razrbullet
New Member
I have a 2000 Honda Civic DX 4dr and wanted to know how to convert the rear drums to rear disc brake. Can anyone give me an exact list of parts I will need to complete this project?
How To Convert Rear Drums to Rear Disc?
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Do you want rear disc believing you will gain braking power? Or do you want it merely for looks?
The majority of braking power comes from the front. If you want more braking power, you're better off getting new rotors and pads that bite harder than your standard Advanced Auto pads.
The majority of braking power comes from the front. If you want more braking power, you're better off getting new rotors and pads that bite harder than your standard Advanced Auto pads.
You need the full rear trailing arm assembly from a 94-01 integra or a 99-00 civic si.
You need emergency brake cables from a 99-00 Si as well, or you can make the integra ones fit. I did, and it was a major pain in the ass.
It's overall an easy swap. The biggest pain was routing the ebrake cables. Keep the toe arm from your civic. Do not mess with the adjustable side and you can leave your alignment alone.
Edit: As the above poster stated, you really won't benefit from the performance upgrade unless you're autocrossing or doing track days.
There is very minimal benefit other than aesthetics.
You need emergency brake cables from a 99-00 Si as well, or you can make the integra ones fit. I did, and it was a major pain in the ass.
It's overall an easy swap. The biggest pain was routing the ebrake cables. Keep the toe arm from your civic. Do not mess with the adjustable side and you can leave your alignment alone.
Edit: As the above poster stated, you really won't benefit from the performance upgrade unless you're autocrossing or doing track days.
There is very minimal benefit other than aesthetics.
razrbullet
New Member
I only ask how to convert it. Plus its way easier to replace brake pads than brake shoes, TWO They out perform brake shoes, THREE they look good overall. Why do you think all the new cars and sports car have rear disc brakes, better braking power.
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I want to do it for looks, and because I think they look better, and rotors are just way sexier than drum brakes.
I disagree. The Nissan Cube, Honda Fit and the Chevy Cobalt have drum brakes. I know there's more too.
ek forever guy already responded as to what you need. It's not hard unless you run into frozen bolts and/or don't know how to bleed brakes. I agree. Rotors look better than drums and obviously provide more braking power. But not all new cars, or trucks and SUV's for that matter, come with 4-wheel disc brakes.
On the other hand, drum brakes requires less maintenance. My car has 224,000 miles and in the 12 years the car has been owned, the drum brakes have NEVER been serviced and they work perfectly fine. Not trying to debate here, simply seeing the story from both sides.
razrbullet
New Member
Thanks for the advice and help. I'll look up the parts and cost an save for them...
Lol. If drum brakes provided better performance there would not be DOZENS of civics at autocross events with drum brakes in the rear.
Most autocross guys would rather run drums since they weigh less and, particularly, have less un-sprung weight. If I'm running a 51.00 the guy with the EF with drum brakes I see all the time is typically running a 44.00.
Disk brakes are NOT a worthwhile braking performance upgrade. Period. If there isn't a negative, it's likely a very marginal positive.
Ease of maintenance would probably be the best feature of disc brakes.
Most autocross guys would rather run drums since they weigh less and, particularly, have less un-sprung weight. If I'm running a 51.00 the guy with the EF with drum brakes I see all the time is typically running a 44.00.
Disk brakes are NOT a worthwhile braking performance upgrade. Period. If there isn't a negative, it's likely a very marginal positive.
Ease of maintenance would probably be the best feature of disc brakes.
razrbullet
New Member
http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/brakes-drum-vs-disc.html
Some of you are right about the drums after doing some research but i still prefer disc instead of drums on my part regardless what anyone say. In the end I want the disc instead of the crappy looking drums. Then eventually get brembo products
Some of you are right about the drums after doing some research but i still prefer disc instead of drums on my part regardless what anyone say. In the end I want the disc instead of the crappy looking drums. Then eventually get brembo products
I totally understand. I have discs too, but I knew going in that it was a 100% aesthetic move.
Heres the "list" you want for you disc conversion.
-rear trailing arms from an si (an ek, i heard del souls work too_
-ebrake cables and mounting bracket that goes on the floor inside
just un-bolt and assemble. get your car alligned too cuz it will be off a bit.
if you want to DO IT RIGHT get this stuff as well
-rear trailing arm bushings
-new wheel bearings
-trade those old crappy calipers in for new ones that you can paint(and you dont have to rebuild them)
-new brakes and rotors
-get stainless lines
-and while you have it apart throw on new trailing arm bushings or new arms all together.
-POR 15 caliper paint is REALLY nice if you want to paint your calipers , they make a kit.
YOU WILL NEED TO GET YOUR CAR ALIGNED!!!!
when you put your new arms on you wont be able to get the toe aligned properly because of the front bolt
that mounts to the car. you can take the bolt that pieces the actual trailing arm to the linkage but good luck with that i had one hell of a time just getting the parts apart while it was ALL off the car using air tools and a torch.
if your looking for performance get brembo blanks, otherwise go with slotted rotor and paint them. unless you can get stainless....never looked into that one
here is my fronts done with the paint btw
By platinumcloud at 2011-12-03[/IMG]
By platinumcloud at 2011-12-03[/IMG]
-rear trailing arms from an si (an ek, i heard del souls work too_
-ebrake cables and mounting bracket that goes on the floor inside
just un-bolt and assemble. get your car alligned too cuz it will be off a bit.
if you want to DO IT RIGHT get this stuff as well
-rear trailing arm bushings
-new wheel bearings
-trade those old crappy calipers in for new ones that you can paint(and you dont have to rebuild them)
-new brakes and rotors
-get stainless lines
-and while you have it apart throw on new trailing arm bushings or new arms all together.
-POR 15 caliper paint is REALLY nice if you want to paint your calipers , they make a kit.
YOU WILL NEED TO GET YOUR CAR ALIGNED!!!!
when you put your new arms on you wont be able to get the toe aligned properly because of the front bolt
that mounts to the car. you can take the bolt that pieces the actual trailing arm to the linkage but good luck with that i had one hell of a time just getting the parts apart while it was ALL off the car using air tools and a torch.
if your looking for performance get brembo blanks, otherwise go with slotted rotor and paint them. unless you can get stainless....never looked into that one
here is my fronts done with the paint btw
You don't need to align your car if you leave the toe compensator arm alone. Leave the civic one on and ditch the integra/EM1 piece. It's kind of a pain to install it that way but it saves you an alignment.
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:You don't need to align your car if you leave the toe compensator arm alone. Leave the civic one on and ditch the integra/EM1 piece. It's kind of a pain to install it that way but it saves you an alignment.
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:SteinbergD
New Member
I personally did this swap myself and it was easy just time consuming. My only question that i have to other people who have done this is that, did anyone of you use or need the proportioning valve from an EM1?
The proportioning valve on all 96-00 civics are identical. There is no need to swap them.
no no need the parts are the same from the si.....same part number anyway
thats if you leave that piece attached....i dont see how you could get it apart while its on tbhYou don't need to align your car if you leave the toe compensator arm alone. Leave the civic one on and ditch the integra/EM1 piece. It's kind of a pain to install it that way but it saves you an alignment.
I had no trouble. Swapping the trailing arms was a joke, minus routing the cable and getting the integra lines to fit the civic route, they are a hair too short.
haha yeah your lucky, we get a lot more rust on our cars up here in PA :'(
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