Rear discs..

[Albatrossian]

Has anyone done a rear disc brake swap on our trucks? If so, did you go the junk yard route or did you buy new? What parts did you use and what years or what company did you buy your rear from?
I've got a rear end out of a 2000 Chevy 2WD that has only 2000 miles on it real cheap and was thinking of throwing it in my 81 GMC.

[scotts62]

I was going to do the conversion but i can accross a 9in lincoln versi rearend pretty reasonable and went that route, it already had disc

[Albatrossian]

This rear also has discs.. and I've got the calipers to go with it.

[joe231]

how does the width compare?

[Albatrossian]

It's pretty close.. the spring perches are in a different location, but I can just cut them and re-weld them where I need them. Is the 2000 model rear as strong as the stocker I have in there now? I plan on putting some serious power in my truck and don't want it breaking.

[scotts62]

Yea maybe, just one of those things, they are only as strong as you make it

[Pyrotechnic]

Those rear ends are 6 lug which is going to make things tough if you got 5 lug front rotors. Those rear ends are nothing special, just a 8.5 inch 10 bolt which also came in early 80's and up trucks. Many newer trucks also have the Gov-Lock unit. In stock applications and stock driving, these provide really good traction that a limited slip couldn't, but when raced, they are about as good a grenade.

In short, the rear end you already have under your truck is nearly just as strong. If it's a 10 bolt, upgrade the axles and put a limited slip or locker in it and it should be plenty strong unless you are really abusing and racing it. If it's a 12 bolt, you just need a limited slip or locker for it to be strong.

If you must have disc brakes, you can use late 70's Cadillac Seville parts to convert it. There's a write up somewhere on how to do this.

[LMDGUY]

Im installing a Baer brake kit when I get the truck back from paint. I will let you know how it goes.

[Albatrossian]

Thanks guys.. it is a 6-lug rear. I'll try to find a write up on the Caddy conversion. Let me know how the Baer kit works when you get it installed, LMDGuy

[lolife99]

PM OJOE. He did a SSBC disc brake swap on his 1/2 ton crew cab project.

[JCampbell]

http://www.tsmmfg.com/

I was looking into running disks on my dually.

[Albatrossian]

That's really not a bad price.. has anyone used that company before?

[vern350]

I remember reading about a rear caddy setup for 88-98 trucks somewhere not too long ago. I'll try and find a link. Only thing that may be different is the brackets. It used mid 90s impala ss rear rotors, and used 79-85 seville rear caddy calipers. I believe this caliper was chosen so you could have an ebrake.

[Twisted78SS]

I took a 78 Lincoln Continental rear which had 11 in. dics already. I had the big ford bearing ends mated to my Dana 60 and narrowed the overall width 2 inches. Since I plan on running a 4 link or similar, I left off the spring perches but left on the e-brake cable mounts. These are also a 5on5 pattern so no issues there.

[crawdadfox]

The truck in my avitar (87 s.b.), had a rearend from an 04 SS truck in it when it was sold. If i remember right i had to narrow it 4" per side because i was running a 10" wide wheel w/ a 3" back space. I had a 14" Baer kit... (rotors and caliper spacers). When i ordered my new axles i had them made with the standard 5" on 5" chevy pattern. Baer would not sell the rotors undrilled or with my 5 lug pattern, so i redrilled them to 5x5 using an old axle flange and a drill press! One hole hits the edge of the original 6 lug pattern but the rest are fine. It was a very cheap way to get 14" brakes (about $400.00) Too bad the matching front kit i bought was $1400.00 !!! The truck runs a 22/24 combo now, and the brakes work awesome!!

[Albatrossian]

Originally Posted by crawdadfox

The truck in my avitar (87 s.b.), had a rearend from an 04 SS truck in it when it was sold. If i remember right i had to narrow it 4" per side because i was running a 10" wide wheel w/ a 3" back space. I had a 14" Baer kit... (rotors and caliper spacers). When i ordered my new axles i had them made with the standard 5" on 5" chevy pattern. Baer would not sell the rotors undrilled or with my 5 lug pattern, so i redrilled them to 5x5 using an old axle flange and a drill press! One hole hits the edge of the original 6 lug pattern but the rest are fine. It was a very cheap way to get 14" brakes (about $400.00) Too bad the matching front kit i bought was $1400.00 !!! The truck runs a 22/24 combo now, and the brakes work awesome!!

Crawdad, how much wider was the '04 rear than your stocker? Do you remember?

[crawdadfox]

Its been about 3 years, but i think it was about 2" wider per side.

[Albatrossian]

Hmm.. I might just sell the '00 rear and throw a Powertrax in mine. I saw a low-buck rear disc conversion on the internets I might try.

[joe231]

link to the low buck swap please

[spudz]

I have a 80 trans am with a 10 bolt rear with factory disk brakes.....could I just swap everything off of the trans am to a truck rear???

[joe231]

wrong bolt pattern

[spudz]

Originally Posted by joe231

wrong bolt pattern

what if I re drill the rotors?

[joe231]

i don't know......
anything is possible but not always plausible

[TimE]

Originally Posted by spudz

I have a 80 trans am with a 10 bolt rear with factory disk brakes.....could I just swap everything off of the trans am to a truck rear???

I personally don't care much for these. I had a 81 TA and the brakes weren't as good as I thought they should be. The calipers were about $100 each about 8 years ago when I replaced them on that car too.