Disc Brake conversion

[ca18escort]

Guys,
Just been going through the hassle of getting my zook engineered with the mods. I was having problems with the disc brake conversion locking up the back tyres when you stomp of the brakes. The problem is easy to fix as it turns out. You just pull the springs out of the propertioning valve and cut 5mm of the springs and refit them. Problem solved.

Cheers
Paul

[built4thrashing]

that some good info about the rear disks. im getting the parts together now to do it to my beast

[ca18escort]

Just took it for a drive this morning and it has been raining. 5mm isn't enough you will need to take 8-10mm of the srping which works out to about 4 coils. Much better only just locks the back wheels now when you stand on it.

Paul

[built4thrashing]

hey just curious where is the proportioning valve? is it the thing bolted to the chasis near the rear fuel filter?

[Damo]

hey just curious where is the proportioning valve? is it the thing bolted to the chasis near the rear fuel filter?

Yeah that's the one.

[ca18escort]

Nope that isn't it. That one is the load proportioning valve that adjusts for weight in the back. I think that they are only on LWB. The one that I modified is bolted to the chassis rail right nect to the fire wall on the drivers side. It should have 6 pipes coming into it. 2 from the master cylinder, 2 going to the front brakes and 2 for the rear brakes. These are the two that are at the bottom of the block. If you still can't find it let me know and I will krewl under the car with the digital camera.

Paul

[Damo]

Nope that isn't it. That one is the load proportioning valve that adjusts for weight in the back. I think that they are only on LWB. The one that I modified is bolted to the chassis rail right nect to the fire wall on the drivers side. It should have 6 pipes coming into it. 2 from the master cylinder, 2 going to the front brakes and 2 for the rear brakes. These are the two that are at the bottom of the block. If you still can't find it let me know and I will krewl under the car with the digital camera.

Paul

Gawdammit, I really gotta read the question properly

I wonder if these are different between the different brake setups (eg, 1 rear & 2 rear brake lines)

[built4thrashing]

ive got a swb soft top and it has the rear valve thingy (LSPV=load sensing proportioning valve-thats what book says it is) but it has no lever to connect to anything.

i have 2 lines going from the master cyclinder to the proportioning valve and then 2 out to the front brakes and 2 out of it to the rear valve then only one to the diff.

how did you pull it apart have ya got an exploaded view of it from a manual?

[ca18escort]

I will take a digital photo of it this afternoon when I get home from work and have a look in the manual and it should make sense then.

There are a couple of diffrent setups for the brake system depending on the year and type ie SWB or LWB I believe.

Paul

[Bazooka]

Just upgrade the front brakes so they are better than the rear.

[ca18escort]

I hope that this makes sense now.

Cheers
Paul

[SiKiD_01]

hi all,

is it possible for someone to measure their disc rotors in which they will be using for the rear disc conversions.

i think i have found a set of calipers, unknown origin, but measure 18cm where the surface of the wheel touches, and 25cm OD of rotor. i do not have them yet, but if it will fit either sierra, or vitara disc rotors, i will get them.

thanks
Steve

PS, unsure if this is thread hi jacking, so if it is, i do apologise.

[built4thrashing]

do vitara calipers bold on to a sierra? Are they bigger. if so this would be a better option as ya will have newer calipers for the front and use the stock ones for the rear

[dubb]

Without highjacking, I have the old 1ltr front drum brakes ...how hard is it to convert to disk front end?

[SiKiD_01]

Guys,
Just been going through the hassle of getting my zook engineered with the mods. I was having problems with the disc brake conversion locking up the back tyres when you stomp of the brakes. The problem is easy to fix as it turns out. You just pull the springs out of the propertioning valve and cut 5mm of the springs and refit them. Problem solved.

Cheers
Paul

Hi paul, can u tell me what calipers and discs u used for the rear disc. can you also get pics for me? only if its not too much hassle.

thanks
Steve

[jtraf]

trail tough make a kit that allows you to bolt on standard sierra disks and calipers on the back.....

What brakes and how to convert drum front sierra......get a disk braked diff and change it over...

James

[Gonzo]

trail tough make a kit that allows you to bolt on standard sierra disks and calipers on the back.....

What brakes and how to convert drum front sierra......get a disk braked diff and change it over...

James

Does it work on a vit rear too?

[cj]

trail tough make a kit that allows you to bolt on standard sierra disks and calipers on the back.....

What brakes and how to convert drum front sierra......get a disk braked diff and change it over...

James

Does it work on a vit rear too?

Yeah but no handbrake. Have a look at Skyline or Magna calipers.

[ca18escort]

I have just got std front discs and calipers fitted to the rear of mine which is why I had the problem of the rear brakes locking up on me. I have just got one of the kits that you see floating around you should be able to find photos of it on the net. If you still want pics let me know and I will take some this afternoon.

