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XR4x4 rear end brakes. Quick question....
owelly - 10/6/09 at 08:43 PM

I've just bought a 4x4 rear end set-up. It has the diff, beam, trailing wishbones, drive shafts etc, just as it has come from under the car but it has no calipers and discs. I don't want to use discs on the rear so what are my options? Can I just get a set of backplates and drums off a regular Sierra? Can I adapt the backplates and drums off my Atlas? I'm considering making the rear end set-up as per the Haynes Roadster so if I make the uprights to suit, is there a reason why my driveshafts wouldn't suit drums?
I havn't got the diff/gubbins here yet but I'm trying to gather up enough bits to start ripping the Atlas out as soon as poss!
Cheers in advance.

[Edited on 10/6/09 by owelly]

hellbent345 - 10/6/09 at 08:56 PM

dont know anything about the drum setup, but i do know that with my disc setup, the caliper is held on by the bearing housing, so if you had drums, they would have to have bearing housing with them as well because you obviously wouldnt be able to use the disc bearing mount,
other than that i dont see why drums shouldnt be easily interchangeable

spikehaus - 11/6/09 at 06:41 AM

You can buy drum to disc adapters plates from:

http://www.3gecomponents.com/templates1/view_department.php?department=118&site=63

so this gives you the option of using bearing housing from either a drum or disc brake setup.

flak monkey - 11/6/09 at 06:45 AM

xr4x4 will be lsd with bolt on shafts

Drums need push in shafts. However if you can use drums with a bolt on diff.

You need a set of push in shafts which are about 28mm dia where they push in the diff. Cut off the inboard push in joint (cut apart the casing of the cv joint) and remove the circlip and pull the joint off the shaft. Remove the circlip holding the bolt on joint to your bolt on shafts and pull it from the shaft and fit to the push in shaft.

Then you have a set of shafts with a bolt on inboard joint and a push in style outboard to suit drums.

David

v8kid - 11/6/09 at 08:08 AM

I can't resist asking why on earth you want to use drums?

They are heavier, less efficient, slower to react and fade easier.

Blessed if I can see one single advantage to drums - stick with the discs!

owelly - 11/6/09 at 08:24 AM

I don't want the discs for exactly the reasons you've stated!!!
I had discs on the Atlas and had to reduce the area of friction material to stop them from locking-up all the time. Then I refitted the drums.
I don't have any brake bias and can't be arsed to fit any!! And the set-up I've bought has no brakes so I may as well fit drums. And they have a better handbrake!

MikeRJ - 11/6/09 at 08:58 AM

quote:
Originally posted by v8kid
Blessed if I can see one single advantage to drums - stick with the discs!


One single advantage is that handbrakes are usually far more efficient with drums. Unless you have alloy calipers there isn't much difference in weight.

Mr G - 11/6/09 at 12:25 PM

Drums (some 10" xr4i's jobbies for example) will go onto the lobro rear end setup no problem. No need to mix and match lobro with tripod joints. You'll have to cut off the caliper mounting lugs though.

Cheers

G

v8kid - 11/6/09 at 12:49 PM

Fair enough!

flak monkey - 11/6/09 at 02:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by v8kid
I can't resist asking why on earth you want to use drums?

They are heavier, less efficient, slower to react and fade easier.

Blessed if I can see one single advantage to drums - stick with the discs!


Considering on a rwd car (especially a light one) the rear brakes are doing something in the region of 15-20% of the overall braking it makes sod all difference on the road. You are VERY unlikely to overheat drums on the rear of a seven.

If set up correctly there is very little free play in a drum braked set up, I certainly have less pedal travel on my car than most with discs I have tried.

I would also bet that a drum brake set up is lighter than a disc braked one.

The handbrake is also much better on drums as already mentioned.

As far as upgrading brakes goes, you are better off spending your money up front than at the back too.

David

owelly - 11/6/09 at 04:58 PM

That's my point! I don't want better brakes! I want the LSD..........And that is stuck between two drive shafts...