wesilva

iTrader: (35)

Can't afford to go rear disc yet. Can someone detail the necessary changes to convert a steel drum set-up like my 1988 RS to an aluminum drum set-up? Are the backing plates the same?

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Everything is the same. The drums just interchange. You are not going to notice much, if any difference stopping. Save your money for the disc setup, it will not be a worthwhile intermediate step between iron drums and discs.

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Only real point to it is weight savings. If you plan on going disk save your money.

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Aluminum drums will dissipate heat faster, but not enough that I would swap them if what you really want is discs. Are discs really necessary on a 2.8 car? I wouldn't think it would go fast enough to worry about having to stop it.

MG66Biscayne

iTrader: (1)

I have aluminum drums on my 84 Z. I plan to rebuild the brakes and found that replacement aluminum drums are not available at Chevrolet or at my local NAPA. Both sources specify cast iron drums as replacements. Good advice from the others, if you're planning a disk upgrade, don't worry about aluminum drums.

Mike

wesilva

iTrader: (35)

LOL!!! You kill me 327...

Actually, I have a pair of aluminum drums that I kept as a spare from my 1985 IROC. I used a trick I learned from my Grand National buddies which I will do here. I bought two sets of Bendix Brute Strength brake shoes, new hardware, used a pair of larger S-10 wheel cylinders, and a Wilwood proportioning valve. I used a pair of leading shoes (the larger of the pair) to make up one side...then the other. In other words, I increased the surface area by using a leading shoe where the intermediate shoe would have been. Together with the larger wheel cylinders, hardware and proportioning valve, the performance is nothing short of fantastic. I realize the discs would prove better in the wet or on a road course where repeatability is crucial but on twisty Rocky Mountain roads, I couldn't tell the difference between my brakes and my buddies full 1LE set up. My car had the 1LE front brakes. Thanks for the information guys. I didn't know it was a straight bolt on.