Paul

[BenT]

do vitara calipers bold on to a sierra? Are they bigger. if so this would be a better option as ya will have newer calipers for the front and use the stock ones for the rear

Yep, Vitara calipers and discs will fit. I have a set off a LWB vitara on mine, and they are a vented disk with a bigger piston in the caliper and bigger pads. They bolt straight on with a tiny bit of trimming of the backing plate, and new brake lines.
Only issue is the bleed nipple is in the wrong place, so you have to partly remove the caliper and rotate it to bleed the brakes, but its not a major.

I have my old fronts on the rear. You still need something to fix the bias though.

Ben

[SiKiD_01]

thanks for the help that i've been given, looks like i'll be stuck with drums for a while.

i can't seem to get an engineer up here to approve it properly, and they all say they haven't had experience with zooks or 4wd disc conversions. they are all worried about the proportioning of the brakes etc etc.

boo hoo for me.

more time to study the problems in which you face with a vit rear disc conv.

also, i was at the wreckers, and found a very good caliper to use, esp for vits. it belongs to a FORD, kf, laser TX3. apprently the TX3 was an sports version, and so they are better. the hand brake is incorporated, and have found that R30, R31 skylines, and pintaras are no good, same as ford falcon ones, the hand brake cam seizes regularly. the TX3 one is very good, and would be ideal. also, there was a proton sedan there as well, and had a similar rear caliper to the TX3, but more newer. also a good candidate. these rotors measured about 250mm, looks as though this is a standard size for passenger rear discs.

if only there were engineers that knew their sh!t up here, i'd be right to go, but i guess its gonna be an extra hour more now, to take off both rear wheels and drums to give it a rinse. *must invest in a good/large trolley jack*

[ca18escort]

If you cut the springs in half like I did you will not have a problem with brake proportioning. Just for it up and then let the engineer take it for a drive. That is all I did. My engineer drove it before and after and coupldn't believe the difference.

Paul

[built4thrashing]

still need to know how ya pulled it apart. have you got exploded view of it?

[ca18escort]

If you have a look at the photo that I posted. All you do is undo the brake line and then unscrew the larger nut looking thing. It is hollow inside and the spring and the plunger sit inside that. It takes about 5 mins to pull it aparts. 2 mins to cut the springs and 5min to put it back together. you bleed you brakes and you are away. There isn't an exploded diagram in the manul though I just had to work it out for myself. It sounds a little harsh but I am not going to pull it apart again because I had to do it 4 times while I was trying to get the spring length right.

Paul

[Damo]

It sounds a little harsh but I am not going to pull it apart again because I had to do it 4 times while I was trying to get the spring length right.
Paul

Don't stress Paul, thanks for posting up.

Builtforthrashing, if you don't have enough info now to do this then DAAAAYYYUUMM! I don't know what you are gonna do

[built4thrashing]

thanks for all the details. just wanted to see how it all goes together so if i stuff it up i got a picture on how it goes back together.

[christover1]

I'm starting my disc rear coversion tonight.
If I have a bias problem, then I need to know something.
In the pic you have pointed to the front brake spring bit.
Is it the front brakes are inreased by halving the spring.
Or do you halve the spring of the rear to lessen rear brake power?
I realise the one at rear of car can be going to the front brakes on most.
Mine is a 1.0 LWB. It has no load valve near the fuel filter, so I just hoping it will be ok. Just a single line from the master, that goes into the right rear and then the line comes out and across to the left.
we will be making a t-piece and 2 new lines for the discs.
christover

[christover1]

I just checked mine, it's totally different, so my question is irrelevant
As there is no nut to remove, and no spring to cut, I guess.
The later 1.3's have a split circuit set up, with brake lines everywhere. (in case of a failure you don't lose all brakes)
Mine just has 2 lines for the front and 1 to the rear. (This still gives brakes at opposite end if you get a prob at the other). And no Load valve thingy.
So I will address bias differently, if its actually is a problem.
Maybe smaller discs on rear, or lesser quality or smaller pads ?
Won't try to fix it unless its actually a problem.

christover

[ca18escort]

Christover1,
I can only vouch for the setup that I have in mine. The way that I worked it out to start with was to just pull the springs out all together and that way you can see what happens. To answer your question from what I can tell it reduced the pressure to the rear brakes.

Paul

[christover1]

Christover1,
I can only vouch for the setup that I have in mine. The way that I worked it out to start with was to just pull the springs out all together and that way you can see what happens. To answer your question from what I can tell it reduced the pressure to the rear brakes.

Paul

Many thanx for that, Paul, but my 1.o litre brake set up definately has no removeable parts, it must be a 1.3 thing, or a swb thing, so I don't have that option. (But I have mates that will like to know this info)]

I am rather tired of replacing shoes and wheel cylinders, so the conversion will save me heaps in the long run..as well as saving my sanity...I am unsure whether I will run a handbrake on the rear, but they do have that option. presently my hand brake on the transfer is working well, but that never seems to last long .
christover