Topic: Converting Drums to Discs

[nomadzoul]

Hi , i am currently doing a full rebuild of my 1981 Toyota Hilux and since i am getting bigger tires (and possibly will be doing some off road) i was wondering if it was possible to change the drums to discs without having to change the whole axle. The truck i own used to be my father's and so i would like to keep it as original as possible and i recently came across this thread : http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/suspension-brakes/1409-james-duff-ford-bronco-disc-brake-swap-slow-your-steed/?sm_id=social_20140820_30099246

It mentioned that it was possible to change drums to discs without having to change axles and what not all you need is a set of new rotors + calipers and obviously the mounting kit. i was wondering if there was such a kit for my Toyota (I checked from marlin crawler website and they do have the brake caliper combo but it doesn't have any form of brackets or conversion kits so i was wondering if anyone of you guys ever did this modification without changing axles.

[OOPS]

This place has a kit.

http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?listcategories

[OOPS]

Sorry, looks like they no longer offer it.

[jrock]

This kit what I modeled my home brew on. Works great!

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/1034855-new-disk-brake-conversion-kit.html

It's an easy swap. Hardest part is cutting off the drum backing plates if you don't want to press the bearings off and on.

[nomadzoul [OP]]

the guys at sky still sell the brackets but do not sell the whole thing , now im trying to see if i could buy the brackets from them and then buy the discs and calipers from marlin and fit them together. only problem would be the calipers since the brackets are made specifically for a certain type of caliper.

also it mentions that on some axles spacers are required so i have to lookout for that as well.

[66cobra]

i run the sky brackets ,been a while since the conversion but i believe that the calipers are gm with gm rotors did not have to c/o axles.I also ran an adjustable proportioning valve and a land cruiser master. went with vented rotors up front . i have a heavy 85 runner with a full exo cage  and f/r winch running on 37" irocs and it has plenty of grip. I highly recommend the sky setup

[nomadzoul [OP]]

the sky manufacturing sell the kit for the rear , is it possible to install that kit for the front as well with the same procedure or it would require something different?

[Cheesemaker]

Get the bracket from Sky.  Then upgrade your master cylinder to the 1" bore.  Get residual valves for the rear brakes.  And your going to need to put a E-Brake on your t-case output. 
The front, depending on how things work out, you may just have to put the V6 calipers on the other side of the mounting tabs, when you put in the FJ rotor.  No bracket needed.  But there is other setups out there. 

Do your research for sure before tearing into it. 

[nomadzoul [OP]]

Do you know of anyone who has done the front disc upgrade or maybe you know of a thread or website which shows maybe the steps required to do it. i just starting in this kind of thing since im just 22 so im really not that familiar with these things but im a do it my self type of guy so i would like to do everything myself and learn. but i don't think i can manage to invent something of this sort myself hence why im asking.

i would like to thank you for your time and your wisdom as well

[Cheesemaker]

Here is the info for the rear discs. 
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/281059-rear-disc-brake-faq.html

Some front rotor swap info from Pirate.
~Some folks like to swap out their solid rotors for vented rotors. This is a simple and somewhat inexpensive modification. I did this swap because my brakes were getting very hot and making some very annoying noises. If you can change your brakes you should not have any problem with this swap.

79-80 toyota mini axles -> Rotor bolts onto hub with 6 bolts and the wheel studs are pressed into the hub only. For Land Cruiser vented brake swap you must use 79-80 LC rotors.
81-85 toyota mini axles -> Rotor bolts onto the hub with 2 bolts and the wheel studs are prasses through the hub and is pressed into the rotor. For the Land Cruiser vented rotor swap you must use 81+ LC rotors. Uses Toyota 90942-02053, Dorman #610-264 or Napa 641-3126 wheel studs.

The Landcruiser rotors are wider because they are vented but otherwise fit right on with no other modification besides the need to run a IFS caliper.
The caliper comes in two flavors... one has two larger pistons and two smaller, and another has four pistons that are the same size. The ones with four large pistons would technically give you more braking force. I used the same pads because mine were still fairly new... so you don't need new pads unless yours are low.~


Here is a link to Pirate, this list is extensive.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/459180-official-pbb-toyota-faq-last-rev-11-2007-a.html