with Larry Harris

Spidertrax Disc Brake Installation

The Samurai has never been known as a speedster. Our little engine propels us down the trail at adequate speeds for most of our needs. The stock brake system was designed around this speed and our little stock tires. In the last few years the Samurai has come into to its own as a off road trail machine. It has taken a lot of work and time to get there. Many of us have swapped in lift kits, larger motors, lower gears. All this has been to achieve the goal of larger tires for improved ground clearance. These modifications come at a cost! Our once adequate braking is no longer  first-rate as it once was. The Samurai braking system has been over looked by the aftermarket for years... Until now! Very recently released from Spidertrax is a complete system for adding Disc Brakes to the rear of our trucks. This kit come in a variety of stages for the do it yourself hobbyist.

Depending how much of the work and engineering you want to do on your own there are  options to choose from. You can get just the Disc Kit or order the other fine kits from Spidertrax.  These are the E -brake kit and the Brake Line Kit. When you install the disc kit you must make some provision for a E brake and line modifications. Spidertrax has foreseen these needs and offers engineered kits. Don't have a flaring tool, or do not want to fuss with cutting and fitting your old lines, be sure to have the vendor include the Brake Line kit. There are other options for the E brake but you really need to ask, is it worth all the extra work?

The way I look at it is, let the manufacturer do the engineering. I opted for the complete kit selection. I am in this article going to show how double flares are done for those of you who want to make this a DIY project.  

While working up this article I was going to take more pictures and do a quickie install write up. Going back to  "why redo the engineering" I have adapted the excellent instructions that ship with the kit. What follows are the instructions you will receive when you buy this kit. They are reprinted with permission. Make sure to check out our review on this product by following this link.

INTRODUCTION: 

Spidertrax Disc Brake Kit. To begin, lets run down all the items that are included with this kit and explain their function. First, you should notice the two high quality aluminum caliper mounts. They are clear coat anodized to protect their surface from corrosion. The caliper mounts actually serve two purposes. They mount the calipers in place. In addition, they serve as the new rear bearing retainers. Next, with the elimination of the rear drums you will be left without a mounting surface for your rotors and wheels. That’s where the pair of adapter plates come in. These are designed to bolt onto the flanged end of the axle shafts. The five outer holes on the adapter plate will be used to accept OEM Suzuki wheel studs, which are included with this kit. You will also find all the necessary hardware that will be required to install the disc brakes. 

You must supply your own Suzuki Samurai front calipers and hoses (‘87 and up) and Suzuki Samurai front rotors (87’ and up). Using this kit by itself will leave you with no e-brake at the rear axle. Spidertrax offers an e-brake system that mounts to the output of the transfer case. It uses a 7" rotor and a mechanical spot caliper actuated by the stock e-brake handle. In addition, the Disc Brake Kit will require the use of custom brake lines and a proportioning valve. Spidertrax offers a supplementary kit , the Brake Line Kit, which includes these items. Although we explain the brake lines and proportioning valve needed (later in these instructions), purchasing the Brake Line Kit will save much time and effort. 

To learn more about brake systems, we recommend reading Brake Systems by Mavrigian and Carley.

PART 1: DISASSEMBLY OF DRUM BRAKES

1) Gather the front calipers, hoses, and rotors that were taken off the donor Suzuki Samurai (Figure 1). Inspect the pistons of the caliper to make sure they are in working order. To do this, grab a large c-clamp. Put the ridged end of the clamp on the inner brake pad and the screw end of the clamp on the brake hose mounting bolt. Tightening the c-clamp should collapse the piston. If the piston doesn’t collapse, it may be seized in place due to corrosion and should not be used. Inspect the hoses for any cracks and dry rotting. Replace the hoses if they show any signs of wear. We recommend that the rotors be resurfaced at a local auto shop.