I have a 87 Subaru XT GL. It needs new front axles. Has drum brakes. When replacing the axles, is it possible and/or practical to replace the drum brakes and axles with axles that accept disc brakes? Thanks for any input.

 

If you're staying within the same breed, you may be able to retrofit a different axle. I've never done that myself.

Should you get everything to fit, something to watch for is the residual check valve used on drum brakes and not on the disc brakes. Those were normally installed in the master cylinder. Many of them were little hat shaped devices and would hold about three pounds of pressure in the drum brake line. It essentially kept everything taunt to facilitate the brake actuation.

If you put a disc brake on a line designed for those drum brakes, the residual pressure would burn up the disc brake pads.

Hope this helps,

Bob