Rear Disc conversions

[Rich]

Just an idea I'm kicking around at the moment as my brake pedal gets progressively closer to the floor in a matter of weeks now the rear brakes are actually doing something.

I know there is the KAD conversion, but I've got one mortgage already so that one's out for a start. I've vague memories of Fiesta components being involved in a more attainable version. Has anyone done it and particularly has anyone got pictures of a set up?

Rich

[Hans Efde]

In club magazine issue 57 was a rear disk brake conversion story.

[Rich]

Thanks Hans, unfortunately I haven't got that one. Are they archived anywhere?

[Hans Efde]

Here are the pics:





Modification by Stan Amstrong on his black Gold coupe. I don't know who owns it at the moment,but if he is on this forum, maybe he can inform you further or you can check out the car.

This is what I received from him:

I decided to upgrade my rear brakes after taking my car for MOT and
found that they werent working on the brake tester.When I looked them over,I
had a seized cylinder,a seized adjuster-so bad that it sheared off when i
tried to free it in a vice!,and then a bleed nipple snapped off too.All this
was after I had cleaned them all up the year before.
I had already decided to fit a k series rear sub frame and found one in my
local scrap yard.With all the hydrolastic stripped out and the brakes
stripped off,I cut the surplus metal off the hydro holders, cleaned it all
up and gave it a new coat of bitumastic paint.This was then fitted into the
car and the suspension dampers fitted loosely.
I had been looking on e bay for some suitable calipers with a built in
handbrake,and got some off a Toyota MR2 for £3.50,£12 with postage.I had
already worked out in my head that k series discs would just fit straight on
the rear hubs-I bought 2 new ones for the front and used the old ones for
the back.i found out, with a lot of bad language and time wasted!, that they
dont.I had to grind a little bit off each corner of the hub,and then find
the place where the disc would fit square by making a pointer with a pencil
on a block of wood and watching the run out on the disc.By turning the disc
round on consecutive wheel studs, i found they only sat square in one
place,which was then marked with a dab of paint on the stud and hub so as
not to lose it again.

Having decided that the only place they would fit was in the 12 oclock to 3
oclock position,I made mounting plates from 12mm alloy plate[cuts easy with
a wood saw!] first making a template from some plastic that I had lying
around.It has to be cut around the hub with 2 holes drilled in to fit it to
the 2 forward old brake backplate bolts.The caliper was put roughly in place
and the 2 bolts marked onto the template.you then just cut a nice shape
around all the holes in the template to finish it off.The caliper was then
centralized over the disc by putting packing washers in between the alloy
plate and the slider bracket of approx 4mm.
The pipework was just a simple case of making a copper pipe to connect the
caliper to the old rubber hose.Two small steel brackets were cut from the
old handbrake cable brackets and drilled and tapped into the radius arm to
carry the outer of the brake cable.Inside the car, I had to make a double
keyhole bracket to take the other end of the outer cable,and make a pin with
2 holes for the brake adjuster to fit through the hole in the handbrake
lever as per the old moggie minor.The other end of the cable was fitted to
the caliper lever via u clips and attached to the brake cable with a brass
screw on nipple.It was just a case of trial and error to find out where to
fix this on the cable to take up the slack.
I had to rub the new pads down to suit as the rover disc must be thicker
than the MR2 one.Now they have bed in,it is a big improvement,the handbrake
will now hold on the hill to my garage. overall,I am still not happy with
the brake performance.I found it needed a new master cylinder and thought
this would be what I was looking for,but no,they still feel lacking.I think
i will have to experiment with different pad material on the front.I must
also add that my new brakes still have the 2 standard pressure reducers in
and seem to be spot on with these.
Would I do it again?Yes, but it would be a lot easier and quicker.Total cost
was approx £40 on the brakes only which was a bargain.

[Rich]

Thank you Hans!

[Hans Efde]

Let us know who it goes Rich. It's an interesting project because it deletes the terrible brake adjusters that cause MOT failures every time (brake unbalance at the rear or not proper working handbrakes)

[manifold]

Thanks Hans for some nice info from Stan.

Looking at this I can see that the way to go would be perhaps to use the thinner 'non vented' A series metro discs. A trick little alloy adapter plate Stan has made for the Calipers too.

I like it. Well done!

[Stuart]

Looking at this I can see that the way to go would be perhaps to use the thinner 'non vented' A series metro discs.

That would be much more work David, given that they have a big hole in the middle.A modern disc that slides over the studs is much easier, I'd imagine there would be loads that could be made to work.

[manifold]

...oops yes your right Stuart. i completely forgot about the drive flange. I should know better!

[Alan D.]

Rich,

Have a look on Metropower, I've seen post referring to people using the Rover 200 rear calliper. There is actually a drawing of the adapter plate on there somewhere.

Alan