If I find a rear end that's pre'89 is it possible and how hard is it to convert the brakes to '89+ parts? Does it make any difference (other then price) if it's a 9 or 10 bolt? I guess this question is pretty straight forward but feel free to give any advice that you feel is pertinent to this subject. Thanks.

 

They will bolt right up, as long as the brakes are off the same bolt diff.

 

The rear brakes from the 9 bolt unit will not fit, I know from experience. You will have to run brakes off o a 10 bolt on a 10 bolt.

Kyle

 

The only difference between the 9 and 10 bolts should be the backing plates.

 

yup. any parts for 9-bolts are very hard to come by.

 

Now -that- is some cool information. They need different parking brake cables though, right? What's the advantage to 89-92 rear discs over 82-88, besides the "recall" of the 82-88's? Aren't those 89-up PBR calipers aluminum or something?

 

Yes

 

yup. you will need the parking brake cables as metioned for the full functionality.(i.e. u actually use the parking brake) to bolt them on you will need to change the backing plates and the hardlines on the rear end. yes they are aluminum. they look cool . the ebrake is a joke though.

 

Aren't some of the fittings for the brakes on the 82-83 cars standard as opposed to metric on the newer ones.

 

I adapted my pre-89 9-bolt disc brakes to my Dana 44 (which uses 89+ brakes). When switching between 9 and 10 bolt brakes and/or pre89 post89 brakes you'll have to swap out the backing plates. For me I had to drill new holes in my 9-bolt plates to fit the Dana 44's pattern although I'm almost positive the bolt pattern is the same on 10 bolts and 9 bolts.

Pulling out the axles (to swap backing plates) sounds scary at first but its actually pretty easy.....

 

The Dana 44 and 10 bolt have the same bolt pattern. The 9 bolt is different.

 

I'm sorry guys, I think I made my question confusing. I just wanted to know if you could swap pre '89 brake parts with '89+ brake parts. I didn't want to know if you could interchange 9 bolt and 10 bolt parts, only if you could swap parts from the newer style rears to the older regardless of whether you were doing 10 bolt new to 10 bolt old or 9 bolt new to 9 bolt old? Sorry for the confusion everyone.