Rear disk Brakes on a 94 Roadmaster estate?

I have a 94 roadmaster wagon that i Cloned into a SS Impala Wagon. Its has Ram Air, Exturde honed manifolds with no cats. Is has the a 2.56 gear and will get over 27 MPG @ 55 MPH on the road. I purchased a complete SS Impala rear end complete with dish brakes. It looked to be a strait swap but was I wrong. My original rear end had started to make noise so it was a good time for the swap. Every thing swapped over brakes bleed and I could not wait to see how the 3.07 posti unit would perform. Tires were against the frame. Farther checking and the wagon rear end is about 4" wider. I ended up fixing the carrier bearing and the axle bearing in the 2.56 rear end. I could not change the the disk brakes over because the housing flange on the wagon has a larger bolt pattern than than the SS Impala Disk brake rear end.

Does anybody know how to add disk brakes to the Roadmaster Wagon? any thoughts will help.

Thanks Greg

 

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/
Sorry I don't have an answer but I'm sure you'll find some info over there.

Also, there are a couple of guys on the 9C1 Forum that are quite knowledgeable.
http://www.9c1.net/forum/index.php?act=idx

 

Well there are a few ways I am sure. You can do an LS1 swap probably or contact Tobin at Kore3 for a brake swap.

 

Follow Andy's advice. Several of the guys over there at impalass have done this and have explained how.

 

Tanks for the info

Thanks Guys, I took a quick look and you are right someone has surely do this already. Greg

 

Cut and weld.
The wagon rear also has larger axle shafts and 30 splines, compared to the Impala's 28. Internally it's just another GM 8.5 inch axle, so you can find differentials and gear sets most anywhere. Just make sure you have the right diff for your ratio. Numerically lower ratios use a slightly different differential from the numerically higher ratios.

Summit and Jegs stock both.

 

Ajak....are you saying that the wagons....say 94-96....have 8 and one half inch rear ends?

 

Man its hard to keep up with the new members coming on. You miss a few days and you fall behinder.

Welcome aboard! I see the Roadie guys have stepped up to the plate, so you're in good hands. I just admire those road eaters, but I love my Fairstang.

 

I knew that gears had tone from the same series carrier but had forgotten it. I drive my wagon a lot and the way I drive I could benefit form a 2.93 or a 3.07 but cross drill and slotted on the rear has a cool effect. Just this morning a lady told me she had never seem a SS Impala wagon.

 

Yeah, picman...I just got a "SS" wagon myself. It has the tow pac so it has posi and the 2.93 gears. The "conversion" was already done for the most part.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0361168323&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I'm working on engine plans now.

 

Be advised that when GM put these disc brakes in they did NOT change the proportioning valve to compensate. So the rear discs end up being under-utilized under normal braking conditions. There is a "brake + proportioning bolt" modification available that supposedly fixes the issue.

Many would argue that the rear drums are really a better choice for the wagon.

 

Actually all wagons 77-96 have 8.5 in them.

 

Wait, Stick...I'm pretty sure my 88 Electra had like a 7.5 in it! Am I wrong about that???

Andy...I happen to be one of those people.

 

I have been told all wagons had the 8.5 in them. My info could be wrong but I have heard it from multiple places.

 

As far as I've been able to tell all the '94-'96 wagons had the 8.5 inch rear. I had to replace the bearings in my RM axle and the only one listed was the 8.5.