Monkey does 1987 honda accord lx rear drum to disc swap.

[asianwills]

There are a few threads on this site that I am trying to understand and seem very helpful.
Like this one:

https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php/148447-Rear-Disk-Swap-with-pics-(for-those-with-drum-brakes)2021

From what I am hearing this sounds like a worthwhile and popular mod to your car. I hear people saying that once you have the parts then it is actually pretty decently easy.

That is what I am struggling with though, knowing what parts to get and how to get them. It is a little bit more complicated with my model since my model is a lower LX, and so I have to buy and replace more parts. I am not 100% sure of all the things I need to replace.

Anyways, let’s just start with one thing. How do I find the sei parts? It sounds like I will basically need everything of the rear sei’s brake system.
Like would this ebay car work for parts, is it even an sei?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233997026485?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=sQc_o1-rRnS&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=yf7ed775qgq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[ShiRen]

Yeah you need the entire rear trailing arm assembly. It would be a popular mod if the parts existed

And no, that car is carbed

[Dr_Snooz]

How do I find the sei parts?

That's the trick, isn't it? You can't buy them new, so you gotta keep combing the want ads, eBay, Craigslist, and the junk yards till you find what you need. Great patience is advised.

FWIW, there's only one company making replacement rear calipers now, and they're remans. At this age the reman stuff isn't worth a whole lot, so you're fixing to get boxed into a part shortage when your rear calipers wear out.

At this point, I would be looking at aftermarket brake systems (like Wildwood, Baer, Brembo, etc.) instead of old OE stuff. No one makes a kit for or cars so you'll have to figure out how to make it fit.

[ShiRen]

Problem with aftermarket, if you can even find a solution, you need the sei knuckles
Still working on an integra conversion... I need to get the calipers and rotors.

[Dr_Snooz]

I'd be satisfied with a bracket, though I don't have any idea what it should look like.

[ShiRen]

Just something like this. Unfortunately, the guy who makes these would not give me the time of day.
https://scarebird.com/image/catalog/Honda/HON%20bracket%20mounted%20800.jpg

[Oldblueaccord]

I think Shanelxi did his with the drum knuckles. There in his videos. I might be wrong but that what I thought.

Also a quick glance at rockauto the rear calipers are available, use 1989 tab.

[ShiRen]

I think Shanelxi did his with the drum knuckles. There in his videos. I might be wrong but that what I thought.

Also a quick glance at rockauto the rear calipers are available, use 1989 tab.

I just checked, he has the entire knuckle assemble laying next to the car in the beginning of the vid. The sei knuckles would look similar to the knuckle in my post above, but the caliper mount ears would be cast in.

Note that the rear knuckles are a separate part to the trailing arm, unlike civics, so it is admittedly a little harder to spot.

I have come to learn that honda did not use very many types of brakes, the calipers were probably also used on the 4th gen prelude and maybe 4th gen accord. I think they are also very similar to the integra parts I want to use.

[Oldblueaccord]

I just checked, he has the entire knuckle assemble laying next to the car in the beginning of the vid. The sei knuckles would look similar to the knuckle in my post above, but the caliper mount ears would be cast in.

Note that the rear knuckles are a separate part to the trailing arm, unlike civics, so it is admittedly a little harder to spot.

I have come to learn that honda did not use very many types of brakes, the calipers were probably also used on the 4th gen prelude and maybe 4th gen accord. I think they are also very similar to the integra parts I want to use.

No your correct. I think I meant he used the drum trailing arm and the SEI disc brake knuckle.

The only part I did not see for the disc setup was a caliper new piston, if you wanted to rebuild your own. The seals, caliper, bracket and disc are listed as available.

[Dr_Snooz]

Just something like this. Unfortunately, the guy who makes these would not give me the time of day.
https://scarebird.com/image/catalog/Honda/HON%20bracket%20mounted%20800.jpg

Yeah. There you go. You could mount that just by tapping out the backing plate mount holes a little larger.

[ShiRen]

It is possible that it needs a different offset distance to match up over the rotor, some of them he makes arent flat. He doesnt supply very good pictures or spindle measurements either


No your correct. I think I meant he used the drum trailing arm and the SEI disc brake knuckle.

The only part I did not see for the disc setup was a caliper new piston, if you wanted to rebuild your own. The seals, caliper, bracket and disc are listed as available.
Yeah, trailing arms are the same... no reason to pay for the whole thing.

[asianwills]

I’m so sorry, I usually get notifications when people reply to any threads on 3geez. But I guess I turned them off. Thanks for all your replies it helps a ton, sounds like it’s kinda a waiting game for the right parts. Maybe I should focus on a different project but keep my eyes peeled for the parts.

[Oldblueaccord]

I’m so sorry, I usually get notifications when people reply to any threads on 3geez. But I guess I turned them off. Thanks for all your replies it helps a ton, sounds like it’s kinda a waiting game for the right parts. Maybe I should focus on a different project but keep my eyes peeled for the parts.


I would do up the front brakes before I ever would mess with the rear even doh there drums.

Either larger rotors, better calipers or even just very good performance brake pads on the stock 10.3" rotors is a big help.

Good tires to go along with that setup!

[Dr_Snooz]

I'll second that. The only difference I noticed in swapping from drums to discs was a spongier pedal feel. Practically speaking, the only meaningful difference between the two systems is that the discs are easier to modulate at the limit. In other words, discs allow you more easily to stay in that magical window between braking very hard and locking up. That's it. There are other reasons to swap, of course. The discs are a simpler setup that's easier to service. The discs confer bragging rights, etc. Yet when you stack all those against the cost and effort of swapping, they don't amount to much.

Mind you, I'm talking here about the factory disc setup. What really impacted my brakes was replacing my SE-i prop valve with the aftermarket Wilwood adjustable valve. That single change transformed the entire braking system; woke it up and made it work like it should have worked the entire time. By my reckoning then, the only good reason to swap is this: it opens up the aftermarket. It's the point at which you stop talking about boring drums and start talking about big brake kits, multiple-piston calipers, more bite, less fade, better technical support, more cool factor, etc. etc. etc.

That's why I say, if you can come up with a clever way to mount calipers to the stock drum knuckles, then that's as good as an OE disc swap because it still opens up the aftermarket, which is where the real benefits begin.