SRT Break SWAP

Addicted2Boost · Post by **Addicted2Boost** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 6:43 am

anyone have a good how to srt break swap id like to remove the drums and add the srt disk all the way around thanks guys.

seisephiroth · Post by **seisephiroth** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:00 am

not a how to but a point of information, you're going to need an SRT4 steering rack aswell.

my87csx481 · Post by **my87csx481** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:37 pm

Me too, me too. Not trying to hi-jack the thread but, I'd like to use the srt-4 front rotors on my sxt....or a big brake kit designed for the srt-4.

So, basically, I have a lot of the same questions as the OP.

Any help is much appreciated.

excon · Post by **excon** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:57 pm

for a good brake upgrade, I would do the rear drum to disc conversion.

From what I understand the front rotors are a little thicker and might be a hair larger, but I doubt it would make a big difference. You would be better off getting a good set of pads for the front. Definitely a lot cheaper too!

As I say to everyone now: know where your parts are coming from. Don't get rear brakes from a car that has been hit in the rear, or rear side. Also try and get cables and lines that aren't cut.

patiofurnituregt · Post by **patiofurnituregt** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:06 pm

Well their is really no point in getting SRT rears unless you absolutely want to try and minimize brake fade (a little), Becasue the rear neon rotors are the same diameter just a little thinner than the SRT's. You'll be able to find them cheaper and still have the same braking power in the rear. The fronts are 1" bigger in diameter and a bit thicker with a larger swept area.....The fronts are pretty important in regards to stopping because ~60% or more load is transfered to the front under braking.

As for the front brakes you will need: ( I would also try searching this topic because there are quiet a few!)

SRT hubs
SRT rotors
SRT calipers and brake lines
And an SRT steering rack unless you can modify your stock tie rods.

For the rear you'll need the same, minus the steering rack of course.

(The install is pretty straight forward, replace what you have with what you bought...tadah!)

*Also keep in mind what wheels you have, and if they will clear...for example my snow flakes just barely clear by a smurfs @ss hair!!

seisephiroth · Post by **seisephiroth** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:11 pm

yea, for the front brakes you will need at least a 16" rim for good clearance, you might be able to squeek the stock SRT's under a 15 but no chance on the wilwood BBK

my87csx481 · Post by **my87csx481** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:18 pm

patiofurnituregt wrote:Well their is really no point in getting SRT rears unless you absolutely want to try and minimize brake fade (a little), Becasue the rear neon rotors are the same diameter just a little thinner than the SRT's. You'll be able to find them cheaper and still have the same braking power in the rear. The fronts are 1" bigger in diameter and a bit thicker with a larger swept area.....The fronts are pretty important in regards to stopping because ~60% or more load is transfered to the front under braking.

As for the front brakes you will need: ( I would also try searching this topic because there are quiet a few!)

SRT hubs
SRT rotors
SRT calipers and brake lines
And an SRT steering rack unless you can modify your stock tie rods.

For the rear you'll need the same, minus the steering rack of course.

(The install is pretty straight forward, replace what you have with what you bought...tadah!)

*Also keep in mind what wheels you have, and if they will clear...for example my snow flakes just barely clear by a smurfs @ss hair!!

Your snowflakes are 15's? I wonder if my 7-spoke (dunno what they're called) rims will fit over the srt-4 brakes. What rims clear the wilwood kit?

Thanks.

seisephiroth · Post by **seisephiroth** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:23 pm

gonna need 17" or larger for the wilwoods

my87csx481 · Post by **my87csx481** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:01 pm

Will 17's fit under the stock spring perches, front and rear? I know the 18's don't.

I plan to go with coilovers this summer....so I'm thinking it won't be an issue after that. I'd like to do the brakes sooner.

Thanks for your help.

seisephiroth · Post by **seisephiroth** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:16 pm

i'm not sure on that on as A: I have 16s and B: have the SRT-4 struts, so I wouldn't know, I think there are some around that are running 17s no problems. but i'm not certain

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:27 pm

excon wrote:for a good brake upgrade, I would do the rear drum to disc conversion.

From what I understand the front rotors are a little thicker and might be a hair larger, but I doubt it would make a big difference. You would be better off getting a good set of pads for the front. Definitely a lot cheaper too!

