# drum break to disc break



## acidfernandez (Jan 22, 2006)

HI,
does any one know what it takes to change the rear drum brake system to disc break sytem of a nissan sentra 1997.

anyone from Phils


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## Char (Jun 16, 2005)

The easiest way I can think of is getting ahold of the parts from a 200SX SE-R. Im not sure exactly what all you would need to change.. but being its just a dead axle it shouldnt be too hard. Do a search, Ive seen a few topics about it.


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## xbrandonx (Mar 27, 2004)

Char said:


> The easiest way I can think of is getting ahold of the parts from a 200SX SE-R. Im not sure exactly what all you would need to change.. but being its just a dead axle it shouldnt be too hard. Do a search, Ive seen a few topics about it.


There are several, and I'm sure there is a good write up somewhere in the suspension/brake forums for you.


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## NismoGa16 (Dec 8, 2005)

You will need:

complete rear axle beam assembly from a B14 SE-R
New rotors and pads for same
parking brake cable and brackets for same

I looked into doing this a couple months ago b/c I keep having problems with my shoes falling and ending up sitting on the backing plates, not to mention the parking brake cable is stretched and won't hold. I found a used rear axle assy on www.car-part.com that was going to be about $150 shipped. But the guy went to get it and called back and said that the brakes and hubs had been removed, so I backed out of the deal. All the other listings I found were over $250 and some were as high as $400. I just havn't had the cash for that since then. If you have already upgraded to NX2K front brakes you will want to get a master cylinder from an altima or possibly a maxima as they have a larger bore and will give you a truer to stock pedal effort and feel. If you put larger calipers on a car and don't change the size of the master cyl and propotioning/combination valve the pedal will be WAY to touchy. You won't notice this much by changing the fronts alone, or the rears, but when you do both it will be a night and day difference and the pedal will very hard to modulate. 

The actual swapping of parts looks to be very straighforward, I think there are only about 4 bolts that hold the axle beam onto the rear of the car. This would also be a great time to throw a rear sway bar on there if you havn't done it already. Hope this helps


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## NissanGuyB13 (Dec 10, 2005)

this it what u need heres a pic
















u need the hubs brake lines and ebrake lines and of course calipers i did it 2 my 94 B13 the hardest part was taking the rear long bold out, i eventually cut the biatch out


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

NissanGuyB13 said:


> this it what u need heres a pic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


wait, this is for a b13 with independent rear? lucky you.


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

NissanGuyB13 said:


> this it what u need heres a pic
> u need the hubs brake lines and ebrake lines and of course calipers i did it 2 my 94 B13 the hardest part was taking the rear long bold out, i eventually cut the biatch out


That works for the B13 but not the B14. We wish it were that easy. We either have to buy the Fastbrakes rear drum to disc conversion kit, or swap the entire rear axle from an SE-R.


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## Char (Jun 16, 2005)

Wait.. the B13s have independent rear suspention? Damn it, any chance that can be done on a B14? haha

Yeah just get a rear axel off a SE-R.. and while youre at it might as well do your shocks and everything.


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## acidfernandez (Jan 22, 2006)

*Big Thanks*

I say, Thanks to you guys fot he Info's it would really help.

I would try to find the parts you recommended. 

anyway. while I was driving today. my vehicle was side by side with a 2000 sentea model ( Exalta) and I noticed that this one has rear disc breaks.

well I wish could save enough for changing the brakes.

Thanks again


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## NissanGuyB13 (Dec 10, 2005)

opps well sorry for the false info but im still guessing ur best bet would be a B14 in a junk yard with what u need, lucky me 4 independent suspension :thumbup: , good luck with the upgrade


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

some also say that you would need to upgrade the master cylinder for it to safely work as well. i didn't have to do mine since my hardware was already from the oe later SE-R, like the front brakes and calipers and the mc too. i did add some SS brake lines and ATE superblue for the hydraulics.


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## acidfernandez (Jan 22, 2006)

*from drum to disk*

Hi guys,

Finally found a place that sells the parts. just need to save for it.

Thanks guys!


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## Teknik_SE-R (Feb 7, 2006)

yeah, its either get a whole axle beam or do the upgrade seen here http://fastbrakes.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=31&products_id=94
but if you do the upgrade, you absolutely need new front brakes too. otherwise your brake balance will be way off which is really dangerous

edit: oops! nevermind, here is the conversion to SE-R rotors for all you that are interested http://fastbrakes.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=31&products_id=486


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## KdubL (Jul 7, 2005)

Fastbrakes


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

KdubL said:


> Fastbrakes


Whoa, great post! :thumbup:


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## 1BADSR20...1DAY (Jan 28, 2006)

EVEN IF YOU CHANGE OUT YOUR REAR DRUMS TO DISC EITHER W/ OR W/O THE WHOLE AXEL YOU MUST CHANGE OUT THE METERING VALVE. ITS AFTER THE PROPORTIONING VALVE (MOUNTED ON THE MASTER CYLINDER UNLESS THE CAR HAS ABS). MOST OF THE TIME THE METERING VALVE IS LOCATED ON THE REAR TWO BRAKE LINES, MOST OF THE TIME ON THE FIREWALL. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO CHANGE THE METERING VALVE OUT IS SUBSTITUTE IT OUT W/ A DISTRIBUTION BLOCK OR CONNECT THE BRAKE LINES TOGETHER. IF YOU DON'T GET RID OF THE METERING VALVE YOU WILL WEAR OUT REAR BRAKES 6X FASTER THAN IF YOU DO. A METERING VALVE IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE REAR DRUM SHOES TO ENGAGE IN THE OUTSIDE DRUM BEFORE THE FRONT DISC BRAKES ENGAGE. THIS HELPS PREVENT NOSE DIVE ON NORMAL STOPS.


