Whether you’re an automotive tuning enthusiast or want your car to perform better during braking, converting drum brakes to disc brakes is the first upgrade you should consider. Abandoning old-fashioned drum brakes in favor of discs makes perfect sense, as the former cannot provide high braking power and are very sensitive to heat, moisture, and debris. They also require regular maintenance and tuning. But, is the drum brake to disc brake conversion process simple or laborious? Does it cost too much?
Drum Brake to Disc Brake Conversion Process
Drum to disc conversion is a difficult process, and most brake shops don’t even have the necessary expertise and engineering to handle this task. However, you can do it yourself provided you have solid knowledge and hands-on experience with automotive mechanisms.
The first step is to prepare everything, which includes draining half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder and loosening the wheel nuts on the wheel from which you’ll remove the brake drum. Lift the vehicle with a jack and remove the tire.
When you’re ready to convert drum brakes to disc brakes, follow these steps:
Step 1 – Find a small round clip on the wheel stud if the car is rear-wheel drive and remove it. Turn the adjustment dial inside the access hole, which should be on the backing plate or the brake drum, and loosen the drum. Finally, remove it from its mount.
If the vehicle is front-wheel drive, disassemble the wheel bearings and the bearing cap so you can disconnect the brake drum.
Step 2 – This step in the drum to disc conversion involves disconnecting the brake shoes. After removal, detach all hardware attached to the shoes, including the screw assembly, springs, and retaining rings.
Carefully inspect the condition of the spindle. Clean off dirt and rust or replace it if it’s worn.
Step 3 – Now it’s time to install the disc brakes. But you must first connect the rotor to the spindle by securing the nuts and bearings. Attach the brake pads by placing the caliper assembly over the rotor and securing the brake lines. Wrap up this step by installing the parking brake cable inside the caliper piston.
When you’ve finished securing every screw and bolt, fill the master cylinder with fresh brake fluid. You’re done with the drum brake to disc brake conversion!
Should We Convert Drum Brakes to Disc Brakes?
As we all know, disc brakes have the advantages of simple structure and good braking sensitivity, but due to size limitations, they cannot create a large braking force and the brake pads need to be replaced more often.
On the other hand, drum brakes have the advantage of being able to generate a large braking force and the pads last longer, but they have a more complex structure and are more difficult to maintain.
The choice of braking system mainly depends on your vehicle’s structure, components, and technical calculations. For example, in the Toyota Sienna, if the vehicle is equipped with a VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system, the front and rear brakes are disc brakes (like the Sienna LE 4WD). For vehicles not equipped with VSC, the rear brake is selected as a drum brake.
If your Toyota Sienna LE is not equipped with VSC, it’s normal to use front disc brakes and rear drum brakes, and you can be completely assured of brake safety.
Converting drum brakes to disc brakes is sometimes a quite complicated process, so you should consult an expert before undertaking this process.
Converting Drum Brakes to Discs – What’s the Cost
It’s easier to perform the conversion on older vehicles, and the obvious candidates are pre-1970 models, as disc brakes only became standard in the 70s.
The cost actually depends on the vehicle’s make and model. The conversion kit for an old Camaro or Mustang costs around $400, but it will be more for a Ford F100 because it has a larger axle.
Watch the video below to see the DIY drum brake to disc conversion:
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