CRX front drum brake conversion

[jrnsr]

Does anyone have some insight into parts interchange for front brake conversion to drum?

I'm setting up a 750cc CRX for high fuel mileage and drum brakes offer lower resistance.

'88 CRX DX

[3gd16]

Never heard it beeing done before but give it a try. You may need to fabb alot

[arcosine]

I think the HF model front disks are low drag.

[Ryland]

You would have an easier time putting first gen Honda Insight front brakes on, the drum brakes are not set up for live axles unless you go back to a 1984 to 1991 Honda Wagovan with 4 wheel drive, but it's hard to say if those would even work.
Issue is, drum brakes tend to grab more and are more likely to lock up then disk brakes so your braking is not going to be nearly as smooth nor safe and cars that crash don't save you anything.

[Frank Lee]

Oh please. I have several cars with 4 wheel drums and they are no more likely to crash than the ones with discs. In fact they are no more likely to have any brake or braking related issues.

[jrnsr]

"the drum brakes are not set up for live axles unless you go back to a 1984 to 1991 Honda Wagovan with 4 wheel drive, but it's hard to say if those would even work."

That's the direction I wondered about but don't have first hand experience with the Wagovan rear. Hoping someone else "been there, done that." Thanks for the input.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Oh please. I have several cars with 4 wheel drums and they are no more likely to crash than the ones with discs. In fact they are no more likely to have any brake or braking related issues.

Thanks for putting us all at ease that retrofitting drum brakes designed for the rear of a vehicle on the front will not have any issues and should be just as safe!
I own cars as well with 4 wheel drum brakes and find them to be very grabby and touchy, I've also had motorcycles with front drums and the motorcycles with the best brake control had both shoes set up to expand pushing only the trailing edge in to the brake drum, the motorcycles that had harsh braking had front drums that were modeled after the simple design of the rear brake drums.

But back on topic, No, the rear drum brakes will not bolt on to the front steering knuckle, the drum would but the backing plate with the brake cylinder, return springs and brake shoes will not bolt on, if you have use of a milling machine you could make an adapter that bolts on to the two threaded holes where the caliper bolts go and then provide the 4 bolt holes needed for the brake backing plate, but I suspect that if you had to hire that task out you would never see a return on your investment.

[Frank Lee]

^Yup about the fitment. Nope about the dynamics and safety and whatnot.

I'd like to put drums on the fronts of my stuff but in addition to what Ryland said about adapters, I think getting the backing plate over the hub would be problematic as the hubs come off easily on the rear but not so on the front (at least on my stuff). That is solveable... next it is my understanding that master cylinders produce different volumes and pressures for the disc and drum circuits, so something would have to be done to make the front circuit suitable for the drums. Would proportioning valve(s) do it? I haven't really thought that part through.

So the path of least resistance (PUN!) might be to devise a working return spring arrangement for disk calipers. I understand some newer calipers have such a setup so maybe they could be adapted.

For me the path of even lesser resistance has been to maintain the stock system, trying to stay ahead of corrosion so that moving parts can move and seated parts don't unseat and parts that are supposed to contain fluid don't squirt it out all over.

[jakobnev]

Originally Posted by jrnsr

..and drum brakes offer lower resistance.

Is there any chance you reached this (possibly false) conclusion by turning the wheels of your FWD, front disc, rear drum-car by hand?

[Ryland]

Of all the disk brakes out there that are going to give you the least number of issues and give you next to zero drag, the Honda Insight calipers should do the job, they are an aluminum caliper instead of cast iron (lower unsprung weight) and every part of that car has been designed for fuel economy and all it takes to make sure that you disk brakes are not draging is longer throw on the return springs so that you are assured to have a gap between the brake pad and the disk, if there is a gap then there is nothing to drag.
There are a lot of Honda Insight parts that might help you out, rear brake drums are aluminum with iron liners, I have a set on my civic vx and they are a perfect fit so they will fit the CRX as well saving around 3 pounds of unsprung rotating weight and if you want to get really nit picky, you can even get the aluminum wheel cylinders that the insight has, they cost a little more then the iron parts but they'll help cut your weight down even more.