rear brake drum to disk conversion

Where the power meets the road.

Moderators: Helpinators, Moderators

Post Reply
thejimlab
In Neutral
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 1:18 am

rear brake drum to disk conversion

Post by thejimlab »

i have a 95 legacy wagon that i want to convert to rear disk, anyone know whats involved? what parts do i need? anyone done it? junkyard parts or new? any info will help. thank..jim
BAC5.2
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9026
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2004 8:47 pm
Location: Maryland www.andrewtechautomotive.com
Contact:

Post by BAC5.2 »

I considered it, but it was going to cost a rack.

Basically, you need the entire rear suspension from an AWD wagon. New hubs, new control arms, everything.

Cost is pretty expensive, work isn't to hard.

It'd be worth it to swap to AWD while you were at it.
2009 Outback 2.5XT. 5MT. Satin White Pearl.
2009 Impreza 2.5i Premium. Blue.

[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
evolutionmovement
Knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Posts: 9809
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:20 pm
Location: Beverly, MA

Post by evolutionmovement »

Drum brakes on a 95? I had no idea they had them then... The master cylinder or a proportioning valve would be different as drums require different bias. My fwd has rear discs, so if you have a fwd (which I didn't know they had in 95 either) you may be able to just get the knuckles. I don't know how the parking brake will be affected.

Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
BAC5.2
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9026
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2004 8:47 pm
Location: Maryland www.andrewtechautomotive.com
Contact:

Post by BAC5.2 »

My 95 L FWD has rear drums. Major Suck, decent pedal feel, but lots of fade over lots of turns.
2009 Outback 2.5XT. 5MT. Satin White Pearl.
2009 Impreza 2.5i Premium. Blue.

[quote="scottzg"]...I'm not a fan of the vagina...[/quote][quote="evolutionmovement"]This will all go much easier if people stop doubting me.[/quote]
entirelyturbo
quasi-mod-o
quasi-mod-o
Posts: 6000
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 7:06 pm
Location: Tampa, FL

Post by entirelyturbo »

Blech! Drums! :roll:

How unfortunate that car companies are still cheap enough to make such antiquated devices... Fortunately, BOTH my cars were made at a time when drum brakes were considered as such. Guess things have gone into regression since :(

Yeah, you're gonna need new rear suspension basically, not just calipers and rotors. As mentioned, for all your work, you might as well try to make it AWD, then it will be worth it.
"Der Wahnsinn ist nur eine schmale Brücke/die Ufer sind Vernunft und Trieb"

*Formerly DerFahrer*

@entirelyturbo on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok
thejimlab
In Neutral
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 1:18 am

that sounds like a lot of work...but my car is already AWD

Post by thejimlab »

Whole rear suspension eh? yeah well screw that. seems like a bit much to me. maybe I'll just make the front suspensio way good, i dunno. Oh yeah, my car is already AWD, and it still has drums in the rear. oh well, thanks for the replies.
vrg3
Vikash
Posts: 12517
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2002 2:13 am
Location: USA, OH, Cleveland (sometimes visiting DC though)
Contact:

Post by vrg3 »

Mike Shields seems to say all you need are the hubs:

http://www.spdusa.com/subaru1.htm

He makes it sound easy.
"Just reading vrg3's convoluted, information-packed posts made me feel better all over again." -- subyluvr2212
evolutionmovement
Knowledgeable
Knowledgeable
Posts: 9809
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:20 pm
Location: Beverly, MA

Post by evolutionmovement »

That's what I figured. The fwd disc brake rear knuckles have the hubs and should bolt right up. Don't know about brake bias issues or parking brake still.

Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
mTk
no title
Posts: 1316
Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 6:29 pm
Location: spfld, il

Post by mTk »

HIs car is AWD, so that won't work.

If it was fwd I have a pair of hubs/rotors/calipers/pads that i'd sell :P

MK
1992 BC672 AWD 5MT
Post Reply