Rear disc brakes on the cheap

[belowaveragecustoms]

I haven't seen any write ups on this so I thought I would pass some info along to everyone. If you are wanting to put rear disc brakes on your truck this is the cheapest way I have found to do it while using new parts. From 1999-2001 chevy offered the astro in a awd. The front rotors on it just slide over the wheel studs. The bolt pattern on the van is the 5x5. If you go to oreily auto parts you can pick up a new set of these rotors for $35 a piece, the calipers for the van run you $11 a piece and you can pick up a set if caliper brackets off of speedway motors for $11 a piece. Which brings your total to a whopping $114. Which I thought was a hell of a deal when you compare it to a kit from other places that usually start out at around $500. Hope this will be help to some people.

 

[Irishman999]

Dude, thats awesome. Usually when rear disk break conversions come to mind its at least 1k

 

[RetroC10Sport]

It's going to happen.

What about the master cylinder, proportioning valve and lines?

 

[belowaveragecustoms]

Dude, thats awesome. Usually when rear disk break conversions come to mind its at least 1k

I am fixing to start buying all the brake parts for my truck and it is actually cheaper to do this than to put the drum brakes back on it.

 

[belowaveragecustoms]

It's going to happen.

What about the master cylinder, proportioning valve and lines?

You can use all your stock parts and be fine, but if you want to put a different proportioning valve on, speedway motors offers a four wheel disc brake valve that is realy cheap.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

Oh sweet...I shooting for as few non GM parts as possible.

 

[belowaveragecustoms]

I was told that the calipers off the front of the square bodies will work with the astro rotors as well. Which would make it nice so you can use the same pads on the front and back. It would make it alot easier to work on

 

[89Suburban]

Damn, this is a great tip. Shame us 6 lug 4x4 guys will be left out. :/

Also, what about a parking brake? I think line locks are illegal in my state.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

Also, what about a parking brake? I think line locks are illegal in my state.

That was going to be my next question...

 

[Old77]

 

[bucket]

Damn, this is a great tip. Shame us 6 lug 4x4 guys will be left out. :/

Maybe not. The reason the Astro rotors listed here stop at '01 is because they went to 6 lugs in '02. In theory, this same setup should work with a 4x4 too since the axle housings are the same

 

[belowaveragecustoms]

Maybe not. The reason the Astro rotors listed here stop at '01 is because they went to 6 lugs in '02. In theory, this same setup should work with a 4x4 too since the axle housings are the same

It's not that hard to find the six lug pattern with slip on rotors the problem has been trying to find rotors that would work with the five lug setup. And about the parking brake, if you want a Parking brake setup then go to speedway motors and they offer a rear disc parking brake setup that is still not horribly priced. But as for me I don't give a **** about a parking brake.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

No e-brake here = no inspection = cop harassment...

 

[bucket]

No e-brake here = no inspection = cop harassment...

Well if our stock front calipers are said to work in place of the Astro calipers, then that means the Eldorado calipers would work too. It wouldn't be a very trusty e-brake, but you could get it working good enough for inspection.

 

[belowaveragecustoms]

No e-brake here = no inspection = cop harassment...

Oklahoma dosnt have inspections so I'm good either way