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Rear Drum To Disc Conversion


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Hey guys, i'm a little new to the truck scene and was wondering if anyone here has done a drum to disc conversion. If so what company did you use and how are they working for you. Links and tips would be so helpful. Thanks in advance.

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I am in the process of doing the same thing to my 06 SSS. I have a pair of the factory calipers and lines if you are interested. you just need to gather all the parts. it is a complete bolt on swap, if you have the parts.

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You can use all factory parts, and you will need:

parking brake cables; axle brake lines from an axle with stock disks, the baking plate, the parking brake assembly, rotors, calipers and caliper mounting brakets. This also requieres opening the dif and pulling the axles out.

 

One note, its not bad but when you do drums to disk conversion, the axle clocks the calipers up 45*. Just make sure that the bleeder is the high point in the system. It might be easier to just buy and axle with stock disks. The good thing is that you can use any truck axle to do so, you don't need to get the exact same one as whats in your ride.

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I am looking into also converting drum to disk. I"ve been asking around town and some one said I may need to change the master cylinder. Does anyone know if thats true.

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So disc are better?

 

Depends, Disk perform better, but the parking brake assembly sucks, which is why GM went back to drums. Put it this way, what do you see braking all of the sport cars,

 

I am looking into also converting drum to disk. I"ve been asking around town and some one said I may need to change the master cylinder. Does anyone know if thats true.

 

No, but swaping out the proportioning valve isn't a bad Idea.

 

 

Also, the suburban, SSS, and the maybe the tahoe's use a thicker rear rotor with dual piston calipers VS. the regular silverado trucks that use a smaller rotor with single piston calipers in the rear

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Leave the drums. My fathers 09 stops faster then my ss. I still run the stock size rotors but I have them in the cross drilled and slotted style. All I know is you hardly have to worry about the drum style. Thats my .02

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Leave the drums. My fathers 09 stops faster then my ss. I still run the stock size rotors but I have them in the cross drilled and slotted style. All I know is you hardly have to worry about the drum style. Thats my .02

That is not necessarily accurate because GM improved the front brakes whenever they went to the drums in the rear. Looks like the OP has an 06 SS so his front brakes are better than what came on the previous 4 wheel disc trucks. If he adds discs, Im willing to bet it will stop as well if not better than an 09 with rear drums.

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You wouldn't believe how well the drum rear SSS stops with a minor rotor/pad/line upgrade up front. I can't see spending the money upgrade the rear to disc on a nice performing brake system IMO.....then again, I understand it if you are concerned about looks. On the other hand, if your drums are weathered and oxidized, a wire brush and some flat black brake paint takes care of that.

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just to give you a idea of cost, putting a 9.5" diff in my SS took the drums off it bolted on the disc backing plates mine was disc so e brake cables are the same

03 SS part # gm25879189 Park brake assem $95ea side

14" Baer rotors $550

2 piston calipers stock $250 loaded or 6 piston $550

flex lines $60

e brake cables ?

 

 

but sure look nice behind sexy rims

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

LEAVE THE DRUMS!!!!!!!! I had an 04 silverado 4x4 with disks in the back. You couldnt stop that truck if your life deppended on it. My 06 Intimidator with factory disk/drum stops on a dime. But I am going to up grade the frnt to Z06 brakes. Google it. Your trucks will stop on half dimes.

 

Use this google link to find the silveradoss forum guy's how to.

 

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=z06+silverado+brake+conversion&oq=z06+silverado+brake+conversion&gs_l=hp.3..0i8i30l2.1347.9123.0.9772.30.29.0.1.1.0.154.2750.24j5.29.0...0.0.0kZmtGw3JQM&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=ce19979f0aca28f&biw=1600&bih=778

 

This is the how to link...

 

http://www.silveradoss.com/forums/topic/64830-z06-brake-conversion/

 

This set up is for frnt and rear but if you have drums in the rear LEAVE them alone. All you need is those BIG RED's up frnt and you will be good.

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