Kick brakes upfront...rear disc conversion complete

[Jbird]

Well I'm done....with the brakes anyway

Don't know if I'll do a full write up. There is all ready a great one here
http://www.izook.com/tech/samurai/drivetrain/discbrakes/discbrakeinstall.htm

My install was a little different. I used sidekick 4door front rotors and calipers upfront. Then moved the samurai front rotors and calipers to the rear. I used Trail Toughs rear disc kit in the rear. Well worth the $100.

I'm not running a parking/emergency brake. I just installed a line-lock on the rear brakes.


Here's a pic of the "t" fitting installed on the rear hard line.


The kick front calipers are huge compared to the samurai's. I ran into a problem with mounting the passenger side caliper due to the TrailTough cross-over steering arm. The TT arm is very thick and the caliper wouldn't come close to bolting up. The bottom of the kick caliper is not smooth, there is a raised section. So I just used a grinder to smooth it out.


No need to do both sides. I only needed the extra room on the passenger side caliper. Here's the comparison.


Next I started grinding down the TT steering arm. Took my time and would grind a little then check for clearance. This is a picture of me just starting...


Finshed grinding...


Here's 2 pictures of the top of the samurai caliper mount. I decided to leave the dust covers on for now. May remove them later. I had to notch both sides of the dust cover in order for the kick caliper to bolt up. No shims or washers needed.



While the calipers were off....they all got cleaned up and painted.


Here's a picture of the TT rear disc kit installed. I was already running the 410 backing plate conversion. So I just cut off the 410 backing plates. The caliper mounts is now what holds your axles in. I tipped the caliper mount back so that the calipers won't interfere with the bump stops. (driver side rear)


Passenger rear painted and ready


Drivers side rear complete


Tight fit! Here's the passenger front. Not much room between the TT arm and the caliper. The caliper has to be able to move back and forth.


Passenger front


The next few pictures are of the completed rear. I used the high lift jack to raise the zuk so I could take better pics. My zuk doesn't sit that high
Passenger rear


Driver rear


With no parking brake cables to worry about, I was able to grind off all of the on-needed brackets. The added room allowed me to move my axle back 1". Plus it just looks much cleaner.


The next 2 pictures are of the completed front, again I used the high-lift to get better pics.
Drivers front...added springs on the brake lines to keep the lines off the tires.


Passenger front


Made a block off plate for the hole where the parking brake used to be.


Haven't been out on a long drive yet. Only a trip around the block so far. Pedal seems to move farther before getting firm, but is very firm once at that point. Don't think I'll need a proportioning valve. I'll report back after a few days of driving.

It was a lot of work to install the kick calipers upfront. But only because of the TT steering arm. I highly recommend buying a quality double flare tool if you want to do the rear disc conversion. I bought one from Advanced Auto....returned it then bought one from Sears. The one from Sears was the same price but much better quality.

Enjoy the pics...let me know if anyone has questions about either conversion.

Jay

[Todd]

You should've put this in the tech section.

[twdcmd]

He did, I moved it to how-to because that's what it is.

[Jbird]

He did, I moved it to how-to because that's what it is.

I disagree...it's tech

But what ever

[Mr_DIY]

whatever forum it is in it's a great post and nice work.

I like it.  no proportioning valve has me wondering though?  also- are you using the stock MC? if so- that's probably why the pedal is a bit more "Throw" 

[R/T]

I wanna get this done..Jay, wanna run up for an hour or two and do mine and Connies Zuks?

[Jbird]

whatever forum it is in it's a great post and nice work.

I like it.  no proportioning valve has me wondering though?  also- are you using the stock MC? if so- that's probably why the pedal is a bit more "Throw" 

Still running the stock MC....wanted to wait on the proportioning valve until after I drove it. I was hoping I didn't need it. I thought the larger/better kick brakes would help off-set the stronger disc's in the rear.

Well....I just got back from a drive to town. I took the long way home and found a isolated paved road to play on...then a dirt road to play on....

I will be buying and installing a proportioning valve Wow do the back brakes work great! Not every day you see 33x13.50 LTB Swampers lock up Kinda scary when the back end tries to pass the front end

I was wrong about the pedal feel....it's great. Starts to brake as soon as you start depressing the pedal. Once I get the prop valve installed...they will be awesome

[Jbird]

I wanna get this done..Jay, wanna run up for an hour or two and do mine and Connies Zuks?

Hour or 2   Maybe a day or 2!

It's actualy not that bad. My biggest problems were with the Kick calipers. I had to replace the piston seal in one of them. Not fun. Then the extra work to make them fit with the TT steering arm. Doing the rear disc was pretty easy once I got a good flare tool.

[Mr_DIY]

good to hear man. good work and have fun with it.

anybody here hear my 38"s lock up when I went "gopher stompin" at the eldorado outpost.









gosh that was scary!   

[ZUKIMON]

I went rear discs on my tintop and used Sammy stuff and no prop. valve. I didn't seem to notice much difference when locking them up as far as one end being over-powered.

[Jbird]

I went rear discs on my tintop and used Sammy stuff and no prop. valve. I didn't seem to notice much difference when locking them up as far as one end being over-powered.

I was running about 40mph and stomped the brake pedal Before I knew it the Zuk was side ways with the back tires hopping. It surprized me because they seem fine under normal braking. Driving on the dirt roads confirmed that the rear locks up way before the front.

I have heard of other people running rear disc without a prop valve. So I thought I'd give it try. The valve is easy to add. So no big deal

[ZUKIMON]

Yeah it's easy, but the differences between mine and yours may be the fact that you are running the Kick calipers and I wasn't.

[Jbird]

Yeah it's easy, but the differences between mine and yours may be the fact that you are running the Kick calipers and I wasn't.

What year is your zuk?

There could be other variables...like lift, tires, weight...

[kbayer]

Jbird

Great write up and photos, looks like you have convinced me on which way to mod it.

I have a serious safety concern with the brass tee that you used on the  brake lines, the pressure that is developed will far exceed the specs on the soft brass.

[6011]

I am pretty sure I have seen brass fittings from the factory on some vehicles (not just plated steel). I don't know the pressure ratings for sure, but I would think that they will hold a lot of pressure.