How To Install Baer Four-Wheel Disc Brakes

Though they worked OK, the rear drum brakes looked plenty skanky behind the open architecture of the American Racing rims. Here, the crusty drum has already been slid off the studs (the factory Tinnerman nuts were long gone).

Since we're removing all vestiges of the drum-brake assembly, one of the first steps is to disconnect the brake line from the wheel cylinder. Ours was sufficiently crusty to require treatment from the flame wrench before it would break free.

The shoes, springs, pivot nut, and all adjustment hardware must come off before the backing plate can be removed. Having the appropriate drum-brake tools will speed things considerably. The wheel cylinder can remain on the backing plate.

The backing plate is sandwiched between the wheel-bearing retainer plate and axlehousing flange, and the axle must be pulled to get it out. First, four nuts (arrows) must be removed from the axlehousing flange studs. These are accessible with an impact wrench through a hole in the axle flange, visible in the previous photo.

A poor man's slide-hammer can be fashioned by reversing the brake drum and securing it loosely with a couple of wheel nuts. A good, sharp tug should free the axle bearing from the housing, allowing the axle to be pulled right out, and freeing the brake backing plate.

The zinc-washed caliper mounting bracket is the first of the kit components to go on. Like the old backing plate, it's sandwiched between the bearing retainer plate and axlehousing flange. The bracket is somewhat universal, as it can be oriented in a number of different clockings. Craig mounted it in order to place the caliper near the 2-o'clock position; this seemed to clear everything under normal suspension movement.