How To - rear drums to discs

10secGT

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Hi all, thought id do up a 'how to' on rear brake conversions from boring old drum brakes to gt spec discs and calipers. I recently did this conversion on my ep70 but id say there are a few things that will vary on the newer models but the basics aren't going to be much different.

Tools needed;
Jack + axle stands,
8, 10, 12, and 17 mil spanners,
10, 12, 14, 21 and 22 mil sockets,
1/2" ratchet and short 1/2" extension
flat head screwdriver,
longnose pliers,
vernier calipers,
pillar drill,
drill bits,
small pry bar X2,

Parts needed;
Rear hub from gt starlet,
Rear caliper from gt starlet,
Rear caliper carrier from gt starlet & Bolts holding caliper carriers to axle,
Hand brake cables,

You will also need, new rear discs, pads and bearings, i havn't done for mine because im a poor beggar student but as a wise man once said, 'do as i say not what i do'!

Start by jacking the car up, putting it on the stands and taking the wheels off.

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Take your last look at your horrible drums.

Now prize off the grease cap as i have already done above. Pull out the split-pin and the nut retainer. Then using your 22mm socket unscrew the nut, there shouldn't be too much tension on this, i undid mine by hand.

Next you need to prize the drum off, first make sure the handbrake isn't on, that wont help your efforts!! then with a pry bar at either side of the drum, lever it to and fro until its off, this requires a bit of technique and perseverance.

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This is what you should now see, these 14mm bolts will need to be taken out using you short extension and a ratchet, however there's other stuff to do first.

Follow the handbrake cable out of the hub carrier and you will find three 10mm, undo these and then bend the brackets open and off the cable, Pictured below;
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The last one is directly under where the handbrake is in the car and is sort of a bracket holding this end of the cable, wiggle the cable out, possibly with the assist of some WD40 magic.

You will then see this T piece
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Pull each cable to 90' of the T piece and slide the ends out one at a time. The bracket will then need to be rotated 90' to the single cable coming out of the car and removed for modification later.


Going back to the rear, you will need to now undo the brake pipe found underneath, using a 10mm spanner, and then take out the spade clip holding the pipe in place
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Now back to the four 14mm bolts from earlier, undo these and with a light tap pull this off sliding the handbrake cable out as you go.
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This would be a good time to modify the 'T piece' connector that was removed earlier. take your verniers and measure the end of the cable as you can see below and then find a suitable sized drill bit
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Then using your pillar drill drill out either side and ream out if necessary until the cable end is a nice fit.
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Then find time to fit your NEW bearings to the hub!!

Next you will need the four 14mm bolts from the GT axle, this is important because the ones for the drums are too short and the bolts can only go in a certain distance. i didnt have the bolts but after some searching in my pile of toyota bits and bobs i managed to pull out 8 perfect sized bolts!!
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Now line up the caliper carrier as pictured below, sliding in the handbrake cable aswel, it will only go on one way so make sure you have got the correct side. Then tighten up the four bolts, you should now have this;
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Probably a good idea now to tighten up the brake hose at the back as where you took it off before, this should line up perfectly if you kept enough of the hose.

Now time to grab the brackets from the handbrake cables that you took off the car, the other ones don't fit. refit these with the 10mm bolts including the one directly under the handbrake. and now refit the T connector you modified earlier, fitting to the handbrake side first and then the rearward part of the cable,

Now fit your hub and disk, making sure you fit the bearing seal on first and then the inner roller taper bearing with adequate grease, then the hub and disk and finally the outer bearing, keyed washer and 22mm nut, make sure that you pretension the nut correctly, then fit the nut retainer and a new split pin, you should now have this;
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Then tighten on the caliper bracket with two 17mm bolts at the rear of the caliper carrier. You will now have this;
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There are various clips and pins on the caliper and holder for the brake line and handbrake cable, i didnt take any pictures of these but im sure common sence will prevail!!!

Now fit your new pads and push the caliper on over them, and tighten on the two 12mm bolts onto the caliper bracket. You will now need to repeat this whole procedure for the other side, and then you can bleed the rear brakes using the 8mm spanner.

You will now be left with a possibly more glamorous version of this,(if you bought all new parts)
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you may need to tighten up the handbrake cable from inside, easy job, find the two 10mm nuts by the lever inside the car and tension until the lever feels right!

P.s. dont forget to refit the grease cap!

Hope this is helpful to some of you lot
Cheers
Dave
 
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