disc brake swap - Page 3

LOWGREEN1 · 10-30-2006, 10:43 AM

Here's some info I found while looking up this conversion:: If you are using Cadillac ElDorado/Seville rear calipers there are some important things you should know. One of the biggest advantages of a disc brake system is the fool proof self adjuster. Not so with this rear GM system. The rear calipers adjust off the parking brake. The parking brake is incorporated into the caliper. You must set the parking brake every time you park the car. The rear caliper pitons utilize a one way clutch inside the caliper piston. When the parking brake is applied the clutch senses when there is .030" or more clearance between the friction material and the rotor on the inboard side. When there is more than .030" the clutch turns inside the piston adjusting it out keeping the rear brakes adjusted. If you do not set your parking brake every time you will start to lose brake pedal (low and spongy) and the adjuster mechanism will not work any longer. Also: never use rebuilt calipers on the rear because the rebuilt units use the old pistons and the pistons were the reason the caliper failed in the first place.

Low88 · 10-30-2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CKTA

Nice work and thanks for the info Low88!

Hey cordatta, I know you said you did'nt need a proportioning valve, but does it feel the same as far as bais....you know, when you stomp on them does the @ss end get out fo line or does it stay straight like stock? Also, how does the E-brake work? Does it hold and is it adjustible like stock?

BTW, either of you think about dust shields for the backside? Is there even room for them?

Thanks in advance.

CKTA, dust shields are possible on my setup, but they would have to be pretty much hand made, or modified versions of other ones. I havent gotten that far yet, but its in the works.

Low88 · 10-30-2006, 11:11 AM

cordatta... any pics of your ebrake line setup/configuration? I have the stock lines off the Caddy, but running them is going to be a cluster****. Any body experience with making their own e-brake cables, or shortening existing ones?

cordatta · 10-30-2006, 12:07 PM

ill work on getting some more pics of the setup on the truck. busy with school right now but i will post them as soon as i can.

CKTA · 10-30-2006, 12:11 PM

keep the info coming guys.

Also, cordatta....did you read post #41? Maybe you don't have air...maybe it has to do w/ the E-brake being used...or not being used.

cordatta · 10-30-2006, 12:20 PM

ckta yea i had found that info during my research on doing the swap. i think i have a bubble based on the fact the pedal felt different right from the get go. the truck stops fine and everything but after some more research i came across that the calipers sometimes need to be bled off of the brackets. ill keep everyone posted as work continues. low88 didnt mean to hijack your thread just thought it went hand in hand with your install.

hammered65 · 10-30-2006, 01:24 PM

Me and my brother have done something similar to his truck. We originally had a 79 Firebird rearend that had factory disc brakes, but they eventually quit working. They are very similar to the Cadillacs and they are a horrible design. The whole parking brake adjustment has to be just right or they will never work properly, like LowGreen describes. We finally ditched that and put in a 67 Nova rearend and found some 1998-2002 Camaro or Firebird rear discs, brackets and rotors from the junkyard and bolted them up. Not sure if they will fit a truck rearend, but they do work on a car rearend. We had to add a spacer to one of the caliper brackets. The bolt pattern for the Camaro used a slightly larger diameter whole for the studs than the Nova, but it works. The nice thing about those is they use a PBR caliper and 12 inch rotors.

Kore3 offers the brackets for the Impala swap for $85.00. They are working on a kit for the front that will use Corvette C5/C6 brake components.

CKTA · 10-30-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammered65

Me and my brother have done something similar to his truck. We originally had a 79 Firebird rearend that had factory disc brakes, but they eventually quit working. They are very similar to the Cadillacs and they are a horrible design. The whole parking brake adjustment has to be just right or they will never work properly, like LowGreen describes. We finally ditched that and put in a 67 Nova rearend and found some 1998-2002 Camaro or Firebird rear discs, brackets and rotors from the junkyard and bolted them up. Not sure if they will fit a truck rearend, but they do work on a car rearend. We had to add a spacer to one of the caliper brackets. The bolt pattern for the Camaro used a slightly larger diameter whole for the studs than the Nova, but it works. The nice thing about those is they use a PBR caliper and 12 inch rotors.

