EricOstovani

I have a 1982 Firebird Trans am and I am trying to convert my drum brakes positraction 3.23 rear axle ratio (WS7) package to the WS6 package, which would be the disk brakes axle with positraction and a 3.23 rear axle ratio. So I am basically sticking to putting in a 1982-1984 rear end with disk brakes.

My question is if anyone has had a similar circumstance where they are swapping over to disk brakes from drum brakes in the 82-84 years? Or even 85-87 years?

Was there any problems? Did the braking power improve significantly?

Jorlain

iTrader: (4)

The iron Moraine calipers that they installed up through 88 or so are not very good. I've never driven a third gen with drums, but I've seen many posts here where members indicate they'd rather have drums than the old iron disc setup.

The general consensus is to swap to a 99-02 4th gen rear, as it comes with a Torsen differential, 3.42 gears, and vastly superior breaks. The trade-off is that the rear is a couple of inches wider.

Touareg

Best to go with an aftermarket setup, hawks sells them for $600, I have owned cars with both, the disc and drum.

What I can tell you is the parking brakes never work on the disc cars, or at least mine didn't, and the drum brakes they do.

As far as stopping power you gotta remember all the weight moves to the front when stopping so if you swap out the front rotors for some vented cross drilled rotors it will make the biggest impact.

EricOstovani

@Touareg and Jorlain- Thanks for the info guys I know I wouldent want to go aftermarket nor get the cross-drilled rotors. I REALLY want to stay stock to my year vehicle!! :*)
So i would either keep the drum brakes on the rear or upgrade to disk brakes. But putting cost aside, are you both saying I should stick with drums? Are you saying that drums are a better set-up?

Touareg

Yes sure thing, they are a better setup. Sad but true.

-Morgan

Jorlain

iTrader: (4)

Slotted, yes. Drilled, no. There's no need for drilled rotors. You're losing surface area on an already tiny rotor.

EricOstovani

@Jorlain-Do you agree with Touareg?.....If i stick to original GM rotors in the front, do you think I should stick with my ORIGINAL drums and that I have now, versus the ORIGINAL rear axle with disk brakes with original calipers/rotors/brake pads? I mean is the ORIGINAL WS7 BETTER than the WS6 in years 1982-1984???

Jorlain

iTrader: (4)

I have delco-moraine calipers on my 84, so I imagine you would be in a similar situation if you swapped. I just installed brand new calipers and the best pads I can find, and the rear braking is marginal at best. They work half decent with a completely stock car. I personally do not think they're an upgrade over drums, other than pads\rotors are easier to change than shoes and springs.

I stand by my previous affirmation that the best bang for your buck is the 99-02 rear assembly out of a Trans Am or Z28. The brakes are very good, you get a better axle ratio, and you get a Torsen differential. The only PITA is the parking brake cable (which I believe people have found a solution for). Your wheels may stick out a little bit unless you were to swap to 4th gen rims at the same time, or similarly offset rims.

EricOstovani

@Jorlain-In your post to me, you said "I've seen many posts here where members indicate they'd rather have drums than the old iron disc setup."

Do you by chance have the link to those posts so I can read them? Please

Jorlain

iTrader: (4)

Not offhand. I just remember reading it when I was researching on whether to swap or not.

A quick search ought to find you plenty of threads with people complaining about how crappy the iron calipers are.

GeneralDisorder

iTrader: (1)

I have the Delco Morain iron rear disc setup on my 86 WS6 - I installed reman ACDelco calipers, new pads, and adjusted the parking brake. They work fine for me. I think a lot of people have trouble with old used junk and not understanding how to adjust and work with integrated parking brake calipers.....

You do need to use the parking brake every time you park. They rely on this for self adjustment.

Personally I would rather deal with the eccentricities of the Delco calipers than drums. It's a matter of preference - both can work.

GD

NoEmissions84TA

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. Good info guys. My 84 TA has rear drums, and I have always wondered if swapping to discs was worth it. I'm keeping the drums, but I will slightly upgrade the front rotors and pads.

EricOstovani

To Jorlain and Touarge or anyone else-Can I ask what specifically is wrong with the disk brake set up on 1982-1984 firebirds? Is it the delco-moraine calipers? And what specifically is wrong with the calipers?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

The rears get a bad rap here on TGO. That said, I never experienced issues (though, for the sake of upgrading, I did swap to PBRs). IIRC, the rears are adjusted by use of the parking brake. Use it every time you park. With fresh fluid, new lines, and pads, the Delcos should work fine.

EDIT: The biggest issue with the swap is finding the correct combination valve (the threads on early cars, say 82-84, were SAE, the latter cars metric and the lines connected in different places). All in all, the effort to swap may not be worth the hassle.

More brake info in the following link:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...-10-bolts.html

JamesC