Yes, I know this subject has been brought up many, many times, but my many searches have not yielded definitive information.
I am looking for info specifically about rear discs that have been sourced from other vehicle lines. I have done quite a bit of searching and have seen more than one mention of the 1990's Caprice/Impala as being a source of a "tried and true" disc brake conversion, but I've never been able to find anything that verifies this. Has anyone here actually successfully DONE such a swap?
This old thread has lots of part numbers and there is talk of Blazer/S-10 rear discs as being a possible option, however when I investigated the backing plates, they appear to have a "trapezoid" bold pattern where the top bolts are more widely spaced than the bottom ones where it fastens to the axle tube and as I recall, the Astro/Safari has mounting holes that are evenly spaced at the top and bottom...so I don't think these would work, at least not without doing some kind of full rear end swap and I am not looking to do that:
https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=116274
I own two Astros and two Safaris and I have done both the aftermarket SSBC rear disc conversion as well as the 1990's police/taxi 11.2" drum conversion..so I already know about these options. I am also aware of the factory '03 - '05 rear discs, but I don't want to do a conversion to 6 lugs and all that. I am looking to upgrade the rear brakes on one of the two that I haven't done yet (a 1999 high top conversion). I believe I have the parts to do another 11.2" drum upgrade, so I will probably go that route...but while I am waiting for the winter to end, I am kicking around other possible rear disc options.
Anyway, if anyone has any info on a swap that is confirmed to work, that would be great!
Mark
I am looking for info specifically about rear discs that have been sourced from other vehicle lines. I have done quite a bit of searching and have seen more than one mention of the 1990's Caprice/Impala as being a source of a "tried and true" disc brake conversion, but I've never been able to find anything that verifies this. Has anyone here actually successfully DONE such a swap?
This old thread has lots of part numbers and there is talk of Blazer/S-10 rear discs as being a possible option, however when I investigated the backing plates, they appear to have a "trapezoid" bold pattern where the top bolts are more widely spaced than the bottom ones where it fastens to the axle tube and as I recall, the Astro/Safari has mounting holes that are evenly spaced at the top and bottom...so I don't think these would work, at least not without doing some kind of full rear end swap and I am not looking to do that:
https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=116274
I own two Astros and two Safaris and I have done both the aftermarket SSBC rear disc conversion as well as the 1990's police/taxi 11.2" drum conversion..so I already know about these options. I am also aware of the factory '03 - '05 rear discs, but I don't want to do a conversion to 6 lugs and all that. I am looking to upgrade the rear brakes on one of the two that I haven't done yet (a 1999 high top conversion). I believe I have the parts to do another 11.2" drum upgrade, so I will probably go that route...but while I am waiting for the winter to end, I am kicking around other possible rear disc options.
Anyway, if anyone has any info on a swap that is confirmed to work, that would be great!
Mark