Rear disk brakes installed on my I-mark RS

[Luc]

Mal:

This is the front brake that's having the clearance issue. The fronts use the vented discs.

Impulse rotor on left, I-mark on right:

[want2sleep]

Originally Posted by malachi

Also, it looks like your using a double wall rotor, but arn't all Impulse rear rotors single disk?

that a pics of the front brakes not the rear.

[malachi]

IC...I was still thinking he was on the fronts. Thanks.

[TurboImark]

Wow, I can't believe that I overlooked this thread. Thanks for the tutorial.

[outlawnova]

Originally Posted by Luc

I have finally decided to get my I-mark back in shape to use as a daily driver. Instead of spending a bunch of money for new drum brakes, I've decided to use the spare disk brakes I picked up from an Impulse XS and do the conversion.
Thread Editing in progress...

Removing the rear subframe
1) Disconnect brake lines from rear brakes and drain.
2) Disconnect rubber brake lines from rear subframe
3) Completely remove brake drums and hubs
4) disconnect shocks from subframe (requires jack under subframe to
compress shocks)
5) Remove springs (they fell out for me)
6) Disconnect subframe from car (two hinge bolts)

Installing the disk brakes
Parts I'm using from an Impulse XS:
dust shields/caliper brackets
hubs
calipers
fluid lines (short length attached to calipers)
e-brake cables

The four-bolt pattern on the subframe plate is smaller than the bolt pattern on the hub.
Slot the holes to match the hub(Pic 1,2). Although the new holes are closer to the edge of the mounting plate, my mechanic felt that no extra reenforcement was needed.

Pic 1


Pic 2



Normally, the caliper is mounted toward the front of the car. Initial test fittings had too much interference with the springs and the subframe itself.
However, rotating the dust shield 180 degrees, swapping the calipers, and installing them on the back of the disk leaves plenty of clearance.

The caliper bracket attached to the dust shield needed to be ground down to sit flush against the mounting plate. Additional grinding on the subframe also helped clearance. (see pics 1,2, and 3)

Pic 3


Install the caliper assembly on the dust shield, slide the rotor onto the hub, and then install the rotor/hub and dust shield onto the subframe mounting plate(Pics 4,5,6,7). An extra set of hands really helps this procedure.

Pic 4


Pic 5


Pic 6


Pic 7


One of the bottom hub bolts is very close to the subframe wall and will either need to have a small head or the subframe will need to be grinded.

The subframe needs some grinding to make room for the lower caliper bolt on the dust cover bracket. As can be seen in Pic 8, once assembled, and without access to this bolt, the entire hub assembly must be removed to remove the rotor. Perhaps the subframe could be cut out to allow a socket in, but reenforcement may be needed as a result.

Pic 8


Edit:
After Jeremy(Zimahype) stopped by to give me a hand with this project, he felt it would be less of a hassle in the future if I went ahead and made that lower bolt accessible. So, one $30 grinder later, voila! (Pic 9,10)

Pic 9


Pic 10



Pic 11



The existing brake line on the caliper will need to either be connected to existing hard line on the subframe or the soft line on the car, or a whole new line made (haven't decided)

Pic 12


The e-brake cables attached to the calipers don't match the existing setup on the I-mark. I'm going to hopefully attach the caliper cables to the single line that goes to the e-brake handle.

Pic 13


Pic 14


Pic 15


Pic 16


Any suggestions and/or comments are welcome.

Additional repair activities on this car:
Brand new fuel pump, strainer, fuel level sending unit, and fuel tank ordered
Fuel filter
Swap in spare tranny
Repair driver's seat (middle sags to the floor)
New rear tires

On another note, does anyone know why the 89 I-mark RS has 5 less hp than the 91 Storm? They both have the same engine (albeit with different heads)

this the same as a storm?

[malachi]

No. Storms require no mods to make them work right.

[justinmac]

I'm sure the discs work much better than the drums.

[InfInIty13X]

Originally Posted by justinmac

I'm sure the discs work much better than the drums.

Thank you captain obvious.

[longtro]

Originally Posted by Luc

I
Installing the disk brakes
Parts I'm using from an Impulse XS:
dust shields/caliper brackets
hubs
calipers
fluid lines (short length attached to calipers)
e-brake cables

So this is ALL the parts I need right from the donor car? I am planing on getting myco xxx to ship me the stuff so I would like to get it right