Where to find 71-87 rear disc brake brackets to use Caddy Calipers??

[wildmanaaron]

Does anybody know where I can buy just the caliper mounting brackets to bolt on to a 71-87 Chevy Truck axle flange? All of the big name companies, like CPP and Performance Online sell the entire kits.

I am going to buy the $65 ea rear cross-drilled and slotted rotors from Summit for a 95-96 Impala SS, use the Caddillac rear caliper assemblies that have the parking brake built in, and so forth if this is possible. What I am skeptical about is that the rear rotors are 3/4" thick and the Cadilac calipers are 1" thick.

I don't want to use the rear Impala calipers because of no e-brake capabilities and the Camaro caliper assemblies don't match the "style" or look of the front stock caliper assemblies on my Truck.

Is anybody else using a similiar set-up?

[DKN]

The rear rotor is a custom made rotor. You can buy the Impala rotor, but it will not fit. The lug pattern that comes in the kits is either a 5 lug truck, or 6 lug truck. The pilot hole in the rotor is correct for either 5 lug truck, or 6 lug truck. The hat size on the Impala rotor will not match either so the brackets will not be spaced correctly for the caliper to fit over the rotor. Also the rotor diameter needs to be exactly the same size as the rotors in the kit. If the rotor diameter is larger then the guide pins will rub the rotor, and if it is smaller then the pads will hang over the edge. You will also need to change to a longer wheel stud since the rotor is thicker than a drum and you loose thread engagement on the lug nut.

The kits bolt on, include the wheel studs, the hard lines and hoses on the rear axle, a new master cylinder and proportioning valve, new diff gaskets, new parking brake cables, new rotors, and NEW calipers and pads.

Remanufactured calipers and pads from the parts store will cost you close to $300 by themselves. The kits are really priced as a good deal. We do sell just the brackets. They are not listed separate because you still need to buy a lot more parts before you can build a rear brake kit. Besides, most people who buy just the brackets end up spending more than if they would have bought a complete kit from the beginning.

Danny Nix
CPP

[wildmanaaron]

I believe that the rear rotor that people sell in the high dollar kits are a rotor which was used on the front of Chevy K1500 trucks which were 6 lug rotors and then I believe that they are being re-drilled for the 5x5 bolt pattern.

There are several people on this website that are using the Impala rotors and calipers but I want a set that has e-brake functioning.

How much are your rear brackets?

[DKN]

The bracket kit part # 7187RDBK is about $200. It includes brackets, spacers, hoses, banjo bolts and washers, and axle clamps.

I did not know that anyone was using a front 6 lug rotor from a K1500 for a 5 lug rear. The pilot hole in a 6 lug is huge compared to a 5 lug, and I was not aware that you could drill a 5 lug pattern on a 6 lug rotor and have enough material around the stud holes to be safe. Our rotors only have 5 or 6 holes in them, not 11. The only exception is our current inventory of 13” brake kits, they have both 5 lug car and truck holes in them.

Hope this helps, Danny Nix
CPP

[454HO]

Scarebird has a kit listing (not sure about the date range), but I have not personally used it. Looks interesting though. They just supply the brackets and let you source the rotors/calipers.

1964-81 Chevrolet 8.2"10 bolt, Corporate 8.5"10 bolt, 12 bolt $105

[wildmanaaron]

Originally Posted by DKN

The bracket kit part # 7187RDBK is about $200. It includes brackets, spacers, hoses, banjo bolts and washers, and axle clamps.

I did not know that anyone was using a front 6 lug rotor from a K1500 for a 5 lug rear. The pilot hole in a 6 lug is huge compared to a 5 lug, and I was not aware that you could drill a 5 lug pattern on a 6 lug rotor and have enough material around the stud holes to be safe. Our rotors only have 5 or 6 holes in them, not 11. The only exception is our current inventory of 13” brake kits, they have both 5 lug car and truck holes in them.