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

1BADSR20...1DAY said:


> EVEN IF YOU CHANGE OUT YOUR REAR DRUMS TO DISC EITHER W/ OR W/O THE WHOLE AXEL YOU MUST CHANGE OUT THE METERING VALVE. ITS AFTER THE PROPORTIONING VALVE (MOUNTED ON THE MASTER CYLINDER UNLESS THE CAR HAS ABS). MOST OF THE TIME THE METERING VALVE IS LOCATED ON THE REAR TWO BRAKE LINES, MOST OF THE TIME ON THE FIREWALL. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO CHANGE THE METERING VALVE OUT IS SUBSTITUTE IT OUT W/ A DISTRIBUTION BLOCK OR CONNECT THE BRAKE LINES TOGETHER. IF YOU DON'T GET RID OF THE METERING VALVE YOU WILL WEAR OUT REAR BRAKES 6X FASTER THAN IF YOU DO. A METERING VALVE IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE REAR DRUM SHOES TO ENGAGE IN THE OUTSIDE DRUM BEFORE THE FRONT DISC BRAKES ENGAGE. THIS HELPS PREVENT NOSE DIVE ON NORMAL STOPS.


Everyone who has done any rear brake swap upgrade, simply changes the master cylinder. I am not even sure the B14's have this "metering" valve you speak of.


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## 1BADSR20...1DAY (Jan 28, 2006)

EVERY DISC/DRUM SETUP HAS A METERING VALVE IN IT. OTHERWISE THE FRONT DISC BRAKES WILL ENGAGE BEFORE THE REAR BRAKES AND CAUSE NOSE DIVE WORSE THAN ANY WORN OUT STRUT IN THE WORLD. FOLLOW THE TWO REAR LINES LEADING OFF OF THE MASTER CYLINDER. THERE IS A DISTRIBUTION BLOCK ON THOSE TWO LINES BEFORE IT REACHES THE REAR DRUMS. THATS WHERE THE METERING VALVE IS. YOU CAN REPLACE THE REAR DRUMS W/ DISC W/O REMOVING IT BUT YOUR PAD WEAR WILL BE SO FREQUENT ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY.


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

1BADSR20...1DAY said:


> EVERY DISC/DRUM SETUP HAS A METERING VALVE IN IT. OTHERWISE THE FRONT DISC BRAKES WILL ENGAGE BEFORE THE REAR BRAKES AND CAUSE NOSE DIVE WORSE THAN ANY WORN OUT STRUT IN THE WORLD. FOLLOW THE TWO REAR LINES LEADING OFF OF THE MASTER CYLINDER. THERE IS A DISTRIBUTION BLOCK ON THOSE TWO LINES BEFORE IT REACHES THE REAR DRUMS. THATS WHERE THE METERING VALVE IS. YOU CAN REPLACE THE REAR DRUMS W/ DISC W/O REMOVING IT BUT YOUR PAD WEAR WILL BE SO FREQUENT ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY.


OK stop yelling, when you post in ALL CAPS it means that you are YELLING. Since none of us like to be yelled at PLEASE turn the caps lock off. 

What you are referring to is called the proportioning valve and on our Nissan's it is in the master cylinder. You are wrong about this in that quite afew people have done the rear disc brake swap and changed nothing but the master cylinder WITHOUT killing rear pads.


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## Teknik_SE-R (Feb 7, 2006)

I actually found that informative. although he was yelling. I didn't know that about rear drum brake systems, and that a MC swap was necessary when doing the rear drum to disk conversion. Good to know. this info will prevent some major frustration to those that do this.


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## sfhellwig (Feb 4, 2003)

azkicker0027 said:


> some also say that you would need to upgrade the master cylinder for it to safely work as well. i didn't have to do mine since my hardware was already from the oe later SE-R, like the front brakes and calipers and the mc too. i did add some SS brake lines and ATE superblue for the hydraulics.


Not trying to jack the thread but this would be good info to have in the post. Azkicker0027, you are sure the 98 200sx se has the SE-R MC. I was very happy when I found out I had the rotors/calipers. I guess it makes since but I want it stated for sure that they are. This will also help others when upgrading as an SE-R in a junk yard will be alot harder to come by than a 98 200 se.


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## 1BADSR20...1DAY (Jan 28, 2006)

The reason you change the Master Cylinder is because on a Nissan the proportioning valve is built into the botom of the MC. The two small silver cylinders you see coming off the bottom of the MC where the lines attach are the proportioning valves. The proportioning valves allow for even distribution of hydraulic pressure under hard braking. Oh and sorry about the all caps. That's the way I write so normally it's the way I type too.( To many years at a technical school I guess lol!)


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

1BADSR20...1DAY said:


> The reason you change the Master Cylinder is because on a Nissan the proportioning valve is built into the botom of the MC. The two small silver cylinders you see coming off the bottom of the MC where the lines attach are the proportioning valves. The proportioning valves allow for even distribution of hydraulic pressure under hard braking. Oh and sorry about the all caps. That's the way I write so normally it's the way I type too.( To many years at a technical school I guess lol!)


This was mentioned before you posted and is EXACTLY what I said in my above post. All of this before you went off on the metering valve tangent. Anyway thanks for the correction on the all caps


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