How To: Rear Drum To Disc Conversion

[timot_one]

So, I was able to get this swap knocked out this weekend.  The major part of this is swapping out the rear knuckles.  I didn't take pictures of the ebrake cable swap because I didn't have a camera guy for that part and I couldn't get any good pictures from underneath.  I had used ebrake cables, which are giving me a problem right now, so I will be changing them in a few weeks.  I will update this thread with part numbers and the ebrake cable swap when I have more time.

You'll want to start off by putting your car on jack stands and removing the rear wheels.  After that, soak everything with PB blaster or the of penetrating spay of your choice.

I started by removing the end links first.  Mine are aftermarket, so I didn't have have the allen head bolt like OEM.  I was able to hold the end link bolt with an open end wrench, and zip the nut off with an impact gun.  I believe I was using a 14mm socket on this.

This is a close up of where the end link nut is.  


Here's one side of the end link removed and moved out of the way.  You don't need to remove it from the sway bar.

Next I removed the retaining clip for the castle nut for the ball joint on the upper arm.

Then I removed the castle nut with a 17mm impact socket, with a wobbly extension for clearance.


I used a prybar and a hammer to get the ball joint loose.

I used a 17mm pivot socket to get the upper leading arm bolt loose, but finished the job with a 17mm gear wrench.


Then I moved on and removed the rear shock bolt with a 17mm socket.


Remove the control arm nut with a 17mm socket.

Remove the lower arm nut with a 17mm socket while holding the bolt in place with a 17mm open end wrench.


Then back out the bolt with the impact gun and the same 17mm open end wrench you used to hold the bolt in place when removing the nut.


Then remove the bolt for the trailing arm with a 17mm socket.

At this point the knuckle is free, but you still need to remove the ABS sensor connector.

Bend down the ABS sensor cable bracket to get to the bolt holding it and remove it with a 10mm gear wrench.

Disconnect the brake line last so you don't lose too much fluid.  Make sure you use a 10mm flare nut wrench.  DO NOT USE AN OPEN ENDED WRENCH.  If you do, you will round the nut and need to replace your entire brake line.  Make sure that you hit this with penetrating spray also, because that area seemed to be gunked up really bad and I almost bent my hard line.

Unbolt the bracket that holds the brake line with a 12mm socket and remove the soft line from the hard line.

I took a used rubber glove and zip tied it to the brake line so it wouldn't leak everywhere.

Then remove the ebrake cable bracket from the trailing arm with a 12mm socket.

At this point, everything is disconnected, so you can pull the knuckle out.  This is how it should look when you're done.


After that, reverse the steps to bolt everything back up.  Connect the ABS sensor and brake lines last.  After you have done both sides, replace the proportioning valve located in the engine bay below your brake master cylinder.  Then bleed your brakes and call it a day.

I will try to include some more steps for replacing the ebrake cable, but it really isn't that hard to pull off if you have a little common sense.

[MyNameIsThien]

Awesome stuff Tim. Can't wait to see it complete.

[ADI]

Thanks for the DIY Tim, now i can tackle this project with out worries well less worries then before

[Mike]

The Flare nut wrench became my best friend after installing a new master cylinder in the GF's Camry last week. This is a must have tool for any job involving brake or fuel lines. It's worth the $5 - $7 to pick one up. Awesome write up Tim!

[mitchigan]

so... what setup did you use for the rear since you have dual piston legend front calipers? btw, nice tigers hat.

[timot_one]

I used the OEM calipers with Paul's big brake caliper bracket and Pilot rear rotors.  The Legend calipers in the front will be replaced with RL calipers and larger rotors for the front when my wheel spacers arrive.

I have to stay true to my roots and rock a Tigers hat.  I have been known to wear Red Sox hats also.

[striktlyaccord]

I likey.

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

Hmm, I was wondering. If you're going with a larger rotor but keeping the same caliper, wouldn't that accomplish nothing since you still have the same amount of pad area grabbing the rotor? Maybe I'm missing something here. Do you plan on upgrading the calipers down the road?

[timot_one]

Not really.  Larger rotors mean that the calipers biting on the rotors have more leverage.

[Jeff Likes Bagels]

Ahhh okay, I can see it now. Thanks for clarifying.

[striktlyaccord]

So if you have oem-ish sized brakes up front like myself (Brembo blanks/Hawk pads), and you upgrade from drums to discs in the rear, will this throw the overall braking "balance" of the car off at all?

[timot_one]

No.  There is one thing that I'm not sure I mentioned.  You need to replace the proportioning valve with one from the EX.

[Mike]

Tim did you notice improvement in braking when you made the swap in the rear?

[timot_one]

That's kinda hard to say.  I had no pad left on the front, so it really wouldn't be an accurate comparison.  To be honest, I did this mostly for looks. 

[Sunil]

I wanna do this mod, but your pics are down .

Is there a way you can correct the links...?