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El Dorado caliper retrofit on rear disc conversion

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Old Oct 7, 2021 | 09:04 PM
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El Dorado caliper retrofit on rear disc conversion

So, long story short, my old All pro offroad rear disc calipers have finally worn out. They're the standard single piston chevy type and have worked great forever or since like 2006. Anywho, the tcase mounted ebrake works fine but I'm tired of listening to it rattle around and it makes taking the rear drive shaft off a HUGE pain. Plus, it's not that secure of an ebrake to begin with. So, I'm installing the infamous El Dorado ebrake calipers. I got these from Speedway motors, fully loaded. There's lots of reading out there about the difficulty making the ebrake reliably work. So, I guess we'll see. This is not a new mod, been done lots of times. Step 1, mount new calipers. Check. Step 2, connect ebrake cables....um....

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Old Oct 8, 2021 | 03:28 AM
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Does Speedway sell any form of universal brake cable kit? I’m thinking typical old GM equal length cables(67-69 Camaro) but youprobably don’t want center-pull.

And where’s your bleeder screws? They’d better not be pointing down…

Last edited by Melrose 4r; Oct 8, 2021 at 03:30 AM.
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Old Oct 8, 2021 | 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Melrose 4r
Does Speedway sell any form of universal brake cable kit? I’m thinking typical old GM equal length cables(67-69 Camaro) but youprobably don’t want center-pull.

And where’s your bleeder screws? They’d better not be pointing down…
They sell all sorts of custom things there. The bleeder screw is hard to see but it is on top but points forward....so we'll see. The bleed procedure that comes with the caliper is pretty specific to including wracking the caliper with a hammer....

Right now I have two 3rd gen 4runner ebrake cables I'm hacking up to make one (one is a prototype, if you want to call it that, and the other will be the final product). This cable assembly will work the passenger caliper and will tie into the bellcrank where the factory one does.
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Old Oct 8, 2021 | 04:47 PM
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Old Oct 13, 2021 | 07:15 PM
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Talking

Well, more progress today. I do my best work in Birks.

Anywho, I modified the thing at the end of the whatsit. I then had to open up the end fitting (trusty 6mm deep socket) after I popped it of the cabling to cut it down to a random shorter length. Then I reset the crimp and using my prototype cut slits in for the tension clip. I also cut the fitting down and cleaned it due to the angle of the dangle. Ran the cable assembly and got it all mounted up for the passenger caliper.


Now I just have to figure out how to place a new crimp at the cut off end of the cable that will clip into the caliper.

Fitting pieces

Just the tip

Brake cable carnage


Modified fitting assembly

Dual cable install

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Old Oct 14, 2021 | 04:28 PM
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So, I decided to weld on the crimp I made from solid rod I drilled a hole thru. Worked like a champ.

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Old Oct 19, 2021 | 02:46 PM
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So, I figured it out. I went ahead and tied in the passenger cable assembly with the drivers side. What this allows me to do is adjust both cables independently and makes it easier to do then I had previously setup. I also, put in some slop in the cables. This allows for the bellcrank to work more efficiently as a lever arm with the incab handle. If that makes sense.

Single input, dual output cabling tie in with counter spring return.
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Old Oct 31, 2021 | 09:22 PM
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Aaaaaaaand now I need new brake lines because the new calipers have bigger banjo bolts....
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Old Nov 1, 2021 | 02:49 PM
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Incase anyone is wondering, allprooffroad still sells replacement rotors for their rear disc conversion kits. What they won't tell you is what those rotors are from.....what they will offer is the minimum (throw away) thickness!

Brand new: 26mm
Throw away: 24.46mm


This pic is from Allprooffroads website. https://allprooffroad.com/140238-1ro...isc-brake.html
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Old Nov 1, 2021 | 03:24 PM
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A hair over 1.5 mm is crap for wear...

Originally Posted by BigBluePile
Aaaaaaaand now I need new brake lines because the new calipers have bigger banjo bolts....
​​​​​​​

Last edited by dropzone; Nov 1, 2021 at 03:25 PM.
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Old Nov 1, 2021 | 06:14 PM
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Originally Posted by dropzone
A hair over 1.5 mm is crap for wear...
ya I suppose. In any case I'll be able to get these ones turned and probably last another 10 years lol.
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Old Nov 1, 2021 | 06:50 PM
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Also, not that this is new or anything, but I can confirm that 2nd gen axle shafts are longer than the 1st gen ones. So, a 1/4" longer. May not sound like much but now all the splines on the shaft will engage into the diff (a retrofitted elocker in this case...). That's what I'll be swapping in during this whole brake shenanigans project.

My current original rear axle shaft at 24 5/8"...

Here's a 2nd gen shaft which measures 24 7/8"...

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Old Nov 2, 2021 | 03:56 PM
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Got my rotors back today and they're shiny (no thanks to the rain). Can't wait to bed in the new pads. Cleaned all the things: bearing hubs, studs, wheel spacers, axles....blah. I did find that my drain plug was...difficult to unscrew. So, if anyone was wondering the threads are M18x1.50.

Last time these will be turned. I guess they've worked out since I installed them in 2006 (?)....

Went ahead and painted the bearing cups.

Napa special tap. I found this in my toolbox...so I must have fixed a past drain hole.

Here's a pic of a tank my son has been working on case y'all are bored in here. Still needs the exhaust installed...


And while I was in there, I borescoped my R&P!

Last edited by BigBluePile; Nov 2, 2021 at 03:58 PM.
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Old Nov 6, 2021 | 11:32 AM
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Custom brake lines on order. Had to piece them together to make it work.
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Old Nov 15, 2021 | 08:01 PM
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Finally!!!!!!!

New -3 lines, banjo fitting adapters and AN to MM unions...
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Old Nov 18, 2021 | 06:32 PM
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So, I know y'all are wondering......

Anywho, got all those super fancy brake line speed parts connected and bled the brakes. Didn't seem to have an issue. The instructions for the calipers made it sound super convoluted. I guess we'll see when I get it back on the road but the pedal feels firm just like before.
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Old Nov 29, 2021 | 09:21 PM
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Finally got the tires back on and sitting back on the ground. Put the ebrake on....aaaannnddd...not holding...well piss. Maybe it will after I get the pads bedded.

Of course the truck won't start now...totally dead, just cranks and won't fire....ugh...
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Old Dec 6, 2021 | 05:35 PM
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It's alive! IT'S ALIVE!!!!!
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Old Dec 7, 2021 | 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by BigBluePile
It's alive! IT'S ALIVE!!!!!
was the the spaghettification you posted on FB?
Glad its alive, now wheel it instead of your wife's 4runner.
one more week of work and i have a month off to tackle my non running POS
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Old Dec 7, 2021 | 07:22 PM
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Originally Posted by dropzone
was the the spaghettification you posted on FB?
Glad its alive, now wheel it instead of your wife's 4runner.
one more week of work and i have a month off to tackle my non running POS
It was short lived. It's dead again. On a plus, I upgrade my ignition tumbler and fixed my rock lights!!
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