Rear disc brakes. $$$$

[swervin ervin]

Well, here's an update on things.

I've been looking at all the aftermarket rear disc kits you can buy for a long time. Been wanting rear disc for years. I never liked the way the brackets looked. Always looked to flimsy to me. Anyway, seen the drawings on ebay on how to make your own brackets. Bought the drawings. After looking and reading on this, the drawings show the caliper at the top of the rotor. This is wrong. The bleeder fitting needs to be at 12:00. I plan on redesigning the brackets to move the rotor in the right spot. No biggy. So, reading on what is needed to do this the right way, I started searching for the cheapest places to buy what is needed. I know there will be some who say you can do this or you could have done that and cheaper but just as good. Probably right. But I prefer new stuff and don't care for junkyard hunting and stuff. So, I bought all new stuff. Here's the list so far.

Disc/disc master cylinder - $119.95
Disc/disc combination valve - $109.95
Seville/El Dorato calipers complete with all e-brake hardware, mounting bolts and pads - $280.00
Brake cable extensions - $20.00
Braided brake hoses with all mounting hardware - $50.00
Correct rotors that fit axle flange and 5/5 bolt pattern - $180.00

This doesn't include misc stuff like new axle seals (which I didn't have to replace but just wanted to), differential cover gasket, gear oil and brake fluid. I've also got to buy the 3/8" steel plate for the brakets and grade 8 bolts, nuts and washers.

I figure by the time I'm through with everything, I'll probably have $850.00 or better in it all. This is not real bad I don't guess. Bad enough though. I've seen some of the kits go for $695.00 to $795.00, and none of the kits include a new master cylinder and combination valve, not counting the brackets I don't like. I found a kit for $495.00, but it requried axle flange machining. Biggest thing I didn't like about the aftermarket brackets is they only use three mounting bolts. Mine will use a four axle housing flange bolts to mount the primary bracket and four more to mount the secondary bracket, for a total of 8 bolts holding on the brackets.

Anyway, just thought I would let everyone know what's up. This is another one of them things I start out thinking cheap and it ends up being anything but cheap. Oh well, it's been this way with everything I've done on this truck, no use to change now.