Rear disk caliper

[Big Slim]

It appears I have an older set of rear disk brakes without the parking brake. Not sure which brand. Would the new style calipers with e brake fit on these brackets? What are the calipers with parking bake originally off of?

 

[toddz69]

It appears I have an older set of rear disk brakes without the parking brake. Not sure which brand. Would the new style calipers with e brake fit on these brackets? What are the calipers with parking bake originally off of?

They're Delco calipers. Yes, you can use the El Dorado e-brake calipers on them. The e-brake calipers are originally from the 79-85 El Dorado and also certain years of the Buick Riviera and Olds Toronados plus a few others.

Todd Z.

 

[Apogee]

Check the pin spacing on the caliper...should be 5.47" [139mm) if it's a GM D154 metric caliper. These were commonly found on various applications from 1978 up into the 90's and possibly 2000's. The front calipers have 2.50" piston diameters and appear to be what you have, and could have easily come off of a G-body, S10 or 3rd-generation F-body application.

The parking brake equivalent to those calipers would be the 1979-1981 Firebird T/A rear calipers or the 1978-1985 Cadillac Eldorado applications. TSM offers new castings of those calipers complete with hardware IIRC, noting that many of the auto parts store remanufactured units will not include the levers or springs bolted onto the inboard side of the caliper body for the parking brake.

https://www.tsmmfg.net/new-not-rebuilt-small-gm-rear-calipers-3110.html

 

[SteveL]

Before you install the el Dorado calipers chech out a few of the u-tube videos on setting up the e-brake. Many of the rebuilt calipers from the big chains dont mess with the e-brake components. Bc recommends using new calipers.

 

[bronconut73]

Before you install the el Dorado calipers chech out a few of the u-tube videos on setting up the e-brake. Many of the rebuilt calipers from the big chains dont mess with the e-brake components. Bc recommends using new calipers.

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[SP73]

Check the pin spacing on the caliper...should be 5.47" [139mm) if it's a GM D154 metric caliper. These were commonly found on various applications from 1978 up into the 90's and possibly 2000's. The front calipers have 2.50" piston diameters and appear to be what you have, and could have easily come off of a G-body, S10 or 3rd-generation F-body application.

The parking brake equivalent to those calipers would be the 1979-1981 Firebird T/A rear calipers or the 1978-1985 Cadillac Eldorado applications. TSM offers new castings of those calipers complete with hardware IIRC, noting that many of the auto parts store remanufactured units will not include the levers or springs bolted onto the inboard side of the caliper body for the parking brake.

https://www.tsmmfg.net/new-not-rebuilt-small-gm-rear-calipers-3110.html

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RuffStuff has new calipers also!

 

[Big Slim]

perfect. thanks. good to know i dont have to buy a whole new kit. ill look around for these.

 

[68rockcrawler]

Ruffstuff also has brand new El Dorado calipers
https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/R2262-A.html

 

[toddz69]

Ruffstuff also has brand new El Dorado calipers
https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/R2262-A.html

Those are the 76-78 models (big ones) that won't fit on the OP's brackets.

Todd Z.

 

[Apogee]

Those are the 76-78 models (big ones) that won't fit on the OP's brackets.

Todd Z.

Just to add to Todd's post, the "big ones" have a pin spacing of 7.03" and use the D52 pads. Kits using these calipers seem to be more common on full-size 1-ton axle swaps and they run a larger diameter piston diameter as the smaller D154 Cadillac calipers, Ø2.406" versus Ø2.03". While this could be desirable in some applications running larger bore front calipers, they would not be my first choice on a short wheelbase, high CoG rig like an EB in most instances.

 

[SteveL]

About 10 years ago I was able to but the e-brake parts(cable bracket, nuts and washers) from the caddy dealer for a reasonable price.

 

[Big Slim]

so i found a contenental mark V that has rear disks in a local yard. i have read these fit. or would are the eldorado calipers better?
too bad none of these swaps are newer aluminum calipers.

 

[toddz69]

so i found a contenental mark V that has rear disks in a local yard. i have read these fit. or would are the eldorado calipers better?
too bad none of these swaps are newer aluminum calipers.

Those were some of our only choices 'back in the day' for rear discs. I used them in my first conversion in the early '90s. They take some work to install and the e-brake doesn't work much better than the Eldorados in my experience. I'd pass.

I think there's still some room for growth out there in the rear disc conversion space to use newer aluminum calipers, as you note. Master Power Brakes seems to have a nice kit but they don't market it specifically for EBs, just Ford trucks.

Todd Z.

 

[SteveL]

Also if you go to get the caddy calipers locally like naps or auto zone they had a pretty heavy core charge. might wanna hit the boneyard for cores.

 

[thegreatjustino]

so i found a contenental mark V that has rear disks in a local yard. i have read these fit. or would are the eldorado calipers better?
too bad none of these swaps are newer aluminum calipers.

You would need to change the entire system to use the Continental setup. The Continental calipers will not fit your current brackets. The Continental uses the flat spring sliding system like front Ford EB disc brakes. The GM stuff uses the two pin sliding design.

 

[Big Slim]

hmm. things to think about for sure. pulling from junkyard is pretty cheap rather than finding new eldorado brakes. but if the tech is old maybe not worth getting. maybe wait for info on a newer conversion to come out.

 

[toddz69]

hmm. things to think about for sure. pulling from junkyard is pretty cheap rather than finding new eldorado brakes. but if the tech is old maybe not worth getting. maybe wait for info on a newer conversion to come out.

Here's one that came out a few years ago that interests me (I'm a self-admitted brake geek):

https://www.mpbrakes.com/images/MPB-F200-74.pdf

They list them for Ford pickups and not Broncos but I think it would work just fine. The calipers are "modern" from a 2005-2010 Mustang. I'm not sure what the OD of the Bronco axle flange is - it may require turning like we used to do for the Lincoln Mark V stuff.

Todd Z.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I also recall the Mark V stuff being very heavy, and not in good places either.

 

[Big Slim]

strange that most of these conversions with calipers from other vehicles are still cast iron. i did a conversion on my jetta mk3 and converted to the mk4 (1998-2004) aluminum calipers in the rear. i think there should be better kits with stock calipers. i mean there is always wilwood, but cost effective ones.

 

[Big Slim]

bringing this back to life to keep my brake threads in one place. watching a video where a guy smashes is 200k build when brakes go out and thinking i need to get ebrake on mine before it gets on the road. i can get a set of eldorado calipers pretty cheap ~131 for the pair on ebay. i found a explorer setup for $465. is the explorer rear disk better and worth the extra $$? being 20 years newer i would imagine it would be a better option. and also being ford on ford parts. have read that both parking brakes kinda suck. I have the small bearing 9" so i know its not a direct swap but hoping this kit has everything. i was not able to find DIY on this conversion with small bearing housing.