.

F-bodys have 5 0n 4.75", not 5 on 5 like "our" trucks.

Low88 · 10-30-2006, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cordatta

ckta yea i had found that info during my research on doing the swap. i think i have a bubble based on the fact the pedal felt different right from the get go. the truck stops fine and everything but after some more research i came across that the calipers sometimes need to be bled off of the brackets. ill keep everyone posted as work continues. low88 didnt mean to hijack your thread just thought it went hand in hand with your install.

hey man i apprectiate the "hijack".. and you didnt even hijack at all. post those pics when you get a chance though!

hammered65 · 10-30-2006, 05:40 PM

CKTA, I bellieve that KORE3 has C5 rotors with the correct 5 on 5 bolt pattern. The only part in question would be if the hub would fit over a truck axle. Just another option from the Cadillac calipers.

Low88 · 10-30-2006, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammered65

CKTA, I bellieve that KORE3 has C5 rotors with the correct 5 on 5 bolt pattern. The only part in question would be if the hub would fit over a truck axle. Just another option from the Cadillac calipers.

I would worry about my stock master cylinder and brake booster.

You can run S-10 calipers, or just about any GM caliper for that matter...speedway has a bracket for them.

CKTA · 10-31-2006, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Low88

You can run S-10 calipers, .

Correct, but you loose the use of the E-brake no?

What "other" GM calipers can "we" use and still keep an E-brake?

I love this set-up, however, setting the e-brake every time you park (with these caddy calipers)is kinda bogus to me.

cordatta · 10-31-2006, 07:47 AM

ckta i know there is another caliper out there that most of the 14 bolt guys run. it uses a d-122 pad and still has the ebrake on it. it would require you to make your own mounting bracket since the axle flanges are different on the 10 bolt vs the 14 bolt and it is bigger than the caddy caliper. i did some quick searching and havent come up with a part number for the caliper though. so i guess im just useless...

CKTA · 10-31-2006, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cordatta

. so i guess im just useless...

Not at all, I love picking people brains and trying to get info. This is what makes this place so great......all kinds of info getting thrown around.

Guido · 10-31-2006, 07:54 AM

a full write up would be great. I've been thinking about doing this for a while but I have 6 lugs.

cordatta · 10-31-2006, 08:05 AM

managed to get a few pics snapped real quick of both sides. bettter pics will follow this weekend when i try to adjust the ebrake and do another bleed on the system.

Passenger

Driver

CKTA · 10-31-2006, 08:08 AM

Now are those the trucks factory E-brake lines attached to the Caddy calipers?

cordatta · 10-31-2006, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CKTA

Not at all, I love picking people brains and trying to get info. This is what makes this place so great......all kinds of info getting thrown around.

the exact reason i love being on here. finding out new ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CKTA

Now are those the trucks factory E-brake lines attached to the Caddy calipers?

yes they are if you look at the drivers side there is a spacer between the cable and the caliper bracket to take up the extra length associated with the stock cables. again better pics this weekend when its back apart.

cordatta · 10-31-2006, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guido

a full write up would be great. I've been thinking about doing this for a while but I have 6 lugs.

it would be even easier for you due to the 6 lugs. you can use any front rotor from a 4wd light duty chevy/gmc. come up with the brackets and calipers and your pretty much done.

CKTA · 10-31-2006, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cordatta

yes they are if you look at the drivers side there is a spacer between the cable and the caliper bracket to take up the extra length associated with the stock cables. again better pics this weekend when its back apart.

Cool, better pics would be sweet. I see the spacer....how did you find out what you needed...trail and error or was this mentioned somewhere w/ these "kits". If you figured it out yuorself.....dimmensions would be cool!


Home Forum Rules Downloads Supporting Member Ebay! Advertise Links