Disc Brake Conversion

[lunge motorsport]

Here’s my take on disc conversions, ie, Kodiak vs Dexter

I did a 7k Dexter Torflex axle and disc conversion on my coach and the braking is now spectacular. If you’re considering this modification, I have some info that may be of interest.

I looked to Etrailer for the specifications of replacement brake caliper piston diameter for each manufacturer in the 8k range, to keep things simple. For this equation I will use an actuator output rating of 1000 psi although most disc brake actuators are significantly higher and more in the 1600 psi range, again I did this to keep the math simple.


Kodiak is using a single piston sliding caliper design with a piston diameter of 2.5’’, Dexter uses a 4 piston fixed caliper with each piston having a diameter of 1.875’’.

Given 1000 psi of actuator pressure and a Kodiak piston diameter of 2.5’’, there is 4908 lbs of force generated at the caliper. A Dexter piston diameter of 1.875’’ will make 2,761 lbs of force for each piston and there are 4 of them, so that number now becomes 11,044 lbs of force at the caliper.


If all other parameters are equal, brake rotor diameter, distance from the center of the rotors rotating mass to the outboard edge of the pads, and the pad size, an 8k Dexter 4 piston caliper generates about 2.25 times the force as an 8k Kodiak caliper.


This is why, in my opinion, Dexter fixed 4 piston calipers are significantly superior to any sliding single piston caliper braking system that I have seen.


It doesn’t matter to me which manufacturer owns the other, or the price of replacement pads or parts. It’s about brake effectiveness after all the math is exposed.

Cheers