Rear discs - doable on an SE?

[prisen]

My front rotors are looking like crap anyway so I am going to replace them with powerslots and PF carbon metallic pads. To the best of my knowledge the 99-on GT's have rear discs. How hard is it to switch out the SE's rear drums for discs and install 4 powerslot rotors?

[99GrandAMSE]

... sure it can be done ... you can either get the 'complete assembly' from a GT or you can contact RSM Racing (http://www.rsmracing.com) as they have a conversion kit :)

[SuprAng]

I want to upgrade the brakes on my se also... but the conversion prices are too much, all ide need is the hat/spindle/rotors/ caliper from a ga with bigger brakes... correct? what about grand prix or any other car? are there any that just bolt up??

[Wallflower]

The dealership way ....

18026285 - 2
18022952 - 2
11513699 - 4
18025022 - 1
18025023 - 1
18043106 - 1
18043107 - 1
18041757 - 1
18041758 - 1
12413003 - 2
18023050 - 8
18060632 - 1
18060633 - 1
11516328 - 2
22650696 - 2
22611479 - 2
11519088 - 2
11518997 - 6
14047726 - 2
22601319 - 4
11515770 - 2
18026272 - 2
18023069 - 4

This is all the parts except the rear calipers, rotors, and e-brake cables. Still want to do it?

The easy way ...

If you go to the boneyard for the parts you can get it all extremely easy. Find the GT donor car. Unbolt the two strut bolts from the hub, unbolt the two lateral control arms from the hub, unbolt the trailing arm on the rear side of the hub, unbolt the sway bar from the back of hub. Disconnect the ebrake cable from the backing plate. Disconnect the brakeline from the caliper. Keep all the nuts and bolts you take off. Make sure to tear down, inspect, and lube the calipers and parking brake actuators for proper operation before putting them on your car. From there buy new ebrake cables and thats about it. There could be more work involved, but you get the basic idea.

Looking for a junkyard near you ... Yard locator (http://www.car-part.com/)

[99GrandAMSE]

... you also have to remember the 'conversion kit' enlarges the diameter of the rotors as well :)

[prisen]

Wallflower...thanks a LOT..the conversion kit from RSM is $999 and I'm not too keen on that one, you saved me a buttload of research..thanks!!!

[Wallflower]

Easy access to a GM computer is all you need. I used to work at a Pontiac dealership, at which my brother still does. I was going to get all new parts, with reman calipers, but I know the cost will be obnoxious. You can probably walk into a junkyard and cut them a deal for the two rear assemblies for far less.

At a local junkyard, they want $75 per rear hub, and $75 per caliper. The rest of the stuff isn't all that major. I figure I can take a shot at offering $200-$250 for both sides and see if they take it. You can try to offer them your drum assemblies as an exchange to possibly offset the costs.

[Wallflower]

I have talked to a few local yards and received some promising figures for the swap. Two different places quoted me at $250 both sides for everything required to make the swap to discs in the rear of my SE2. I can live with using the stock rotors and pads out back, new parts of course, until I can get the cash set aside to go with the PowerSlots.

So for a Saturday, $300 in parts, some beer and pizza, and a few thousand cuss words ... I will be sporting a 4 wheel disc GA SE2.
:bigok: :bananna: :woohoo:

[WickedGT]

could you do this to a 1994 GAGT?

[prisen]

Originally posted by Wallflower
I have talked to a few local yards and received some promising figures for the swap. Two different places quoted me at $250 both sides for everything required to make the swap to discs in the rear of my SE2. I can live with using the stock rotors and pads out back, new parts of course, until I can get the cash set aside to go with the PowerSlots.

So for a Saturday, $300 in parts, some beer and pizza, and a few thousand cuss words ... I will be sporting a 4 wheel disc GA SE2.
:bigok: :bananna: :woohoo:

sounds awesome, drink a few beers, wrench a few bolts and let us know how it all works out:P

[Wallflower]

I pulled out the Haynes manual last night after taking the car to the dealership my brother works at. I wanted to put it up on the rack and give it the once over. Looking at the car, and then the manual, it really looks easy. IMHO, the hardest part may actually be swapping from the drum to disc ebrake cable.

Due to some previous commitments that I forgot about in my excitement, the swap has been postponed until at least the 7th, but maybe the 14th.

I am sorry to say that there will be no pics of the swap due to my camera being on the fritz. I can borrow mom's, but it only has 16MB of internal memory. Its only good for a few pics at a time. If any GAOC member is in the general area, has a good digi-cam, and a desire to get dirty on a Saturday ... give me a shout. I have the tools, the parts, and refreshments.

[99GrandAMSE]

Good luck bud!!

You know, the day before I nought my car I actually seen two 1999 Grand AM SEs with rear disc brakes ... I know, you know as well as I do that they were not available but I swear "by all that is holy", I seen two on the back of a flat bed being delivered to a dealer here ... at the time, I was not convinced of GMs rear brake technology (remember the Luminas) so I didn't look into them very closely; however now knowing how rare they would have been, I should have bought atleast one of them :wink4: :lol:

[grandam01]

hey would the alero or impala rear discs work for this. or even grand prix discs

[tenspeed]

Some posted a "How To" over on N-body.net. I was getting red x's for the pictures. Maybe it'll work for you or you can contact the author.

http://www.n-body.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2741

[cradled]

alero would... i just did this over the weekend. pretty simple.