Little Shop Disc Break Conversion

[Schurkey]

I don't know if that's a fair comparison, since every caliper I've seen with knockout pins is at least a 4 piston design with opposed pistons. Plenty of street cars have this design. My 2001 Lexus LX has it.

Besides, it's only 2 bolts if you want to take the caliper off.

My point is not the two pins, it's the attitude of "slap in pads, forget to look at all the rest of the parts". That's fine at the pit-stop. NOT fine for daily drivers.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

My point is not the two pins, it's the attitude of "slap in pads, forget to look at all the rest of the parts". That's fine at the pit-stop. NOT fine for daily drivers.

I don't know who would go to all the trouble to get to that point and not give at least a visual inspection. As far as I know, in endurance racing they swap the whole assembly as a unit. Quick disconnect brake lines, it's pretty cool but not for street.

 

[Alteca]

My point is not the two pins, it's the attitude of "slap in pads, forget to look at all the rest of the parts". That's fine at the pit-stop. NOT fine for daily drivers.

I’m gonna have to agree with deadbeef here and say anyone who would “slap in pads and forget about it” with a 2 pin caliper setup, would ALSO do it with a standard caliper. The caliper design isn’t changing that IMO.

 

[someotherguy]

I'd just like to chime in from the maintenance standpoint. Whatever engineer designed that horrible setup on the '06 Silverado drums (9.5" 14SF) I'd love to kick him in the berries. I've had people explain it to me and even resorted to watching videos (which is honestly not something that's in my DNA for the most part) on how to do them, and that stupid spring still whups me. It's like a giant Jesus clip. You know, like the ones on the old crank window handles that go flying when you try to remove/install.. these are like a monster-sized version of them. HATE working on those drums.

Not my pic, but the same setup.. and that stupid huge Jesus clip:

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Richard

 

[Schurkey]

Huh. GM resurrected the single-wire "W-spring" system used back in the '80s on some of the wrong-wheel-drive cars. And still using the leading/trailing shoe system. Nuts.

What diameter is the drum ID? Bigger than 254mm, I hope!

Lisle sells a special tool (50600) for popping that style of spring free from the shoes. I don't own one, but I've seen pictures.
www.amazon.com/Lisle-50600-Spring-Brake-Tool/dp/B000GHZMTQ/?th=1

Thexton also made one, #832. Long ago discontinued. Maybe still be able to get a used one on eBay or Craigslist or somesuch.
www.amazon.com/Thexton-832-Brake-Spring-Release/dp/B09KMC2NZR

The Amazon reviews mention using the Lisle tool on the GMT800 trucks.

 

[someotherguy]

Huh. GM resurrected the single-wire "W-spring" system used back in the '80s on some of the wrong-wheel-drive cars. And still using the leading/trailing shoe system. Nuts.

What diameter is the drum ID? Bigger than 254mm, I hope!

Lisle sells a special tool (50600) for popping that style of spring free from the shoes. I don't own one, but I've seen pictures.
www.amazon.com/Lisle-50600-Spring-Brake-Tool/dp/B000GHZMTQ/?th=1

Thexton also made one, #832. Long ago discontinued. Maybe still be able to get a used one on eBay or Craigslist or somesuch.
www.amazon.com/Thexton-832-Brake-Spring-Release/dp/B09KMC2NZR

The Amazon reviews mention using the Lisle tool on the GMT800 trucks.

The issue isn't getting the spring OFF, it's getting the shoe assembly and spring back ON.. what a freaking torture session.

They're just shy of 300mm I believe. It's on a "hybrid" style 9.5" 14SF, doesn't have the monster brakes you would expect. Quick shot of an aerosol overhaul on the wife's truck before slapping on some new rear tires:

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Richard

 

[caw_86]

Meh. Brakes are for losers. Just cut a hole in the floorboard and Fred Flintstone it...

Some of these trucks you dont even have to cut the hole, just peel the carpet back

 

[Merritt31]

1. The typical "Little Shop of Horrors" and other bottom-feeder "cheap" disc conversion use ElDorado calipers and crappy, poorly-engineered flat adapter brackets that put undue stress on the caliper mounting pins.

Yea I can see what you're talking about there. What usually happens to the slide pins? They end up sheering off?

2. The "downgraded" master cylinder is supposed to be used with non-Low Drag calipers, but it seems like half the folks (or more) that cram that master onto their vehicles don't change their calipers making the master cylinder a total mis-match with poor hydraulic advantage.

Yea I guess I can't much about this other than the breaking is much better and the peddle stiffness is awesome. That could also be due to my drums never being set up properly so I don't know what they could have been so bad comparison on my part maybe.

 

[Merritt31]

A well designed caliper, all you have to do to change pads is knock out 2 pins and push the pistons back. When I change shoes, a lot of cussin' and fussin' is involved. You're never going to convince me that drums are better.

Yea same but that's probably because I have grown up replacing disc breaks and not working on drums. To me they are a PITAA

 

[Merritt31]

Some of these trucks you dont even have to cut the hole, just peel the carpet back

Yea unfortunately I'm getting there faster than I would want.