hello / how easy and what is needed to change the rear brakes on a k11 from drum to disc / thank you
k11 rear brake drum to disc conversion
- Thread starter william stuart
- Start date
The easiest way would be to replace the whole rear axle with the disc brake version. This is also the cheapest. You can pick up an axle from around £100 if you're lucky. You will need a new handbrake cable also. The swap is easy, its finding them that's hard.
hello / thank you for the reply / it does seem the best way to go / my problem would be getting one as I live in the Shetland isles and there are few micras here and none with rear discs so I would have to get one from the mainland and without seeing it you take a chance on its condition / I might just renew drums and back plates / thank you again / logan
Unless you specifically want discs on the rear then I'd replace the drumbrake assy. It's a lot cheaper.
pollyp
Club Member
depending on your specific needs:
Drums = high braking efficiency, effective & reliable handbrake cos they're self energising but have limited heat capacity for high speed prolonged braking.
Discs = high speed fade resistance and better appearance but fairly inefficient braking force, weak & unreliable handbrake mechanism cos the insides tend to dry/rust/seize so requires more specialized maintenance.
swapping or converting axles each have their pros/cons.
Convert drums to disc
Requires: adapter plate,caliper carrier cage, calipers, pads, disc, disc caliper hose, disc handbrake cables
Pros: easier & faster to source/purchase/install, no need to deal with rusted trailing arm bolts
Cons: maybe more expensive purchasing all the separate new parts especially the calipers but since the parts on an old disc axle will need replacing anyway too, it'll prob cost the same overall.
Swap from drum axle to disc axle
Requires: alot of swearing getting the seized bolts off the trailing arm bushes on both cars, optionally new trailing arms & bolts, whole rear disc axle assembly with caliper hoses & handbrake cables
Pros: maybe cheaper initially to purchase the whole assembly from scrappers with all the required parts together
Cons: but all the old essential parts (calipers, disc, pads) will probably be rusted seized & require expensive overhaul or replacement anyway. plus the extra expensive headache of replacing those new trailing arms & bolts. the disc axle was only an option so will be very rare to source too.
imho for smooth working rear discs, the only difference between converting & swapping to discs are the conversion brackets and the rear disc axles. all the other parts will be new/replaced so will cost the same. I'd go for conversion method.
Drums = high braking efficiency, effective & reliable handbrake cos they're self energising but have limited heat capacity for high speed prolonged braking.
Discs = high speed fade resistance and better appearance but fairly inefficient braking force, weak & unreliable handbrake mechanism cos the insides tend to dry/rust/seize so requires more specialized maintenance.
swapping or converting axles each have their pros/cons.
Convert drums to disc
Requires: adapter plate,caliper carrier cage, calipers, pads, disc, disc caliper hose, disc handbrake cables
Pros: easier & faster to source/purchase/install, no need to deal with rusted trailing arm bolts
Cons: maybe more expensive purchasing all the separate new parts especially the calipers but since the parts on an old disc axle will need replacing anyway too, it'll prob cost the same overall.
Swap from drum axle to disc axle
Requires: alot of swearing getting the seized bolts off the trailing arm bushes on both cars, optionally new trailing arms & bolts, whole rear disc axle assembly with caliper hoses & handbrake cables
Pros: maybe cheaper initially to purchase the whole assembly from scrappers with all the required parts together
Cons: but all the old essential parts (calipers, disc, pads) will probably be rusted seized & require expensive overhaul or replacement anyway. plus the extra expensive headache of replacing those new trailing arms & bolts. the disc axle was only an option so will be very rare to source too.
imho for smooth working rear discs, the only difference between converting & swapping to discs are the conversion brackets and the rear disc axles. all the other parts will be new/replaced so will cost the same. I'd go for conversion method.
hell o yes I think that you are correct / I will do that / logan
