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rear brake swap


fritz007
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I have an 02 pathy and want to swap out the drum brakes to disk brakes any ideas/suggestions? Info on the rear axle as to what other nissans would have stuff that would fit for an easy conversion or maybe a brake kit.

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There are no existing conversion kits. The only Pathfinders that had rear disc brakes were (I think) the '95 models. Nobody has done a Pathy disc-brake swap before, so if you're the experimenting type, find a wrecked '95 with a disc brake rear axle, and bust out your tools!

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Unless racing, is there really a need for rear discs?? Nissan seems to know some about racing...I just think that if you have gerat pads and rotors up front, a well maintained/flushed system, and maybe steel lines you should be quite happy with stopping power! Those rear drums hold up forever!

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Not when you get mud and crap built up inside the drum. I wanna go to discs soon just for the performance.. And they're easier to service, they clean out easier etc..

 

The loggers and their mechanics that I deal with just hate the rear discs that have been standard on the Ford, GM and Dodge P/U's they are running these last few years. Issues include:

Poor self-cleaning ability for mud, snow, dirt;

Siezing of the calipers;

Poor performance of the parking brake;

More expensive to repair;

Generally poor reliability in the sever service they are used in.

 

There is a reason that the bigger rigs have not gone to disc brakes when used off paved roads, they do not hold up. I am quite happy with my rear drums, they have given me no problems and I have no stopping issues. Our Mystique had rear discs and they were much more problems with them than the fronts, including sized calipers, parking brake not working, pads getting destroyed, etc. They had to be serviced twice as much as the fronts but in theory only are responsible for around 25% or less of the braking power in a vehicle.

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Well, there's one thing - in water crossings with drums, water gets in the drums and takes a while to get out - and in the meantime, no brakes.

 

Just keep pressure on the brake pedal when crossing water and no wet brakes or. not nearly as wet and dries out faster.

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wow okay then it looks like there is a split decision here i just thought that discs would be cool in the back and wuz not really worried about it, but i might fit under that racing category by the way i drive in rush hour traffic on the freeway. I did also notice that the new xterras (2005-up) have the discs, and didn't know if there was a good reason for it or not. thanx for the info

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Yup, we WD21 drivers had optional disc rears and they never gave any problems. That's why I'm looking for a set to convert my current 90 SE.

 

The domestic trucks' problems weren't from disc brakes per se so much as they were from bad design and cheap parts. Remember, GM trucks have a problem with their original rotors *delaminating*, and nobody in their right mind says that we should go back to front drums.

 

 

Also, trainman: One of the reasons why the bigger rigs took so long to go to disc brakes is because it is much easier to make an air brake system (mandated by law) work with drums than it is discs, but that problem has recently been solved.

 

Example: Mitsubishi M26 Articulated dump truck - discs all around: http://www.mhi.co.jp/gsh/epict126-2.htm

 

Big offroad trucks are using disc brakes now.

 

http://www.equipmentroad.com/equipment/sal...pes/436425.html

 

And most European heavy trucks have used them for years.

 

You should also read this article:

 

http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/SepOc...isk_brakes.html

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I have been paying more attention to rear brakes since i posted this and i have noticed that more and more cars and trucks have rear discs especially high end models. There must be something too them! I reading about older pathies and saw that they have a different rear diff. are the axels and stuff different too or could i just get a rear end from an older pathy with discs and steal some brackets and make it all work with some hard work? I would hate to buy a rear end set-up and find out they are not alike at all and will not work. :aok:

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