Converting rear drum brakes to disc.

[Ray Hutchinson]

Bent the left rear brake backing plate when the spring locating bolt/pin sheared at Moab 2000, and let that side of the axle shift backward about a foot. You know , its the round sheet metal plate that the brake shoes rest and pivot on. No big deal, I thought, I'll just order a nother one from Ford, change it out and be good as new, right?
That is, until I found out that Ford wants $275.00 for a new plate!!!!!

Spending that kind of cash makes me think I shouild just put a few more bucks down and convert to rear discs. I'd like to hear from anyone with info about doing this mod, re: costs, difficulty, parts sources etc. I have heard that the set up from a newer explorer will just bolt on. Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Brett]

Ray,

I've done the rear disc swap on my 94 using late model parts. It is basically a bolt on job with very little modification needed. See the article I wrote as well as the one Paul Gagnon wrote under the tech tips. However, if you need a backing plate, I've got a couple. Let me know if you want one.

 

[Rob]

Take the offer Ray

Ray, I had to replace my plate for another reason but, I got my replacement from a junk yard with a lot of time spent searching!!! and negotiating. Rob

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Backing Plate

Brett,

Thanks for the offer of the plate. As it stands, I think I'd like to persue the disc conversion first. but It may come back to changing the plate. I can live with the bent plate for a while, but I want to install the new rear diff cast aluminum support cover I bought, after eyeballing Rick's diff. cover at Truckhaven and Moab, and listening to Jay, Matt and the others munching their lockers. My main goal is to save my rear ARB from the same fate, and while changing the diff. cover would be the time to pull the axle, and change the backing plate also....or convert to discs :confused

Thanks again, and I'll check out your article and kep you posted!

 

[Big E]

This last weekend I swapped my old drum axle to a new disc. In two hours my brother and I were crusin' down the road my truck. Only problem that I had forgot about was the rear brake hoses. I think total cost was about 300 bucks. The rear end was about $200 and the hoses were $37 each, and misc. parts fluid and stuff like that. I really like it. I now got 3.73 with limited slip.

Eric

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Rear end swap

BigE,

Thanks for the info, but I don't think swapping the whole third member will work, as I have ARB air lock in the rear diff (Front too), and already have 3.73's So I'm in for a bit more work! I have I do wonder about the parking brake cables though. Did you have to modify anything there? Also. what's the deal with the hoses? Do I need different ones? also installing new ones while I'm in there wouldn't be a bad idea. Are the fittings compatable ?

 

[Big E]

Well as you probably already know the early Explorers parking break hooked on the inside of the backing plate with just a knob? I don't know what to call it. It is just a little piece of metal on the end of the cable. But the newer rearends need that little peice of metal to have a hole in it to "hook" on the parking break from the outside. I will try to get a few pics for you and post them in the near future if I can figure how to post them. On to the brake hoses. The drum rearend used steel lines to the wheel cyl and used a double flair fitting with a pipe thread nut holding it into place. The new rear end uses the same set up and the front of the vehicle. One end of the hose receives the pipe fitting nut and the other end uses a "banjo" bolt and two copper washers. I don't know of any way around using the hoses. And if you think about it you will probably only replace them once. And I just found out how much more I liked disc than drum. And I can say is a stupid truck drive. (Notice: I only said one not all truck driver are srupid).

Eric