just woundering if anyone has rear disc brakes?? i have seen that there are aftermarket rear disc brake rotors for the 91-99 s-series but as far as i know they are drum... i have only worked with 3 saturns and they where all first gen sl1 with rear drum. a 91 sl1, a 93 i think sl1 and my 95 sl1... just woundering what it would take to convert from rear drum to rear disc... and btw i dont have abs

Its as simple as a trip to your local junkyard and picking up the parts. 1991-1998 S-Series that had ABS, had rear discs. But you can do a rear disc conversion on any 1991-2002 S-Series that came with rear drums. All you need to get is the rear calipers, caliper mounting brackets, and parking brake cable from the junkyard. Then new pads and rotors. Which parking brake cable you get depends on the year and model of your S-series.

I''ve done this conversion on quite a few of the Saturns I''ve owned.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/member...62_19_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.com/member...62_20_full.jpg

where did you get those rear head rests? are they just the front ones put into the back? wanted to do that to my integra but i could never find the right seats...

1994 SL2 Homecoming editions had them. Late 1993-1995 sedans have the provision for the attachments already on the rear deck. You just need to order the plastic trim attachments, cut out the holes in the rear deck carpet and slide in the headrests. You can use the specific rear headrests or use front ones that can be picked up at the junkyard.

Low Sat..
What is better for braking drum or disc for the back? I wouldn''t mind putting disc on my rear.

Dont really think it makes that much of a difference. The majority of the braking is done up front. Rear discs look prettier and are easier to maintain.

Sounds like a good project for me...i Got a 99 sc2, with drums so it should work eh , any S series 91-01? If i went to the junk yard where would i look first for rear calipers and the mounting stuff, or should i just buy new?

The only thing you need to buy new is the pads and rotors. Everything else will be fine. Just make sure you get the parking brake cables from a 1996-1998 Sedan, coupe or wagon with ABS.

i was at the junk yard yesterday getting a fuel pump for my friends 96 neon and saw only one saturn there with rear disc... it was a green sc2... im not sure what year but it was an older one with the flip up headlights. i didnt check the dash or steering wheel for air bags, can i use these brakes? and what is the difference in the handbrake cable??

That's odd, because every time I hit my local Pick-&-Pull, they have between 12 to 15 various Saturn S-series cars (not to mention the ION's and Vues and stuff). Seems like almost half have rear discs. I was amazed. Makes me want to grab some and do the conversion. I've been an auto mechanic most of my life (worked at several shops plus to all the work on my own cars) and still absolutely hate doing rear drum brakes! Now that I know which cars had the rear discs standard and/or optional, I'm going to find a set and swap my rear drums. I love 5 minute brake jobs!

When I read someone's post here that the Saturns with ABS have rear discs, I went outside and checked my buddy's 98 SL which has ABS for sure, and was amazed to find it DOES have rear discs! I told him, and he was amazed. He never knew he had 4-wheel discs in the almost 15 years he's had the car! He said he did the front brakes a few years back but not the rears. Now he's gonna do the back brakes.

BTW, I got my 02 Saturn SL needing a shift cable and clutch for $450. It's a one-owner car with all receipts, including the original bill of sale from the local Saturn dealer!

The other thing that's odd is that you chose to necropost this to a thread that is almost a decade old.

No the cars have not changed since then but,,,,really....

To my knowledge:

For the S cars:
All Sx1's had rear drums.
All Sx2's had 4 wheel disc up to and including 98 (coupes) 99(sedans)
99-02 (3rd gen) coupes and 00-02 (3rd gen) sedans had rear drums.

I don't remember ABS playing a factor in what went on the back, as I don't believe disc brakes were an option on the Sx1's. So your buddy must have a 98 SL2 not an SL which is the base/manual everything version.

Again, disc brakes were only standard on the Sx2's through 98/99 (see above).
If you DO decide to do a swap, search long and hard on the net because you also need to swap parking brake cables in some cases, and you don't want to be 9/10th done something and realize you can't get the cable you need.

And as for your buddy and rear brakes: if they are disc they should last about 120K miles. I hope he bought it in 2002 with more mi on it than that, otherwise in theory it should be metal on metal if the car is driven average miles/year

DUDE! Do you have nothing better to do than nit-pick everyone's posts? HOLY CRAP! I post 2 things and YOU feel a need to respond to BOTH, and in a negative way! IF you're such an expert, WHY have this forum? Why not make your own KNOW IT ALL website? Geez, dude, if you know EVERYTHING about Saturns, WHY does this forum have so many classifications? We could just use ONE... YOURS, the true and only expert!

DUDE!!!!

That is the most bizarre response to any post I have ever made on this forum in 12 years.

All I did was

1)provide you with what I believe to be the correct subset of models with rear disc brakes to simplify your parts hunting if you choose to get some parts at the junkyard. In fact you will likely have to find the e-brake cable to swap in at a junkyard. Was gonna check online parts stores, but I don't want to "know it all" you with even more helpful information.

I could do a quick search of the net to find one of the writeups on which year cars need the e brake cable swapped and to which one they need to swap to, but I won't bother as I fear you would perceive my providing any additional technical info on the rear disc conversion as more "know it all" behavior.

Also, was trying to help you avoid a situation where you would get stuck at the end not knowing the e brake cable needed to be swapped. I would think you would want to know as much about what you're getting into before you start.

Google it. It's out there.

I share information with you that I think might be of use to you and I am a know-it-all?

Hardly.

I even complimented you on choosing used shifter cables over aftermarket, and WHY.

Not sure where the negativity thing comes in ?? I did not bash you nor your buddy nor your cars. I just told you how long rear brakes last on average for a rear disc s series.
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You'd be surprised (or not) how often I'm wrong.
Ask Rubehayseed (lifetime shadetree mechanic), 02_LW300 (lifelong professional mechanic), or the other regulars.

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If you want a wrong answer out of me, ask me ANYTHING about an Astra, Outlook, Relay, and quite often the Ions.
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We ALL put our heads together to help each other and ensure members have correct information before diving into something that looks simple but has a few caveats.
That's what we try to do on THIS forum. HELP each other. SHARE information.
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If you have QUESTIONS about your Saturn, we're ALL happy to help. Just start a new thread.

If SHARING and TRANSFERRING that knowledge makes forum members know-it-alls.....then please go find somewhere else to feel persecuted and lectured-to when others try to help you by providing technical information intended to help you.

Did you have to swap the master cylinder out or did you leave the stock one?

What is the allure of necroposting?

I believe the master cyl is identical in the S cars regardless of Disc or drum.check rockauto.com for an identical car in 97.