Some Geniuses Are Putting Suzuki Sidekick Brakes On Old Jeeps To Stop Better

When it comes to modifying cars, we’re so often obsessed with going faster. But just as important as getting up to speed is scrubbing yourself back down to a stop. If you’ve got yourself an old-school Jeep, you’ve probably noticed that the ancient, unassisted, single-reservoir drum brakes aren’t exactly the best for that. Don’t worry though, because there’s an affordable and clever upgrade for that, and it involves using parts from a vehicle that came over 40 years after the Jeep.

Enter the Suzuki Sidekick. It landed in the United States in 1988 for the 1989 model year, and was also available as the Geo Tracker in a partnership with GM. The Sidekick very much followed a similar theme to the original Willys Jeep—lightweight, proper four-wheel-drive, and the option for open-top driving. The Sidekick benefited from decades of automotive development, with the model offering features like seatbelts, electronic fuel injection, and disc brakes.

It’s those very disc brakes that are prized by classic CJ Jeep owners across the world. The disc setup makes for the perfect upgrade for tired, worn drums, and you can snag the parts just about anywhere, including from junkyards. It’s the Trackick swap!

30+ Years Of Mediocre Jeep Brakes

When it comes to Jeep’s history outside of wars, the CJ is the pioneer. During World War II, Willys-Overland took the design of the classic “MB” military vehicle and adapted it for the civilian market, hence the “CJ” name—Civilian Jeep—was born in 1945. The model soon became an even greater American icon in the post-war period, and served as the bedrock model that launched the Jeep brand as we know it today.

The thing about CJ Jeeps is that they are rather primitive by modern standards. They have simple flathead engines, a simple ladder-frame chassis, and as for the matter we’re concerned with, simple 9-inch drum brakes. Drums were cheap and easy to build, and they were the industry standard when the CJ hit the market in the ’40s. But in time the auto industry moved on for a reason; drum brakes fade easily, have poor feel (they require lots of pressure, typically), and don’t work so great when they get wet. They’re also prone to filling up with crud on muddy trails, and the crudest examples regularly need adjustment.

For the above reasons, it’s no surprise that many owners prefer disc brakes in their flatfender-era Jeep builds. Someone at some point somehow figured out that Suzuki Sidekick and Geo Tracker just so happen to have disc brakes that are a comfortable fit for the classic CJ design. Thus the “Trackick” brake conversion was born, named for the combination of both vehicles.

The cool thing about Jeep CJs is that they didn’t change much over the years. There is some commonality across all the range, such that you can perform this swap on to just about anything from a CJ2A all the way up to a CJ6. If you’re a fan of the USPS, you can do the same to a “DJ” Postal Jeep, and the Jeepster, Jeepster Commando, and FC. In fact, if you find yourself with a genuine Willys MB or Ford GPW from World War II, you can throw the same brakes on one of those, too. That is, assuming you don’t care about modifying what is effectively a historical artifact at this point. In any case, this setup will work on a range of common Jeep CJ front axles built from 1941 to 1971, and some even later (later CJ-5s and CJ-7s offered discs, so oftentimes you’d just use those for a swap, but the Suzuki conversion is possible for them, too).

Snagging Parts From A Suzuki, Adapting Them With Brackets

To pull off a Trackick swap, you’ll want to source a set of rotors and pads from a four-wheel drive Suzuki or Geo Tracker, and you’ll want the calipers and mounts, too. Notably, though, you’ll need to make sure you get matching parts—two-door Sidekicks have solid rotors, while four-door models used bigger vented rotors. The calipers are different between the two setups, and you need to get the right ones.

You can buy a lot of these parts brand new, even to this day, or you can grab most of what you need from a junkyard. Or you can mix and match—buying brand-new parts for the wear items like rotors and pads, while sourcing a serviceable set of calipers and brackets from a wrecker [Ed Note: I’d go with new calipers and just get brackets from the ‘yard. -DT]. Notably, the calipers were also shared with some other vehicles—you could grab some from a 1995-1996 Suzuki X-90 if so required. Oh, and the Asuna and Pontiac Sunrunner—but those were just more rebadged Sidekicks, of course.

Brake Hoses From A Honda Accord Or Chevy S10

While the main brake parts are sourced from the Sidekick, you’ll need some other bits and pieces to hook everything up. Primarily, you’ll need brackets to adapt the disc brake calipers to your Jeep’s axle. You can fab up your own in sheet steel, or, if you’re not so inclined, you can purchase them from aftermarket suppliers like Brennan’s Garage. You’ll also need a brake line solution ending in a 10 mm banjo bolt; hoses from a 1985 Honda Accord or mid-1990s Chevrolet S10 can be made to do the job.

The Larson Garage has a great video on performing the swap.

You’ll need calipers, pads, rotors, brake lines, and brackets to tie everything together. You might also consider upgrading to a dual-circuit master cylinder. It is 2025, after all.

This is what the setup looks like from the outside:

…and from behind. As demonstrated here by The Larson Garage, this is using the Brennan’s Garage brackets.

Drilling Out The Disc Brakes, Installing Spacers

Installation is not brutally complicated, but it takes some work. You’ll need to pull the original drum brakes off the vehicle for a start, which may involve pressing out some studs depending on the axle in your given Jeep. You’ll also likely need to drill out the holes in your Sidekick rotors to ensure they clear the larger studs typically used on the Jeep hubs, but this can be achieved with a simple hand drill. Depending on your choice of wheels, you may also need to fit spacers. This is to ensure that they clear your new calipers, which can sit a little proud compared to the original Jeep drum brakes. Some folded steel Jeep rims won’t fit over the calipers without a spacer.

Valving For Drum Brakes Is Different Than Discs

You will need to bleed your brake system at some point, too. However, you don’t necessarily need to swap out the original single-circuit master cylinder. By removing the residual valve in the stock part, which is designed for drum brakes, it’s possible to make the standard master cylinder work with the Sidekick caliper setup. However, if you’re a stickler for safety, it’s possible to substitute in a more modern dual-circuit master cylinder so you don’t lose all braking in the event of a leak.

Like any good junkyard swap, this one is largely bolt-on, save for the custom brackets and a little manual fab work. Still, if you’re handy on the tools, it’s one the average DIYer could easily pull off in the home garage.

Of course, this isn’t the only way to go if you want to upgrade your Jeep. Companies like SSBC and Leed Brakes make their own conversion kits that you can buy right off the shelf, for example. They’re a perfectly valid route to go for your build. However, if you appreciate the ability to source parts from a junkyard or most auto stores, you might find the Trackick swap is more your speed.

The install doesn’t have a whole lot of difficult steps—it’s all pretty straightforward.

Whichever way you go, the upgrade from drums to discs is a pretty nice one. Disc brakes are far less complicated to deal with during regular maintenance, eliminating a whole bunch of springs and linkages and wheel cylinders to muck around with. They’re also going to serve you better out on the trail. Most of all, they tend to do a better job of keeping themselves clean compared to drums, and they’re more trustworthy after a light river crossing or similar.

It’s always fun when parts from one vehicle can so neatly upgrade another. For Jeeps, that’s more common than most. You can score brakes from a Suzuki, or a differential from a Volvo, and you’ll have a better off-roader for your wrenching efforts. There’s about a junkyard upgrade that just feels special. Maybe it’s the low cost, maybe it’s that it feels like you’re beating the system, but either way, it’s a rewarding way to improve your vehicle.

Image credits: Seven Bar Salvage via YouTube screenshot, The Larson Garage via YouTube screenshot, Suzuki, Jeep/AMC