Rear disc brake options

[Texas82GP]

The S10 cylinders will make a difference but the bolt on bracket is the key. The clip that holds the wheel cylinder to the backing plate is a lousy design and causes some spongyness. Also, replace all three brake hoses (including the one to the rear axle) with braided stainless like Russell.
Here is the link to the bracket.....
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C71FZU/?tag=gbody-20

 

[pontiacgp]

I do like the idea of that. But I would also like to have rear disc for looks. I have rebuilt my rear drums with new hardware and pads and drums. Do you think I would notice a difference adding in the s10 wheel cylinders? I'm just running Autozone duralast gold pads in the rear right now, is there a big benefit to going ceramic? I do run ceramic up front

I have an A body rear and have the disk set up to install which has been sitting in a box for about 4 years. The A body drums are the same as the G body and the shoes are the same size but are designed similar to the F body because the wheel cylinder is bolted in like the F body. It was very noticeable how much the rear brakes improved so I didn't bother to rush the conversion. The A body rear backing plates are bolted with 4 bolts like the F body so the conversion is easier than it would be on the G body rear.

Like Jared pointed out if you are circle track racing then the rear disk if permitted by the rules would be a great upgrade since in circle track you are heavy on the brakes for each corner. With a drum brake you get your pedal height with the rear drum brake and when the drums heat up in circle track the drums expand giving you a low and inconstant pedal. You want to go in as deep as you can in the entrance of a corner but with a low pedal you don't chance that so a disk set up is beneficial. As for cross drilled rotors they are not needed as the brake pads do not give off gasses like they use to so it's better braking to have more contact with a solid or slotted rotor. The other thing with cross drilled rotors they do not heat and cool uniformly so they tend to develop spider cracks spreading out from the drilled holes.

 

[mobileaudio25]

Unless if you want the rear discs for looks, don't spend the money. Put in a set of manual brake S10 wheel cylinders with the bolt in brackets, adjust the shoes nice and snug and call it a day. You will have a lot better pedal feel. If you aren't going to road race the car, you don't need rear disks. I realize this is not a popular opinion.

I do like the look of it because I have slot and drilled rotors upfront with the blazer brake upgrade, but I thought there would be a noticeable difference switching to rear disc, but apparently that's not the case. I hardly drive the car in 4 years I've put around 200 miles on it, but I plan on changing that this spring. I like the idea of the s10 cylinders and bolt in brackets. I don't really like how the gbody cylinders are held in .

 

[mobileaudio25]

I totally agree with Jared. Most of us don't "need" them, we just "want" them. I have a similar setup on my car - S10 cylinders / Wagner Thermoquiet shoes / new brake spring hardware / Aluminum drums. I have some pretty good brakes, combined with S10 Blazer twin piston front calipers / Wagner Thermoquiet pads / Cross drilled & slotted rotors / Russell stainless brake hoses. This does not mean I won't get my "wanted" rear disk conversion, though. They would look better with my larger 20" wheel, and act as a "c-clip eliminator" / "axle retention" device.

I'm also running slot and drilled blazer setup up front. Do you think I would notice some increase by adding the the s10 cylinders and a nice set of brake shoes? I just have duralast gold as my shoes

 

[mobileaudio25]

I have an A body rear and have the disk set up to install which has been sitting in a box for about 4 years. The A body drums are the same as the G body and the shoes are the same size but are designed similar to the F body because the wheel cylinder is bolted in like the F body. It was very noticeable how much the rear brakes improved so I didn't bother to rush the conversion. The A body rear backing plates are bolted with 4 bolts like the F body so the conversion is easier than it would be on the G body rear.

Like Jared pointed out if you are circle track racing then the rear disk if permitted by the rules would be a great upgrade since in circle track you are heavy on the brakes for each corner. With a drum brake you get your pedal height with the rear drum brake and when the drums heat up in circle track the drums expand giving you a low and inconstant pedal. You want to go in as deep as you can in the entrance of a corner but with a low pedal you don't chance that so a disk set up is beneficial. As for cross drilled rotors they are not needed as the brake pads do not give off gasses like they use to so it's better braking to have more contact with a solid or slotted rotor. The other thing with cross drilled rotors they do not heat and cool uniformly so they tend to develop spider cracks spreading out from the drilled holes.

Good information there are the rotors. I mainly went with the drilled and slotted for the looks. I don't drive the car much and take it pretty easy on the brakes, I just like to have the performance aspect there if I want to have a little fun. Only street driven, probably seen 200 miles per year

 

[mobileaudio25]

I have an A body rear and have the disk set up to install which has been sitting in a box for about 4 years. The A body drums are the same as the G body and the shoes are the same size but are designed similar to the F body because the wheel cylinder is bolted in like the F body. It was very noticeable how much the rear brakes improved so I didn't bother to rush the conversion. The A body rear backing plates are bolted with 4 bolts like the F body so the conversion is easier than it would be on the G body rear.

Like Jared pointed out if you are circle track racing then the rear disk if permitted by the rules would be a great upgrade since in circle track you are heavy on the brakes for each corner. With a drum brake you get your pedal height with the rear drum brake and when the drums heat up in circle track the drums expand giving you a low and inconstant pedal. You want to go in as deep as you can in the entrance of a corner but with a low pedal you don't chance that so a disk set up is beneficial. As for cross drilled rotors they are not needed as the brake pads do not give off gasses like they use to so it's better braking to have more contact with a solid or slotted rotor. The other thing with cross drilled rotors they do not heat and cool uniformly so they tend to develop spider cracks spreading out from the drilled holes.

Good information there are the rotors. I mainly went with the drilled and slotted for the looks. All of what you said seems to make perfect sense, I guess I never thought about the rotors functionality that way. I don't drive the car much and take it pretty easy on the brakes, I just like to have the performance aspect there if I want to have a little fun. Only street driven, probably seen 200 miles per year.

 

[ssn696]

The biggest thing not mentioned so far is that most disc brake conversions require cutting the axle 'tabs' that support the wheel cylinders down to fit the disc backing plates, then drilling four holes. What you end up with is the trapezoidal pattern GM used for decades, including on the 70's A-body/F-body axles as pontiacgp describes. It's not hard, but you have to use care (and shop rags) not to get steel chips into the axle housing. I did a detailed write-up, go to my member page for the link. Then you can see what you are signing up for.

There is an alternative. Scarebird makes adapter plates that allow you to use the axle as found and early-80s Buick/Olds/Cad rear calipers. The parking brake is a lever that manually pushes the pads into the rotors. I have the plates and used calipers and rotors if you want to go this route. I decided I liked the separate internal drum parking brake. If you want to know more, I can dig out the parts and post some photos. You would still have to remove the stock drum backing plates, but you could unbolt them and then hack them apart without removing the axle shafts.

 

[MC96]

Allstar makes a nice kit that matches up to the factory flange, uses metric calipers and LT1 Camaro rotors.

 

[JAMCAR223]

IMO this this the most "bang for the buck" kit. This is the one I will go with, when I do my conversion. And it has drilled & slotted rear rotors.
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335822911&icep_item=201541810297

 

[Texas82GP]

IMO this this the most "bang for the buck" kit. This is the one I will go with, when I do my conversion. And it has drilled & slotted rear rotors.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201541810297?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

That does look like a nice kit. I've bought a few things from inline tube and have been happy with all of it.