Custom Disc Brake Conversion
1995 Caprice Wagon
Custom Rear Disc Brakes
First thing was to pull the rearend out from under the car. Was not going to
lay under there and do this. Swapped out the 2.73s and put in posi and
3.08s. The only nonstock parts in adapting the discs are the spacers and
wheel studs, everything else is stock OEM parts. The hard part is machining
out the backing plates to fit over the axle housing (3.285 to 3.290). I had
use of a lathe at work to do this. Once you have done this then clamp them
down to the housing and mark the backing plates where the bolt holes are in
the housing. Checking square to how the original holes were. Drill out the
backing plates to match. Using the stock bolts to put it back together.
Install the parking brake hardware. You will need to put in longer studs
(1 1/2 inch) in the axles before putting those back in the housing. You
cannot do this afterword, I know this fact well. You will need to space
out the disc rotor 1/4 inch from the axle so to have clearance between
backing plate and rotor, I went to NAPA and pick up a couple wheel spacers
that worked for me. Bolt on the calipers and hoses and E-brake cable.
The long brake cable that comes from the front is the same for drum or
disc so all you need to do is clip the disc cable into that cable and
adjust. I have Impala rims and tires on here and its very close on wheel
well clearance. If I have my car pitched sideways on a right hand turn it
just does touch the wheel well but not in the other direction
(go figure body not on straight).