Hope this helps, Danny Nix
CPP

Do you have a price on just the brackets though? I may be interested in just the brackets.

[wildmanaaron]

Originally Posted by DKN

You can buy the Impala rotor, but it will not fit. The hat size on the Impala rotor will not match either so the brackets will not be spaced correctly for the caliper to fit over the rotor. Also the rotor diameter needs to be exactly the same size as the rotors in the kit. If the rotor diameter is larger then the guide pins will rub the rotor, and if it is smaller then the pads will hang over the edge. You will also need to change to a longer wheel stud since the rotor is thicker than a drum and you loose thread engagement on the lug nut.
Danny Nix
CPP

After reading this again I have to disagree with some of this. There are lots of people on this board using the Impala rotors who have not had to get longer wheel studs or any other modification other than caliper mounting brackets desiged to use the Impala rotors and the Impala calipers.

[DKN]

Originally Posted by wildmanaaron

After reading this again I have to disagree with some of this. There are lots of people on this board using the Impala rotors who have not had to get longer wheel studs or any other modification other than caliper mounting brackets desiged to use the Impala rotors and the Impala calipers.

That could be. We are licensed and insured to manufacture brake kits. Everything we do must meet the DOT and FVSS standards. These are safety requirements if you build it yourself you can drive with only 2 threads engaged on your lug nuts. (I am not saying that you would do that, but I have seen some dangerous brake installs.) I have to provide wheel studs long enough to work with the thickest wheels available. Many people don’t change to a 4 wheel disc master cylinder either. It’s no big deal until the rear brake pads wear down and the fluid level drops so low in the master cylinder that it sucks air when brakes are applied going down a steep hill. What I am saying is there are lots of ways to build things cheaper, but I can not cut corners where safety is an issue. Since you are building your own kit, for your exact set up, you can decide what is and is not safe. I must build it so that it is always safe regardless of what combination of parts is used in conjunction with my parts.

Danny Nix
CPP

[aaronfab]

I just installed rear axle and rear disc brakes. I'm using a GMC Yukon rear axle(shortened), Yukon 6 lug front rotors (no E-brake), '76 Impala front calipers, and weld on brackets from a stock car shop. You can get brackets for early Chevy calipers or metric calipers, just ask your local speed shop. OR... a good fabrication/weld shop could make you brackets, but YES, I would find a rotor/caliper combination with closer tolerances than 3/4" and 1". Hope this helps.

Aaron

[tvblazer78]

Originally Posted by DKN

That could be. We are licensed and insured to manufacture brake kits. Everything we do must meet the DOT and FVSS standards. These are safety requirements if you build it yourself you can drive with only 2 threads engaged on your lug nuts. (I am not saying that you would do that, but I have seen some dangerous brake installs.) I have to provide wheel studs long enough to work with the thickest wheels available. Many people don’t change to a 4 wheel disc master cylinder either. It’s no big deal until the rear brake pads wear down and the fluid level drops so low in the master cylinder that it sucks air when brakes are applied going down a steep hill. What I am saying is there are lots of ways to build things cheaper, but I can not cut corners where safety is an issue. Since you are building your own kit, for your exact set up, you can decide what is and is not safe. I must build it so that it is always safe regardless of what combination of parts is used in conjunction with my parts.

Danny Nix
CPP

Man good info.. Thanks..

Do you have a web site?

Trav

[c10crazy]

This guy is a board member:http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.com/index7.html

[sweet70beast]

On my Nova I used 79 Cad backing plates and calipers, bolted right on. I had to turn the axle flange down to fit in the hat of the rotor. I used rotor from the rear of a 81 Firebird to get the 4 3/4 bolt pattern, the cad had 5 on 5. The axle I got for free, $30 to turn my flanges, and $70 for new rotors. $100 bucks for rear discs and I can get parts at any parts store anywhere. I have often wondered if they would work on pick-ups with 5 on 5.