Photos By Joel Kilby

When I cracked open the rear drums on my 20-year-old Jeep Wagoneer and saw what is best described as toxic sludge coating everything inside, I decided immediately that a disc brake swap was in my truck’s best interest. Over the years I’ve developed an aversion to drum brakes anyway. Memories of losing springs and fighting rusty innards are just too painful to shake.

For this swap I just wanted simple stuff such as calipers with a parking brake, no custom brake hoses and bolt-on brackets in case I had to chicken out and revert to stock form.

And I only wanted to spend about five or six hundred bucks.

Parts Search

Since my requirements were nailed down, I set out to find my parts.  With a quick web search I got my brackets. I found out that The Streetrod Manufacturing Co. offers a bolt-on bracket kit for the Dana 44 axle (and many other models) for about $300 shipped. The TSM kit is designed to work with rear calipers from an early ‘80s Cadillac Eldorado. The local parts store was able to get me a set for about $180. They came remanufactured and complete with the parking brake lever and spring.  Brake pads for the calipers rang up at about $25 for a set of OEM replacement quality.

To get rid of drums and go to discs requires the use of flexible brake hose to replace part of the existing hard line. For the driver’s side connection I used the front hose from the same Cadillac. It fits perfectly between the cable stop in the factory location on the axle tube and the newly installed caliper. For the other side I replaced the hard line that runs over the diff with a slightly shorter one. Then I connected a hose (Brakeware part number 77324) from there to the right side caliper. I also had to pick up a couple banjo bolts to hook up the hoses to the calipers. Two of those set me back about $10.

The parts weren’t hard to come by. Everything but the TSM brackets came from a couple of local parts stores, and the total price came in under $600. However, I did have an issue with my stock e-brake cables being too short. I had to get a set custom made. Luckily (for everyone else!), most vehicles do not have this problem.

Installation

All the drum brake parts and axle shafts have to be removed before installation. The brake backing plate is attached by four studs through the axle flange. These do not need to be reused because TSM includes shiny new replacements. With the drum hardware in the trash and the axle shafts sitting on the garage floor, oozing gear oil, it’s time to install some disc brake stopping power.

TSM’s kit comes with two-piece brackets for each wheel, two new rotors, axle flange spacer plates, grade 8 hardware and spacers for lining the caliper up with the rotors.

The kit is designed for a little bit of flexibility in the caliper mounting orientations.

It took me several attempts to find what I feel is a good mounting location, and when I finally laid down my trusty socket and 9/16 box wrench the calipers were mounted hanging straight back toward the rear of the axle. I also had to use all the included spacers to clear the rotor, but your experience may vary.

Once all the parts were bolted on and hooked up the brake system had to be thoroughly bled. the new calipers created added fluid capacity, so it took a little tinkering to get the system pumping correctly. Also note that regular operation of the parking brake on the rear calipers is crucial for proper adjustment; I had to work on the cable tension a lot in order to get the brake to hold. Once the cable is adjusted, the parking brake works as well as or better than the original drum brake did.

Prior to installing the discs, I felt like my Wagoneer was had almost no rear brakes, but the new discs add noticeable stopping power. I can feel that the Cadillac calipers are applying considerable stopping force. Adding the new rear disc won't put passengers through the windshield when you step on the brakes, but overall your stops will feel more controlled.

Parts List

TSM Bracket Kit – 2460 $270
Calipers – Cardone #184138, 184139 $178
Brake Pads – NAPA TS7070RM $25
Hose for driver side – Brakeware #77229 $12 (remove the steel bracket)
Hose for pass. Side – Brakeware #77324  $10
2 Banjo bolts – 13940 - $10
E-brake cables – Custom made by Control Cables, 562-949-0455