As I say to everyone now: know where your parts are coming from. Don't get rear brakes from a car that has been hit in the rear, or rear side. Also try and get cables and lines that aren't cut.

I had the same thought, swapped over the SRT rear and noticed no difference.

Deffinetely get the front, the difference in SRT brakes is HUGE. I don't feel safe in my neons

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 6:10 pm

There are very few 16" rims that will work with the SRT front brakes. As for running 17" rims you would need to get tires that run a 40-45 profile to fit under SXT designed struts.

For the brake swap you will need for a minimum:
SRT front knuckles/hubs
SRT brake calipers
SRT brake lines
SRT steering rack unless you modify your stock one (there are discussions on how to do that around here somewhere)

Pads and Rotors

Other things to consider is to upgrade your Master Cylinder (I've posted a part number for a MC that will work with the 4 wheel disc brake conversion on non-ABS neons)

I would not recommend looking into adding ABS to your car (assuming it doesn't have it already) because it becomes extremely expensive and more hassle than I think it is worth.

Also if you are looking into a BBK then you will most definitely have more work on your hands and limit what kind of wheels/tires you can run on
Feel free to send me PMs if you have any more specific questions that I may be able to help with

seisephiroth · Post by **seisephiroth** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 6:29 pm

i got ABS with my SRT swap

c987long · Post by **c987long** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:52 am

hmmm. gonna do more research, thanks for the great start!!

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:03 am

I got a rear disk swap on the way to me. When I put it on I want to change to the steel brake lines kit they have on modern (LINK) on all four corners. Now I'm not getting the front brakes, just the rears, would I still be able to use that kit with my regular stock Neon front calipers?

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:39 pm

You will be able to use the SS lines on the regular stock front brakes

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:16 pm

I would also recommend you get the 15/16" bore master cylinder from napa.

I just did my SRT rear brake swap this past weekend. I cannot believe how huge of a difference it is going from drums to the srt kit!!!! The stopping distances are soooo much shorter and I have much much more confidence on the road. Before everything was pretty much done with the front discs and compared to the srt rears I don't even think the drums were helping me stop!!!

BE AWARE!!!!!! IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ALL THE SUSPENSION PARTS OFF!!!!!!

I had to use a torch to heat up the back plate so that it would come off. Because the bolts were so difficult to get off even with air-tools, sludge hammers and an acetylene torch, the project took 8hrs start to finish!

Be careful if you are going to use a torch to get the parts off or else you will end up melting through the ebrake lines like I did

. But, no worries cuz it was the ebrake line for the old drums!!!

LionheartedSXT · Post by **LionheartedSXT** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:03 pm

I also have done the srt rear disk swap and I definitely feel a difference in how long it takes me to slow down from any regular driving speed. For the front brakes you need all the stuff that hansken said you need as for the rear I believe it was quicksilver that showed you only need the backing plates,rotors,calipers and lines for JUST the rear swap. Good Luck to anyone that does this mod! you will be pretty happy with the improvement in braking.

EDIT: REAR SWAP: As for removing the drums and such, I did not have much of a problem, it was unbolt and knock off with a mallet. Mileage could also play a factor in the parts being hard to take off.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:07 pm

you also need ebrake cables!!!

LionheartedSXT · Post by **LionheartedSXT** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:12 pm

lol sorry I should have specified, I said lines as in the brake and e-brake lines but I guess cables would have been better, sorry if any confusion...

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:17 pm

You can't use the drum e-brake cables with the disks?

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:59 pm

nope. They are different.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:35 pm

And I don't believe they disconnect from the back plate easily.

chasneonsxt · Post by **chasneonsxt** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:32 am

hansken_yo wrote:You will be able to use the SS lines on the regular stock front brakes

How long does this swap take to do? Do you have to use all srt 4 parts or will some of our stocker stuff work too?

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:38 am

expect to take about a weekend to do the job. You could push through it in a day, but it be pretty hard core.

PM sent BTW.

thttxboy · Post by **thttxboy** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:51 am

if u have never done it or have never taken off ur entire brake system off it can be a lil time consuming, also if u have never removed the steering rack before that will be very time consuming. I've done it a few times so if i had to guess it takes me about 2 hours to swap the rears and bleed (if all goes well). The Fronts are alot easier but if u decide to swap the rack ur looking at about 3 to 4 hours if all goes well but I think if u have another hand to help it goes by faster.