Upgrading a 1988-93 W-body to 94+ rear brakes

This upgrade will give you totally different calipers and 11" rear rotors (compared to the old 10.1" rotors). We'll attempt to reuse as many of the original parts as possible. Before proceeding with this upgrade, be aware that I have not yet figured out how to implement the park brake! That's a project for another day. Also, be aware I will not be held responsible if you damage your car in any way!

Suitable Donor Cars


Click image to enlarge
You can also compare it to the old 1988-93 brake system

You will need to get all of the parts shown in the diagram to the left. You'll need the parts for each side. You will not need #17 and #18 right away if you are planning to attach the park brake at a later time. In addition, you will also need:

  • 2 rotors (11" diameter)
  • 4 caliper-to-knuckle bolts

I purchased my calipers from a salvage yard, parts #2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 20 were all included with the calipers. I believe you will also get all those parts if you buy a caliper from an auto parts store. The caliper support bracket (23) was not included, but when I requested the part from the salvage yard, it came with #1, 21, and 22 already attached to them. They also included spring clips (14) and pads (15, 16). I bought the rotors brand new from the auto parts store, and they were the majority of the cost. If you're real frugal, you can probably pick some up from a salvage yard for $5-10 a piece.

NOTE: From this point on, anytime you see me referring to numbers in parenthesis, they're referring to the diagram above.

Before you Start
Before you start the operation, you may want to clean up any used parts you buy from a salvage yard, and you may also want to paint the parts regardless of whether you bought them new or used. Most used calipers are a little rusty, or at the very least, rather crusty. New calipers are usually unpainted cast iron. A nice coat of paint on your brake parts will keep them looking nicer for much longer. It doesn't take long for a new caliper and rotor to become totally rusted in appearance. If you have those fancy open-spoke wheels, the rusty brake parts will be easily visible. I bought my parts (with the exception of the rotors) from a salvage yard, so they were rather rusty. I used a Wizard rotary tool and its wire-brush attachment to remove the rust & crust, and then used brake cleaner to remove any embedded dirt & crust. I also used Naval Jelly to etch away some of the rust. Afterwards, I painted my calipers and the part of the rotors that aren't in contact with the pads. I used Rust-oleum Cold Galvanizing spray paint. I chose it specifically because it consists of zinc and aluminum dust. I figure it will not inhibit cooling of the caliper and rotor due to the fact that it is a metal dust and will also conduct heat. It's also supposed to prevent rust. The caliper support bracket was originally painted black. I removed any rust and repainted it black using high-heat Engine Enamel. I originally wanted my calipers black too, but in the end I decided it actually looks kind of cool to have light silver calipers and black brackets. It'll be much easier to paint them now, rather than to try to paint them on the car. Just something to consider. Before you start, assemble your parts to look like the pictures of my parts below if necessary.

Caliper Support Brackets freshly painted (1, 21, 22, and 23)
Calipers freshly painted (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 20)
These used brake pads still have a lot of life left... hey, they were free, can't beat that! (13, 14, 15, 16)

Let's Get Started

  1. Jack up the car and remove the wheel.
  2. Remove the rotor dust shield by removing two 8mm bolts and discard it (you will not be able to use it with the new rotors - newer cars do not have a dust shield anyway).
    [Dust shield removed]
  3. Loosen the two 18mm bolts that hold the old caliper on.
  4. Remove the park brake cable from the old caliper.
  5. Disconnect the brake line from the caliper by removing the bolt from the coupling.
  6. Remove the two 18mm caliper-to-knuckle bolts and remove caliper.
    [Everything removed]
  7. Remove the old 10.1" rotor from the hub by pulling it straight off. It may be very rusted stuck, so you might need a large hammer, a lot of penetrating oil, and a lot of patience.
    [Old and New Rotor - see the size difference and also the ineffectiveness of the old caliper]
  8. This would be a good time to coat the hub with anti-seize compound so that you don't have such a hard time removing rotors next time! Be sure NOT to get any anti-seize compound on the lug studs.
    [Anti-seize on the hub]
  9. Slide the new 11" rotor onto the hub and use a couple lug nuts to hold it down.
  10. Attach the caliper support bracket (23) to the knuckle using two support-to-knuckle bolts.
    [Rotor and bracket installed]
  11. Push the two spring clips (14) to the caliper support bracket (23).
  12. Lubricate the surfaces of the spring clips (14) with silicone brake slider grease.
  13. Slide the brake pads (15 and 16) onto the spring clips (14).
    [Pads and spring clips installed]
  14. Lubricate the pad outer surfaces and upper slider (22) on the caliper support bracket (23) with silicone brake slider grease. Take care not to get any on the pad's active surface or the rotor.
  15. Slide the caliper onto the caliper support bracket's upper slider (22), and tilt downwards until the caliper rests on the pads and the support bracket.
  16. Insert the mounting bolt (1) into the caliper's lower slider (3) and torque to 32ft-lbs.
  17. If you are reusing the original flexible brake hose you will need to: Alternate Solution: You can probably do a cleaner install using genuine 94+ metal brake lines and brake hose. The reason I did not go this route is because the metal brake line would need to be replaced from in front of the fuel tank all the way to the wheel wells on each side. This is because the metal brake lines terminate in a different place on 94+, and that also allows them to use a different (shorter) flexible brake hose from the brake line to the caliper. You will also have to find your own way to mount the coupling between the metal brake line and the rubber flex hose, as an 88-93 doesn't have a place for it. I felt it was much easier just to modify the existing flexible brake hose.
  18. Attach the flexible hose to the caliper by tightening the bolt at the coupling. Torque to 32ft-lbs.
    [Finished install, whoopie!]
  19. Repeat on the other side.
  20. Bleed the brakes as normal.
  21. Test the brakes and make sure they work.

You are now ready to move onto Part II - Attaching the Park Brake... currently not yet done!
My car is an automatic, park brakes are not required to pass inspection in the state of Missouri, and I hardly ever have to use it. As a result, I haven't spent much time figuring out a way to hook it up. If you want to take the incentive, here's what I know about it:

The End