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Is it possible to convert the rear brakes from drums to disc brakes?

Its the easiest conversion you can do. Search this site, there is plenty of info.

GTlegs wrote:Its the easiest conversion you can do. Search this site, there is plenty of info.

It will bolt in no mods (if you have the entire rear end).

how much do ya reckon it'l cost?

Look for someone wrecking an RX Turbo or 4wd turbo Vortex.
Avoid the rear brakes from 2wd Vortex's they don't fit 4wd models (except if you need to replace the disc rotor or caliper)

Just to clarify as I found a 2wd Vortex down the back of a wrecker...

The backing plates / calipers are the same between 2wd / awd ?

I am planning on new rotors / pads and a seal kit through the calipers anyway so I don't care if the rotor is unusable.

Is it worth grabbing the fronts aswel, are they any better than the Brumbys? An should I find and grab the proportioning valve out of the Vortex or is the brumby setup going to behave without mods ?

Front brakes are bigger than MY as MY 13s won't fit over L series front brakes.

You can use the rear discs & calipers, BUT the rear stub axle is different. And you can't adapt a drum. So you MUST use the rear end from a 4wd disc brake rear end.

On the rear I am planning on replacing the rotor with a new 4wd vortex one, I am just wondering if the 4wd rotor will fit in the 2wd rear calipers ?

Hmm, I thought L's and MY's both ran 13's from the factory ?

Will L series 13's fit the MY stud pattern and ofset ?

I can't remember whether the disc has the spline which fits over the stub axle or not. If it does, the rear discs for the 2wd & 4wd are different.
The backing plate & calieprs are identical though.

L series rims are 13", its just they're built differently. & yes they will go straight onto an MY with no dramas (I've got a set sitting here with good tyres about to go in the bin as they're no use to me any more)

so you are saying that you dont need to fully replace the rear end of an 86 wagon if you want to change it to disc brake, just change over the externals??? is that right, i searched to forums and couldnt find any thing on it.

You can keep your suspension arms (unless you want a rear sway bar).

You need to remove the drum brakes, replace with disc brakes, & modify the brake line.

Is the spline part of the disc? If it is, then you could use the FWD parts & then buy a new disc to end up with the proper 4wd disc brake

Pete wrote:On the rear I am planning on replacing the rotor with a new 4wd vortex one, I am just wondering if the 4wd rotor will fit in the 2wd rear calipers ?

Hmm, I thought L's and MY's both ran 13's from the factory ?

Will L series 13's fit the MY stud pattern and ofset ?

not sure on the first part of your post but I can clarify that the MY wheel WILL bolt to an L series (they are both 13s) BUT they front brake calipers WILL NOT clear (unless the pads are WELL worn.) found out the hard way when I bent a wheel years ago. wrecker had a few suby wheels so I grabbed one- fitted fine until I did the front pads...

Chris_Rogers wrote:

Pete wrote: Hmm, I thought L's and MY's both ran 13's from the factory ?

Will L series 13's fit the MY stud pattern and ofset ?

not sure on the first part of your post but I can clarify that the MY wheel WILL bolt to an L series (they are both 13s) BUT they front brake calipers WILL NOT clear (unless the pads are WELL worn.) found out the hard way when I bent a wheel years ago. wrecker had a few suby wheels so I grabbed one- fitted fine until I did the front pads...

Did you put the MY 13s over L series brakes, or L series?

bought a replacement wheel that I thought was L series. it wasn't ( was MY) and it lined up ( and I drove on it for 30k!)UNTIL I replaced the brake pads on my old L series sedan.

I'm sure you're not the only one to have been caught out like that.

The 2wd and 4wd disc rears are the same EXCEPT for the rear bolt on hubs. They bolt to the rotor on BOTH. One has the 2wd taper bearings and the 4wd slips over the cv shaft. Only problem is that the new 4wd splined rear hub is so dear new you can buy a whole s/hand setup for less. And before you ask, the front hubs will NOT fit.
The L and MY had a different offset only, so will fit each other EXCEPT when pads are more than 50%(as staded already).
Just a note to remember to weld on the bump stops to the arms if you use the 1s with the sway bar.