thorn3686 Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I've got an '05 SS with rear drum brakes. I looked through pages of threads to see if a drum to disc conversion has been discussed. Probably has, but I can't find it. So, what are my options guys? I knew when I bought this truck that I'd be tackling a disc conversion soon. Can't believe Chevy would slap the drums on instead of fixing some problem they were having with the parking brake I hear. SSBC has already told me they can't help. Haven't heard back from Baer and a couple of others. What I'm after is a kit with big plated rotors and calipers, front and rear. But, the rear drums have to go. Any help appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WI_Dave Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Besides the parking brake the drums are supposed to stop better too. I have disks and they stop for crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabess Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I would like some some info on this too It just looks funny with the drum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04CHASE Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 jonmalibuss has done this already! baer makes a conversion for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmalibuss Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I've got an '05 SS with rear drum brakes. I looked through pages of threads to see if a drum to disc conversion has been discussed. Probably has, but I can't find it. So, what are my options guys? I knew when I bought this truck that I'd be tackling a disc conversion soon. Can't believe Chevy would slap the drums on instead of fixing some problem they were having with the parking brake I hear. SSBC has already told me they can't help. Haven't heard back from Baer and a couple of others. What I'm after is a kit with big plated rotors and calipers, front and rear. But, the rear drums have to go. Any help appreciated. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The kit is pricy for fronts and rears but the kit I recommend and that I am running is from Bear. The front kit comes with 2 piece 15" drilled and slotted rotors with 6 piston calipers. The rear conversion comes with 04 style backing plates which use your existing hardwear the rears also come with 14" drilled and slotted rotors and bears PBR 2 piston calipers. The rears also come with braded lines from the hardline to the caliper and a bracket and a 3" hoseclamp to hold the bracket to the rearend. You will need to bend the hardline a bit to make it line up to where you put the bracket. You will also need to pull the rear cover off the diff and pull the pin out of the diff and pull the c-clips off of the axels to get the factory backing plates off. Then install the new backing plates and reinstall the axels. The front brakes are very basic to install. If you decide to install braded lines up front depending on the banjo fitting that mates to the caliper you may or may not need more of the copper washers to space out the banjo bolt. I had lines made and the banjo fitting was narrower than the factory one so I had to add two more washers so I have one washer between the caliper and the banjo the 3 between the banjo and the bolt. I was kind of afraid of doing this fearing that it may leak but I havn't had a problem. I would say if your going to spend the money go all the way with the 15's up front and not the 14's which only come with 2 piston calipers. Besides they designed the 15's with the 6 pistons to off set the fact that you are now running disk/disk and not disk/drum. They work very well and I have had them on for maybe 6 months now without an issue. Unless you have a connection to get the brakes cheaper they will probably run you somewhere around $4000. EDIT: You will also need e-brake cables for an 04 extended cab shortbed, even though the rearend in the 2wd is completely different they bolt right up. You may need to take a look under a truck which has disk brakes on it to see where the tabs on the cables go but there are already places for them on the larger rearend. Baer told me some of the stock cables into the drums will work and some wont. If you want to have the cables before you do the conversion take the drums off and take a look at the end of the cable inside the drum assembly. If there is a bead on the end of the cable then you need to order the cables if there is a suare loop on the end then they should work. I think the info I got from bear was more the fact that they were unsure and didn't really wanna tell me yes or no. I informed them of the part #'s so they should have them and they should be clear on what to do with the e-brake cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabess Posted May 3, 2006 Report Share Posted May 3, 2006 I got this email back from bear today... Gabe, We do offer our GT rear system for your truck. It will have 14" rotors and two piston calipers. They start at $1395.00 with the xd/s/z rotors. If you have any questions please call. Bill Koppinger 602-233-1411 Ext. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmalibuss Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 I got this email back from bear today... Gabe, We do offer our GT rear system for your truck. It will have 14" rotors and two piston calipers. They start at $1395.00 with the xd/s/z rotors. If you have any questions please call. Bill Koppinger 602-233-1411 Ext. 15 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Your looking right at double that for the front setup. You can go with the 14" rotors and 2 piston calipers on the 2wd but I wouldn't reccomend it for the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Your looking right at double that for the front setup. You can go with the 14" rotors and 2 piston calipers on the 2wd but I wouldn't reccomend it for the front. If you are going to use the 14" Baer package on the rear axle I also recommend using the 6-piston calipers on the front. I have the 14" Alumasports front and rear, and the fronts now do not have enough stopping power compared to the rear. ABS my ass, I have already swung the rear-end out once because the rears are locking-up before the fronts... Mr. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorn3686 Posted May 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Shoot! I knew what I was going to do until Misterp's post. I was going with the Baer Alumisport fronts and GT rears. The kits match in appearance and size and it is what Baer recommended. And since the truck is an occassional driver and it's mostly about looks, I didn't want to spend the bucks for Eradispeed fronts which don't match the rear GT kit anyway. The truck stops fine like it is. Maybe I'll just beat a trash can lid flat. Call it a fake rear rotor and throw it behind the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Go ahead and get the Alumasports, I *HIGHLY* recommend them; just know that you will have to drive the truck like a truck again, if you push the brakes to their limit the rears will lock up just before the fronts do; this never happened before on the stock rotors/calipers/pads but also the stockers would not drop the truck on its nose either! I have no problem with this behavior on my own truck, but if it bothers you then you can pay another $100 and install/set an adjustable proportioning valve on the rear line to tame the rear calipers a hair; the bias is not off by a lot, just a little. Mr. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmalibuss Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 Go ahead and get the Alumasports, I *HIGHLY* recommend them; just know that you will have to drive the truck like a truck again, if you push the brakes to their limit the rears will lock up just before the fronts do; this never happened before on the stock rotors/calipers/pads but also the stockers would not drop the truck on its nose either! I have no problem with this behavior on my own truck, but if it bothers you then you can pay another $100 and install/set an adjustable proportioning valve on the rear line to tame the rear calipers a hair; the bias is not off by a lot, just a little. Mr. P. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Even with the 15's in the front it will still lock up the rears first because the braking system on the truck is designed to apply the rear brakes first so it doesn't put the nose of the truck into the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorn3686 Posted May 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 I've got the Baer stuff ordered and on the way. Getting it through Speedtek in Fort Worth. Reuben @ Speedtek had also recommended the Baer adjustable proportioning valve for about $40 bucks more. So, the 14" fronts and rears are on the way. I'm going to get them to do the install since they do a lot of Baer brake stuff. Let you know 'bout the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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