Drum to disc conversion on a 96 Honda

[crandall]

I have replaced the brake lines, fuel lines, and master/cylinder on my 96 Accord and as I am piecing it all back together, it looks like I could switch out the drummies on the back for some dis banana: cos.

According to my Majestic Honda parts diagrams, the EX (full disc all the way around) and the LX (mine) are the same on the rear lower arm and brake lines. It looks like a simple matter of ordering EX rear discs and replacing the drums.

Will I notice a change in braking power? Anything else I need to be aware of? :unsure:

Topic

[Kevin Criswell]

I would recommend checking part numbers between the two models as far as master cylinder and proportioning valve goes.

Usually there are some changes to prevent the rear discs from locking up as a conventional drum/disc system has the front breaks delayed to allow the rears a chance to engage first.

[george gonzalez]

This can be tricky, it’s going to need a different pressure ratio and maybe a different proportioning valve setup.

[Kevin Criswell]

Okay looiks like the master cylinder is diffrent

P/N #46100SM4A04 for without rear disc
P/N #46100SM4G54 with rear disc

No difference on the proportioning valve, same part number for both systems.

You are going to need new rear hoses, calipers, pads, rotors, hubs and caliper mounts.

If you really want to do this I would find a salvage yard Honda and pull the entire rear spindles with everything still attached. I personally would not reuse the calipers/pads or master cylinder.

[Tom]

Agreed, salvage yard is best bet, then either rebuild the calipers you get, or use them as a core and buy new calipers. Of course, I would go with new pads, and new hoses. As for feeling a difference, rear brakes only do 30% of your braking to begin with, I doubt you will feel it.

Also, I believe you need to change at least the rear sections of the parking brake cable as well, so don’t forget to grab those from the salvage yard, or buy new ones.

[Redacted]

less then 30% of the braking is handled by the rears if your really want a improvement replace all the lines with braided steel ones and maby some ceramic pads up front

[Tom]

I think the biggest bang in brake upgrades for the CD5 Accords is to swap in front brakes off a Prelude Vtec (99 works I believe). It requires using hubs off an Acura TL 2.2, and the stock Accord bearings. The hoses are the stock Accord units, the rotors, calipers, brackets and pads are all from the Prelude. They have 11″ rotors as opposed to the 10’s on the Accord, plus it is a rotor over hub setup, which is much easier to service than the stock hub over rotor setup of the Accord.

Second upgrade would be the stainless lines, and ceramic pads. I can’t imagine anyone needing more stopping power than that in an Accord.

[crandall]

Thanks for that heads up, the proportioning valve and m/c setup is different. I just now noticed that on the diagram. :pinch:

[crandall]

[quote=”Tomh” post=80178]I think the biggest bang in brake upgrades for the CD5 Accords is to swap in front brakes off a Prelude Vtec (99 works I believe). It requires using hubs off an Acura TL 2.2, and the stock Accord bearings. The hoses are the stock Accord units, the rotors, calipers, brackets and pads are all from the Prelude. They have 11″ rotors as opposed to the 10’s on the Accord, plus it is a rotor over hub setup, which is much easier to service than the stock hub over rotor setup of the Accord.

Second upgrade would be the stainless lines, and ceramic pads. I can’t imagine anyone needing more stopping power than that in an Accord.[/quote]

Great point on the rotor switch up front. The fronts are those nasty captive rotors which are a bear to work with. The captive rotor video by ETCG helped me through that mess.

[Tom]

I did that hub over rotor job one time. I knew from the get go that when I changed the rotors on the car, I was going to go for the rotor over hub conversion, and stepping up to 11″ brakes at the same time was just a no brainer. The calipers were old, and in need of being refurbed, rotors were shot, and it was time for brake pads, and front wheel bearings too, so it didn’t really cost much more to go all the way, and I’ll never have to screw with the bearings again if the rotors need to be replaced.

[Author]

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