Swap Discs to Drums

drumset5994 · July 7, 2006

Anybody know if i can swap drums in for these blasted disc brakes? I hate these rear discs so bad. I want my classic drums back :'(

Ape0r · July 7, 2006

Anybody know if i can swap drums in for these blasted disc brakes? I hate these rear discs so bad. I want my classic drums back :'(

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Huh?

I've heard that the brakes on teh '05 and up trucks are better, but its got to be because of the larger front brakes, not the drums..

TA462 · July 7, 2006

Sure you can. I did the opposite on my 78 Trans Am, it was a very easy swap.

redvett · July 7, 2006

You will have to replace the brake booster,M/cylinder,wheels & tires,front spindles,rotors & calipers,rear to drums, backing plates wheel cylinders, e-brake cables & have someone program the ABS for the drums & bigger front rotors.

Cheaper to just replace the truck.

asilverblazer · July 7, 2006

I wouldn't. Comparing the new rear drums to the old discs, the discs perform far better, plus they are easier to change pads on. The front discs on the newer trucks are what improved their stopping ability. The parking brake thing is another story.

drumset5994 · July 10, 2006

i put on my parking brake today and heard a "SNAP"...it snapped right at the split.

So i spent 30 minutes trying to unwiggle the cables at both ends, so i could at least pop my pedal up so the light would go away, and the brakes would "sort of" free up...

...not that it would matter in the first place...they never worked when i bought the truck.

TEE · July 10, 2006

No offense Andy...but, are you outta' your friggin' mind saying the discs are better? NO WAY NO HOW!

My 04' Sierra has discs and I just drove an 06' Chevy AND GMC with the drums and they are far and away superior!

Ape0r · July 10, 2006

No offense Andy...but, are you outta' your friggin' mind saying the discs are better? NO WAY NO HOW!
My 04' Sierra has discs and I just drove an 06' Chevy AND GMC with the drums and they are far and away superior!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's a LOT more to it than just that!

The master cylinder and brake booster are completely new for '05, and the front discs are LARGER than '04 and earlier models - and when the changes were first announced - I heard that the new discs accounted for a LARGER percentage of overall stopping power than the front discs had on the older models, hence the switch to 17" wheels. Simply tossing drum brakes from an '05 onto an '04 would certainly hurt stopping power.

ken1mod · July 10, 2006

While I like disk brakes very much, remember, All 18 wheelers use drum brakes to stop 80,000 lbs.

ken

RyanZ71 · July 10, 2006

I just got my brakes fixed to the tune of $600.00 and I could care less if they are Disc or Drum, as long as they stop the truck well which they do beautifully now!!!

asilverblazer · July 10, 2006

No offense Andy...but, are you outta' your friggin' mind saying the discs are better? NO WAY NO HOW!
My 04' Sierra has discs and I just drove an 06' Chevy AND GMC with the drums and they are far and away superior!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess so, because I can tell you with absolute certainty, that putting disc brakes on anything from 99-04 will lengthen stopping distance, DRAMATICALLY, when pulling or towing a load. The FRONT brakes on the 05? and 06 is where the major improvement was. Putting drums back on the rear was done just to save money and since 90% of truck buyers never tow anything they will likley never need the stopping power that the rear discs provided anyways.

Put it simply, if I took the front brakes off my truck and off a new 06, my rear disc brakes would stop better, than the 06 rear drum brakes.

carneyman · July 10, 2006

I just wish my parking break would do something usefull instead of just flash at me when its angry.

svensk · July 11, 2006

The rear discs would corrode over time for people who pulled boats. Like my caliper housing bolt that rusted out... I think drums were a good compromise since they only attribute a small amount to your breaking anyway.

I'm thinking of changing out to Baer brakes. Anything here use them?

TEE · July 11, 2006

Anyway you look at it....the prior year disc set ups are a lot to be desired.

I have never in my life like a "mushy" braking system and that is exactly what they are

asilverblazer · July 11, 2006

In most cases the drums attribute a small amount of braking ability, such as when unloaded. This is true mostly because the rear tires have little traction to brake with. However, when loaded the rear tires gain significantly more traction and have the ability to handle more braking power. Drum brakes simply can not deliver more power in those situations, they aren't strong enough. Discs on the other hand are strong enough. When the rear tires have the traction to handle more braking power the discs can deliver, drums cannot.