9.After the rear axle was...
9.After the rear axle was narrowed, we found that the rear disc brakes would hit the leaf springs if they were mounted rearward, but if we mounted them on the front side of the axle we would have enough clearance. Semon started by securing the mounting bracket to the axle using three of the factory 14mm bolts. The fourth bolt is used to mount the parking-brake cable. Next, Semon installed the caliper-mounting bracket using the supplied hardware. Everything was torqued to 85 lb-ft.
10.With the mounting bracket...
10.With the mounting bracket securely fastened, Semon installed the new rotor. He then set the brake pads into the caliper and slid it into the C-shaped mounting bracket and secured it with the supplied 3/8-inch socket-head bolts.
11a.With the calipers on both...
11a.With the calipers on both sides of the vehicle in place, it was time for the brake lines. SSBC supplies two 6-inch steel-braided lines (11a) that bolt into the top of each caliper (11b) and connect to the factory hard lines (11c).
11b.
11c.
12.Here is the installed rear...
12.Here is the installed rear disc brake with 13-inch rotor.
13.The only thing left besides...
13.The only thing left besides bolting up the rolling attire was bleeding the brakes. We started at the farthest caliper and worked our way to the closest.
14.For the final step, we...
14.For the final step, we installed the 20x9 MB wheels and 275/40R20 Hankook Ventus tires that we got from Discount Tire Direct
The Final Word
With everything installed, I still had to wait about 500 miles per SSBC's recommendations for seating the brake pads. After a few days, it was on. I couldn't believe the difference. The rims and Hankook's low-profile tires greatly increased the stability of the truck during cornering, or any lateral movement for that matter. The brakes were awesome: As soon as I applied some pressure, they were on it-I almost ate the steering wheel a couple of times. When I tested the braking distance, I gained 35 feet of distance going from 125 feet to 90 feet. Overall, I am very satisfied with the performance I've gained from the upgrades.