Wanting Rear Discs

[RickFox]

Originally Posted by cummins2getu

Did you have to change anything else besides the axle?

Yes&no. Little things like brake lines, emergency brake cables are obviously going to change. I still have the factory brake booster if that is your question though

[cummins2getu]

I was wondering if you had to change the master cylinder or proportioning valve over. I had a guy tell me one time you would have to change everything over from a disc brake truck.

[hjoey]

Originally Posted by cummins2getu

I was wondering if you had to change the master cylinder or proportioning valve over. I had a guy tell me one time you would have to change everything over from a disc brake truck.

No you don't have to change it

[Billysgoat]

I swapped the rear drum axle out for a disc unit, removed the RWAL valve at the same time. Made a world of difference. The only issue is getting the parking brake cables to hook up right. Be sure to grab the cable mount off the disc truck, it is mounted to the frame on the driver side below the cab. The drum units have different size holes (a large and a small) where the cables for the disc parking brake use two of the same IIRC.

[Lucky Jeff]

Originally Posted by 95cummins5.9

1ton wheel cylinders from a Chevy will do the same thing.

That is a bandaid fix. Disc is a far better way to go.

[hjoey]

Agreed^

[Shainer]

I'll toss my in.

These disk brake conversions are shyt for these trucks. You will lose any reliable service brake function. Sometimes it will hold, most of the time it will not. The best is when you think it will hold walk back to hook a trailer up and the truck starts creeping away or even better starts creeping towards the gooseneck and your tailgate is still up. Braking is not any better than a properly adjusted drum setup. If you are towing heavy the rear disks can not take the abuse. Disks do not have the mass to absorb the heat and can quickly rise in temperature with little to no warning yielding zero brake efficiency. Disks may be able to dissipate heat faster, but they also heat up much faster. The mass is the equivalent to your tank on an air compressor. You need a location to store energy until it can be released.

I tried one of these conversions. Ran it for a few months before removing it. Went back to drums, 1 ton cylinders, new top of the line Wagner shoes, new spring hardware, braided lines, removed the rear weight sensing proportioning valve (didn't have the fittings to work with the braided lines), and tuned up the star wheel with a triangle file. I never had an issue with the drum brakes since then (5-6 years). I've never had to manually adjust them either.

If I had a hard on for disk brakes it would be an axle swap. Otherwise I would make sure the drum brakes were setup for success. I have little doubt the muddy roads I have to drive on would chew a set of those unprotected disk brake conversions up in short order since they don't have shields.

[JJeepyjohn]

Shainer, So you're saying the conversions are junk and the factory disc set up is good correct?

[hjoey]

I think what he is trying to say is the e-brake sucks, which i heard, but i don't have e-brake calipers. Since i converted to discs it has been much better. I've never had a problem with them getting hot

[Shainer]

Originally Posted by hjoey

I think what he is trying to say is the e-brake sucks, which i heard, but i don't have e-brake calipers. Since i converted to discs it has been much better. I've never had a problem with them getting hot

Service brake = ebrake.

Your brakes don't work any better than drums either. $800+ to loose functionality?

[hjoey]

They do work better than the drums that were on my truck. It was 550 and very easy to do. I'm happy with them and I don't need an ebrake.

[Chrisd91]

Drums on my early 01 lock the rears easily, it's honestly rather annoying.

I also have an 01.5 with rear discs, and it seems to stop about the same, but does not lock up

[VMacKenzie]

As for swapping a factory disk brake axle into a '99 be aware the axle length is 2" longer, Dodge went to a 2" wider track starting 2000.

I put a disk conversion in my '98 and love it, no way I'd ever run a drum rear axle again. The difference in stopping power is profound, brake pedal feel is vastly improved. I did the Blackbird kit from a place in Spokane WA http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.com/

Some pics in my Photobucket album if you want to look

98 24V Club Cab Photos by VMac822 | Photobucket

98 24V Club Cab Photos by VMac822 | Photobucket

Only gripe is I think the brake biasing is a little strong in the rear now, I'm going to install an adjustable proportioning valve at some point.

[JJeepyjohn]

Is that 2" overall or each side.

[Signature600]

Overall.

Chris

[gwhammy]

I did it on the cheap, speed pro 9 inch disk brackets cut and welded to the flange, gm calipers and disk off mid 70's front 3/4 ton four wheel drive. Counter sunk the studs about half way in the stud holes so the stock studs would lock into the hub. I think I might have spend 150 bucks or so. Works great, I have wore out one set of pads but I pull a trailer a lot. They are cheap pads I think I'll put some better pads on the front and back this time.

[VMacKenzie]

I sure wish there were multi piston front caliper upgrades out there for older 2nd Gen trucks, to further improve braking power, but the best we can come up with are blueprinted reworked stock calipers that EGR offers.

Those with 2000-2002 trucks can upgrade to 3rd Gen front brakes, which helps considerably.