so in the many project ive got goin on right now on this dodge one of them is the brakes
i got the front suspension done and found my rotors were bad so i went ahead and replaced them with new bearings etc , along with new pads and calipers (cheap so i started fresh) before i bled the brakes i decided i better pull off the rear tires and take a look
found the wheel cylinder seals were cracked and leaking fluid and the drums are pretty much at max inside diameter so they need replaced
so is there any reason not to go with disk brakes in the rear or are the drums better suited for this heavy of a truck
i found brackets from great lakes offroad so i would need to find out what rotors and calipers they recommend and i would imagine i would need a proportioning valve

 

A lot of the kits I looked at used chevy hardware, as it is plentiful, and cheap....

No reason not to go disk. Easier to work on, no worries about adjustments, etc. Just make sure that whatever you DO put on there is going to be up to the task. (no half ton conversion parts for you....)

Also keep in mind, you will have to do more hoop jumping to have an e-brake.

 

yeah that was one of the downsides was trying to find something that i could use the e-brake on , the other thing i wasnt sure about is if i would have to get a larger master cylinder

ill have to do some more research but do you know if any 3/4 -1 ton dodges came stock with disk in the back?
if i could find some rotors that use an internal parking brake on the inside of the rotor i would be set
i have something similar on my nissan , using ford 9" with 8.8 disk brakes and they use an internal parking brake

 

Its easier for the half tons.... they just use cadilac rear calipers, with an integrated parking brake....

Newer HD dodges have rear disk, but, I don't think they used dana axles anymore.

Some of the more high-zoot kits have e-brakes, but, prices start over a grand for those.... For that kind of money, I will just stick with the drums. They are overkill when empty, and more than adequate when loaded.

 

i converted my 75 with the chevy parts, it was quite simple, and a lot better braking now, and for the e-brake, the simplest way is just to install a line lock

 

One trick I've seen, if you keep the drums, is to use wheel cylinders from a one ton chevy. I also read on TSM's website that you don't need a proportioning valve if you have ABS, if you decide to go with discs.

 

i found on this site http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/brakespecs.htm
and read a couple other post that the 97+ had the 1.06 bore wheel cylinder whereas pre 97 had .937 so the chevy swap on the 97+ didnt make much of a difference in stopping power

right now ive got to do a cost comparison to see if its worth goin disk , i just hate dealing with drum brakes

 

so for the brackets its ( i assume for a set ) = 78.50
the rotors from a 75 chevy 3/4 ton 4wd = 73.98
calipers = 61.98
caliper bolts = 9.96
pads = 22.99
then custom soft lines = 30.00
total = 277.88
didnt factor in for the new studs on the rotors and possibly need a proportioning valve
studs would be around $35 and prop valve $40
so around $350-360
or to redo - drums
drums = 111.00
shoes = 53.98
wheel cylinder = 25.00
hardware kit = 17.00
total = 206.00

i may just re-do the drums lol

 

edit nm

 

Take a look here once, the though crossed my mine also of a swap

http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.com/index10.html#1sw