Disc brakes on the rear are, in my opinion, a complete waste. Especially on a vehicle this size. Even 18 wheelers use drums.

The one advantage to discs is they don't overheat and cause brake fade (failure). This also is rarely an issue unless you spend a lot of time going down steep hills and have to use your brakes A LOT.

85% of braking is done with the front brakes. That's why there are discs up there, and why you have to change the pads more often up there.

My wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee has 4 wheel disc brakes and my truck will out-stop it any day. Her wheels require cleaning more often than my truck's do also.

 

Agree with Danny45 but there is one more reason to get rear discs..it looks good.

 

Agree with Danny45 but there is one more reason to get rear discs..it looks good.

Darn, forgot about that one.

 

Agreed....rear discs look great. I could imagine these Crew Cabs that Danny45 calls "stationwagons" could benefit from them the most!!!

 

Agreed....rear discs look great. I could imagine these Crew Cabs that Danny45 calls "stationwagons" could benefit from them the most!!!

It'd still be a stationwagon.

 

LOL....one that stops darn well too!!! 8)

 

Agreed....rear discs look great. I could imagine these Crew Cabs that Danny45 calls "stationwagons" could benefit from them the most!!!

It'd still be a stationwagon.

Leave the Vista Cruiser Alone!

 

You would see a significant increase in brake capacity when istalling rear discs if you pulled a heavy trailer. When weight is applied to the rear through a trailer, it doesn't transfer to the front wheels like ~80% of your sprung vehicle weight does when stopping (as Danny45 pointed out). And, you might lose your power breaking ability with discs...

I use to work for a commercial vehicle testing facility in Ohio as a test engineer - 18 wheelers use drum brakes still because they are cheaper to manufacture and they can still pass regs without switching to disc. Everything in Europe is all disc, as a comparison. Disc brakes create a signifcantly higher clamping load at the same pressure.

 

How would you lose your power braking ability? The only problem I could see so far (unless they come out with a conversion kit) would be the loss of the parking brake.

 

You wonldn't necessarily lose it. If you have tried to powerbrake (meaning pushing on the gas and holding the brake to do a burnout) a truck with all disc, usually the rears work to effectively, keepingthe rear tires from spinning. It has been my experience that the lower force from the rear drum brakes makes this easier.

I wouldn't really call that a loss. You pointed out the other issue, being the parking brake.

 

I want the SSBC disc brake kit for the front and rear. I have about 600lbs of gear in the bed at all times and would like better stopping performance.


and better looking non-rusty rear brakes lol

 

I noticed that the 2007 H3's have rear discs - never paid any attention to it before, so I am not sure if the older ones had them or not.

This could be a cheap and easy way of getting a rear disc setup if you can find a totaled H3, since I am pretty sure they use the same rear axle.

 

my wife's 99 GMC Jimmy has 4 wheel disk brakes.
go figure?

 

I noticed that the 2007 H3's have rear discs - never paid any attention to it before, so I am not sure if the older ones had them or not.

This could be a cheap and easy way of getting a rear disc setup if you can find a totaled H3, since I am pretty sure they use the same rear axle.

their rear is similar, the ring gear is bigger but the housings may be similar. we've discussed this a few times. And the rear bias of the brakes would be a bit much because of the size of the rear rotors.

 

I noticed that the 2007 H3's have rear discs - never paid any attention to it before, so I am not sure if the older ones had them or not.

This could be a cheap and easy way of getting a rear disc setup if you can find a totaled H3, since I am pretty sure they use the same rear axle.

their rear is similar, the ring gear is bigger but the housings may be similar. we've discussed this a few times. And the rear bias of the brakes would be a bit much because of the size of the rear rotors.

That's exactly why Wilwood makes inline bias controllers.

Sounds like I might need to get out to the junkers and find myself a wrecked H3. >.<

 

You wonldn't necessarily lose it. If you have tried to powerbrake (meaning pushing on the gas and holding the brake to do a burnout) a truck with all disc, usually the rears work to effectively, keepingthe rear tires from spinning. It has been my experience that the lower force from the rear drum brakes makes this easier.

I wouldn't really call that a loss. You pointed out the other issue, being the parking brake.

Honestly, the drum setup on my 06 is touchy enough to give me the same problem. If you are going to powerbrake a lot a good line lock on the front would work better without the rear brake abuse no matter what you have

 

http://www.gravanatuning.com/applicatio ... _Brake_Kit

here you go website for a conversion kit thats out now

 

I don't really have any problems powerbraking in my Silverado, and it's all disc brakes at all 4 corners.