94+ Rear Brake Upgrade

[GP1138]

THANKS TO 94CutlassSLCoupe

 

What you need:

RH&LH Calipers and Brackets 1994+ First Gen

Mounting Bolts to Knuckle (they are very different)

1994+ Parking brake cables (only the rear ones, from the adjuster back)...these are only two parts

Rotors (New)

Brake Pads (New)

Brake Fluid

Slide Pin Grease

Banjo Bolt for 94+ caliper (can reuse)

Crush washers for banjo bolt (new)

 

Step 1:

Jack car off of the ground, remove wheels, remove bolt for brake hose to strut, loosen and remove banjo bolt (fluid will leak so be ready). Remove parking brake cable from caliper. Remove caliper, rotor and also splash shield (held on to knuckle with two very small bolts). By this time i'm sure your family will wonder if you are crazy.

 

Step 2: Remove existing parking brake cables form car (only from equalizer back). Re-install bolts that hold the cables in where it crosses ahead of the gas tank, otherwise you'll have a leak. Save the equalizer and spring if you don't get new ones with your 94+ cables.

 

Step 3: Either remove your auxiliary spring brackets that are on your rear lateral links OR do what i did and make a 3/4" knotch in the corner with a cut-off wheel for caliper clearance. (If you have a 94 Lumina you may not have this issue, its what I ran into on my dad's 1990 FE3 car)

 

Step 4: Cut mounting bracket on brake hose off carefully with cut off tool (don't get it too hot). You will also have to straighten the metal part of the line near the banjo bolt so it will mount to the 94+ caliper. You CANNOT use 94+ brake hoses because they drop off of the body behind the strut and the earlier version mounts ahead of the strut. You may want to get new hoses because yours may be rusty or brittle (and possibly crack).

 

Step 5: Now we're in the home stretch....install the 94+ rotor and use one of your stock lug nuts (put the hex toward the rotor) to hold it in place. Slide the mounting bracket over the rotor and secure it with the mounting bolts. Make sure to torque them to the factory specs (I assume you have a Haynes manual). thoroughly clean the slide pin surface (will be closest to the strut) and apply fresh SLIDE PIN grease. Slide the caliper on to the slide pin and install the abutment clips and brake pads. Finally install the bottom bolt through the bottom slide pin (captured in caliper). Make sure the boots are not leaving any of the pins exposed. Install brake hose using the 94+ banjo bolt and new crush washers.

 

Step 6: Bleed system. I use a glass jar and some vacuum line for this job. That way, you can easily see that you got all the air out. Have someone inside pump the pedal and don't forget to check the master cylinder. Start with the right rear first.

 

Step 7: Install 94+ cables.

that is a picture of how they route in a 94 car. Route them how you please, using this as a guide. The place where the old style cables clip into the frame doesn't work anymore. I used quite a few zip ties. Adjust the cable how you please. If its an automatic car, you should not be able to pull away with the parking brake on and the car in drive.

 

Crack a beer and enjoy more reliable brakes! My dad's car is a Non-ABS car and it stops straight and true without having premature rear lock up even on dirt.

 

Also another good thing to do would be to look at your front rotors and make sure the inboard side (toward the engine) does not look like this.

 

For parts, whitebox rotors are ok, although I highly suggest you use the NAPA Tru-Stop pads (about $22). Expensive pads in the rear won't do much for you.

[Crazy K]

READ THIS TOO!

 

for you to do this upgrade there are a few things you must be aware of:

 

1994 lumina was a carry-over, as the red-headed step-child of the model lines, it still has the 93 down type brakes.

 

 

Regular Rims:

1993 and earlier steel rims, both 15" and 14" WILL NOT FIT. they do not clear the newer caliper.

If you must upgrade and retain steel rims, the 15" rims used on 1994 and newer cars can be used.

 

16" aluminum rims standard on 93 and earlier cars have fit in so far as I have heard.

15" and 14" aluminum rims are unknown as far as I know.

 

steel "stylized" wheels, as seen on some cars is also an unknown

 

the moral of the story? make sure the rims you are planning on reusing fit your car after your upgrade.

 

 

donut spares:

1993 and earlier donut spares MAY NOT FIT. these are the 15" donuts. some people report that they do fit, and some report that they don't fit. test yours. if you must replace it, find a 16" donut spare from a newer W.

 

 

rotors:

there are two types. "Solid" and "Composite" Solid rotors use a one piece casting, which is then cut and turned. Composite rotors are made in two steps, they are a stamped steel hub with the rotor molded onto it.

 

IMO composite rotors warp too easily, and the thicker hat on the composite rotor is also beneficial and is adds maybe 1/4 inch of rim clearance to each side of the car. This is enough of a clearance difference that issues could occur with some of the rim variations seen on our cars.

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

16" CS International Series Rims fit all 16" wheels should fit as a result.

 

Realistically, I don't have any idea why someone wouldn't run the 16's anyway since they are so common.

 

FWIW: The white box rotors from advance are of the solid rotor type. I have used these with much success.

 

My dad's been driving the car for a few weeks, he says it works great and i know he'll be much happier with these since we probably won't be changing calipers every two years.

[pwmin]

i got an ebrake assembly off a newer car and got new front and rear cables from Advance (pn's C94727/8 - rear and C660173 - front).

 

for the brake assembly, i used one of the side mounts and welded on an appx. 1.5" spacer and used the rear top mount by bolting a small flat bar and put a spacer on it. i know its kinda ghetto, but it seems to work. i may make it better some time.

 

here are the pictures: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v476/pwmin/91%20Grand%20Prix/rear%20brake%20upgrade/

 

 

[mgenin]

What car(s) does this guide apply to?

I have a 95 Lumina, with drums and I am doing a rear disc upgrade.

I plan on buying new brake lines for the calipers, so I need to remove the flex brake hose, where it meets the solid brake line to the master cyclinder. Do I need any special parts/tools to do this? I assume i need flex brake hose from a 95-99 Lumina with rear disc.

 

Also, do i need new bolts or bushings between the knuckle and the link rods/trailing arm?