Conversion from Drum Handbrake to Disc / Caliper Type.

[MisterCruiser]

I'm just wondering if anyone here has converted their rear brakes to all disc set up and done away with the poxy drum brakes and slave cables.

There was some mention of a conversion involving an Avensis set-up, anyone on here got any knowledge of such a set-up or links? I'm interested in converting my 90 series colorado to such a set-up if possible.

 

[Chris]

It was Chrisgreen90 who did the Avensis handbrake. It was VERY effective. But the disc and internal drum remained. In other words the only new bit was the caliper not the disc

 

[MisterCruiser]

Cool, would you have a link to that thread? I'll try searching for it now too.

I wouldn't mind the drum remaining, I would have expected it to remain,just remove the brake shoes within it. I'd be interested to see how he mounted the new extra caliper to the hub.

 

[John Davies]

You'll find the article here - Handbrake-modification - its something on my to-do list too

 

[goodoldboy]

some years ago i saw a 70 series propshaft discbrake kit a la landrover.IIRC it was aussie.

 

[Juddian]

Drum inside disc is the best rear brake design out there IMHO, and as long as the system gets some periodic maintenance its virtually trouble free.
All the cars we own have this type, our LC also the Forester and our 24 year old Merc, almost every well designed car of recent years had this design of rear brakes until some brainbox came up with wallet emptying electric parking brakes, something else no one ever asked for but has pandered to those incapable of controlling their vehicles on hills so more and more new cars are being designed with the junk.

The beauty about DiD system is that the rear calipers can be simple affairs, and the best type too, opposed pistons, not single piston sliding calipers which invariably give seizing troubles sometimes down the line, self adjusting calipers where the parking brake operates the rear pads almost always give trouble eventually and are expensive.

Every other year, every year if you have the time, remove pads clean inspect and lube up the moving parts with the correct brake grease (not coppaslip which attacks rubber), not forgetting to exercise the pistons in their bores, which couldn't be easier with opposed pistons as you push one in the other slides out, plus the odd brake fluid renewal, then a coat of paint once in a while and our brake calipers can and will last forever.

The trouble with those self adjusting calipers that operate the parking brake too is its difficult to exercise the pistons in their bores to the same extent so they inevitably have seizure issues.

 

[MisterCruiser]

Drum inside disc is the best rear brake design out there IMHO, and as long as the system gets some periodic maintenance its virtually trouble free.
All the cars we own have this type, our LC also the Forester and our 24 year old Merc, almost every well designed car of recent years had this design of rear brakes until some brainbox came up with wallet emptying electric parking brakes, something else no one ever asked for but has pandered to those incapable of controlling their vehicles on hills so more and more new cars are being designed with the junk.

The beauty about DiD system is that the rear calipers can be simple affairs, and the best type too, opposed pistons, not single piston sliding calipers which invariably give seizing troubles sometimes down the line, self adjusting calipers where the parking brake operates the rear pads almost always give trouble eventually and are expensive.

Every other year, every year if you have the time, remove pads clean inspect and lube up the moving parts with the correct brake grease (not coppaslip which attacks rubber), not forgetting to exercise the pistons in their bores, which couldn't be easier with opposed pistons as you push one in the other slides out, plus the odd brake fluid renewal, then a coat of paint once in a while and our brake calipers can and will last forever.

The trouble with those self adjusting calipers that operate the parking brake too is its difficult to exercise the pistons in their bores to the same extent so they inevitably have seizure issues.

I disagree with your points of the integrated handbrake calipers being expensive, they aren't that much more expensive, approx €20-30 I'd guess which is nothing. It's more expensive to have to replace / service more parts such as are within drum brakes which will always give trouble somewhere down the line also. My drum handbrake could cost over €1000 to repair (drum shoe backing plates are €350 each, then all the gaskets / seals / bearings that have to be removed / replaced in order to get to the back plates, and if you're paying someone else to do all that work you'd do well to get it done for €1500. I'd much prefer to buy a integrated caliper, I could buy 15 of them for that money.

I agree that electric handbrakes are a pain in the nads regards cost of replacement and servicing.

Has anyone else on here got experience of this conversion, I fail to see how you can just bolt on an Avensis caliper to a bigger landcruiser carrier and the cruisers bigger pads. What model / year of Avensis is the caliper off?

 

[uHu]

I fail to see how you can just bolt on an Avensis caliper to a bigger landcruiser carrier and the cruisers bigger pads. What model / year of Avensis is the caliper off?

IF the LC pads are bigger, it doesn't mean that they are thicker.
My experience with the integrated screw-type handbrake is from Ford and VW, and the calipers never last through the winter without seizing up. Silly design which is hard to maintain. Have to buy a new set every year (if I ever touch the handbrake. Normally I don't use it. It will still work but the pads stay on). With the LC design, I do the annual PM and it lasts forever.

 

[Chris]

Just to be clear on the origins of this, the single biggest issue with the factory handbrake is its deterioration when the vehicle is used off road or flexed considerably. Even when set up correctly, once off road the handbrake tends to stop working all together. This was a very successful attempt to overcome that issue. CG90 transplanted the Avensis caliper onto the disc and manufactured the necessary connections. This was tested one time at Lincomb off road and we all say just how effective the brake remained even after some very extreme wheeling. Correctly set up, the standard brake is more than adequate for a road going vehicle.

 

[MisterCruiser]

The main reason I want to convert the drum handbrake to a integrated caliper disc style isn't for off-roading, but more because my handbrake parts are worn and need regular adjusting. To fix it properly will most likely need new drum backing plates which are a small fortune just for a handbrake.

I do have my cruiser in fields and such but I don't be proper hardcore off-roading so I don't "need" a drum handbrake for performance, an integrated handbrake will suit my LC just fine.

That's a good point about the LC pads not being thicker,they might just be bigger as in taller, that means a smaller caliper will be clamping the pad in a smaller area nearer the middle of the pads, I guess that won't matter too much then.

The tricky part of this will be making up the cables, etc,, but maybe that won't be too difficult, can you just cut a handbrake cable at any point and crimp it if too long, they aren't under tension or anything?

 

[Chris]

I wasn't questioning your reasoning, merely being clear for everyone else why we embarked on the project initially. For a daily drive, a correctly set up standard handbrake works perfectly well.

If your backing plates are stuffed, it's worth looking for used parts. I've seen some very good ones bought from breakers. There's a fair bit of work fitting them, though. But as an alternative to designing a new system, I think the costs of new plates might be a relatively fine balance

 

[clivehorridge]

some years ago i saw a 70 series propshaft discbrake kit a la landrover.IIRC it was aussie.

I like the idea of this. IMHO, it’s the only thing that Land Rover got right on the older models. It was a drum brake on the prop just behind the g/box IIRC, I’m sure someone could fab up a conversion on an 80 or a 90. Failure of the h/b on old LRs was a rare thing indeed.

 

[Chris]

They made a kit, X-Eng I think it was and they had so many issues with fit and function that after version 2 they dropped it. I looked at making one and got as far as machining the disc but after that you begin to understand why people don't make such low volume sellers!