My thread got locked but someone said it wasn't worth it. Do you think this is true? Would I be better off just getting some SS Lines for my car and seeing how much better it gets with those?

 

If I remember correctly from my readings into Dodge Neon Performence (I was fixing up my GF's car) that swapping to rear discs wasn't worth it. Reason being something like 80% of your braking comes from the front, so the better braking discs give is only 20% effective. Also the disc assmblies weighed 16 lbs. more than the drum brakes did (for the Neon, but the idea should be the same).

So from what I can put together you'll get better results for your money by putting good steet use perf. rotors and pads up front (solid or slotted - for street driving cross-drilled are more for looks than beneficial IMO); putting perf. brake shoes in back, and S.S. brake lines with good fluid (brake system flush is a good idea at this point).

thats just my take on things

 

I think its worth it for just the pure simplicity of changing pads instead of messin with drum brakes.

not to mention they look a lot nicer.

 

I said it wasn't worth it, and for pretty much the same reasons Saabotage outlined.

True, but with a manual and a wee bit of patience, drums aren't hard. Hell, it doesn't take me any longer to replace drum shoes than it does disc pads. It's just different. Kinda like carbs vs. fuel injection. Alof of the V8 guys around here hate fuel injection because "it's more complicated" when in reality, they just never took the time to learn about a different technology that doesn't really pertain to them. If they spent maybe a week reading about FI, they'd be all over it like Mike Tyson on Evander Holyfield. Same thing with you guys and drums. Sure, it's slightly more mechanically complex than discs, but if you would take the time to read and understand how they work, you woudn't be so against them.

Sure, they build up more heat than discs, but that's why they're on the back of the car. Aside from the fact that they don't do as much braking as the front, is that the stock proportioning valve is biased towards the front, reducing their braking load even further. And here's something I bet you didn't know: Drum brakes will *always* exert more braking force than a disc brake of the same swept area.

 

Ok I have Brembo Solid Discs with Honda Pads up front. They stop pretty well, I have no complaints. But I wanted a more solid feel that SS lines would give. So I think I will try that out. Thanks for the info.

And OT but I always thought of Carb engines being more confusing just for the fact I never took time to understand how they work, while I have a good idea of how F/I works. So you are right. Knowing is half the battle!

 

My setup is of the following: NAPA rotors, Porterfield R4S pads, SS lines, and Motul brake fluid and I can hang the passenger off the seat belt coming down from 90 MPH.


[Modified by F=WT, 10:29 PM 8/25/2002]

 

SS lines, good brake fluid, and a bigger master cylinder will give you what you're looking for. those will make your brake pedal increidbly solid. upgrade your pads/rotors/shoes next time they need replaced, possibly to Hawk or Porterfield pads.

i thought about rear discs for awhile, even got the new trailing arms and such. then, after thinking about it with everything in front of me, i decided the $ would be better spent elsewhere. i'm going to be getting some 1st gen HF drums soon too (aluminum). people say those eliminate the build-up of heat even more. we'll see.

 

Im with you 100%. Disks are so much easier to change and I'd rather have that extra weight in exchange for the painless work that is required to change disks compared to rebuilding drums. Youve gotta admit that disk pads are a lot easier to change than drums!

And to people who say they dont help, well i swapped the drums for disks on my old hatchback and i noticed a difference and my friend swapped del sol rear disks on his '97 CX and his were very noticeable even more than mine.

 

I noticed a big difference when I did my rear disk swap.. ***** the haters and kids who are reading too much ****

 

yup..i loved my disc swap and i loved it..looks good...brakes better...very noticable..and holds a lot better when doin burnouts

 

Anything over stock HF brakes is well worth. I was riding on 91 Teg brakes on the front for about 1 year, then decided to swap out the rear drums. BIIIIIIIG difference!!!!!!!! It's well worth it, I won't feel comfortable knowing there are knuckle heads who believe in their "Jesus" brakes (since you need to pray to the lord to stop in time) to make them stop after accellerating too quickly.

 

 

Reasons I'd convert (hypothetically ) to rear discs:

1. They look pretty.
2. Easier to maintain.
3. Better braking. (Regardless of what someone may say about front brakes doing most of the braking...every production sportscar that was built AFTER the stone ages comes with rear discs. We have drums because at one point in time...we got 40 mpg. )
4. They look pretty.

You can very well do without them, of course. Drum brakes are functional...the US JUN civic apparently has rear drums...as well as the feature car on the ECHC page...

I suggest trying more aggressive brake pads first, and then seeing if you still desire more braking PoWaH. That way...even if you do need more, the money isn't wasted...you need brake pads anyways. If you're satisfied with just the pads, then you've just saved yourself a few C-notes.

Rear discs are sort of an investment; if you're like me you have the 13/16...so you've got to get the bigger MC...the new pvalve...and might as well change to SS brake lines because you're going to have to rebleed them brakes anyways...

The only possible reason why you WOULDN'T want them is if you want to stay in a certain class for competitions. Unless you have other things to spend on, if you have the $$, why not?

 

yeah, no crap. they do too much internet searching and reading. Neon Performance? cmon, this is Honda-Tech. You want Neon advice, STAY THERE. how many times have you seen drum brakes on a rally car? hmmm, think about that. after i did my swap i noticed NO nosediving at all when braking hard. but it shouldn't matter if you drive like a candy *** fruit cake and shift at 3k rpm.


[Modified by Home Skillet, 8:13 AM 8/26/2002]

 

like f=wt said in this post:
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=262264
do a search. this has been covered before, in much detail (and if i remember, it was discussed recently).

i would recommend this first. there are varying opinions on this topic so basically do what you think/feel you should do.

did you do ANY suspension work in addition to the brake upgrade? i would think suspension could play a facotr here as well...

 

no suspension upgrades

 

ive got 10.5 kvr rotors, carbon fibre pads in front, rear disc discount rotors, metalmaster pads in back. a 7/8 master cylinder w/prop valve and stainless lines(goodridge) my car stops as fast as i want it to. if rear disc wasnt worth it they would put drums on everything...by the way my buddy has a 74 pontiac gto w/ 4 wheel drums...trust me hitting the brakes in that is only a suggestion!!!

 

I agree, changing pad on drum are a pain in the ***, just my 2 cent

 

if i did a rear disc swap is prolly actually run w/ rear breaks. i refuse to change my drums. ***** frozen together and i dont have time to make my ebrake functional nor do i care about it

 

hmmm. i already have discs... i guess i'm lucky. hahahaaa.

but the discs help to bleed off some of the heat in the brake lines a little better than drums.

 

i did it and i think it helped and it looks good