Remove your axle. Only do one side at a time.



Once the axle is removed, it should look like this.



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Remove the drum brake backing plate.



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Put the new backing plate on.



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Put rotor and caliper on.



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Do the same for the other side. Fill the differential.



You will need the brake hoses from a 1996 Explorer along with the banjo bolts and copper washers. You will need to make the steel line that goes from the left wheel to the right wheel. Use 2003 Trac rear parking brake cables.



Adjust the parking brake with a drum spoon and your parking brake is set properly.



Bleed your braking system and I recomend speed bleeders, they make your bleeding process simple.



Burnish your brakes in and you are finished.



<font color=red><B>EDIT:</B></font> Change your axle seals while everything is apart. Better safe then sorry!



Tom

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Tom, You just wrote up your project. Now all you have to do is submit it to Rich.

 

[Chris Joyce]

Caymen, Lets say I'm not to comfortablr doing this alone. If I paid a shop to do this, what is your estimite?

 

[Tom Schindler]

Too much. I would guess they would charge you around 600 to 1000.00. Maybe more. Odds are, it is something they would not want to do. It takes a full day.



If you come to my place next summer, we can do it together....and yes I am serious.





Tom

 

[Chris Joyce]

where is your place? I'm in boston