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Drum to Disc Front Brake Conversion Kit

70383runner

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Ready to buy new front disc brake conversion kit. Looked at most of them. Anyone had great success with their kit on a 1970 B body (Roadrunner). Manual drums now.
 
You will find that prices vary for many different kits.If you want you can do the basic with factory style parts for about $500 or less.They work very well.Dr Diff and the Ram Man are a good source.Stainless Steel Brake Corp, Baer and others run about $1000 more with multi piston calipers and power coat.Along with drilled and slotted rotors.We have used them all and they all do the same job.The most recent was the Ram Man's Power discs on a 64 Dodge station wagon.Nice kit.
 
I bought used A body spindles and the rest from napa....around 400 complete
 
I bought the Wildwood kit, it was about 800. Part #140 11020 D for my 69 RR. I like it a lot.
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My Wilwoods won't quit squealing intermittently. Always when you're pulling into a show and people are looking. LOL
I'm also gonna install rear discs. It's tough hauling it down in high gear.
 
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Is the "bling" worth 400 more....that's up to the individual I guess
 
Ready to buy new front disc brake conversion kit. Looked at most of them. Anyone had great success with their kit on a 1970 B body (Roadrunner). Manual drums now.

I purchased everything for my 1968 Coronet 440 Station Wagon from Dr Diff and waited 18 mos. to have it installed (too many projects at once). I pre-assembled what I could. One note that I read on this forum was to remove the pre-installed bearing races in the rotor hubs and replace with the included Timken races and bearings. I couldn't be happier with the 11.75" power front discs. This was an upgrade from the competent stock power front drum brakes. I also had to swap 15" wheels for 14" .
 
On my 68 R/R I was lucky to find a complete setup off a 71 Satelite wagon. Everything from the spindles out for $50. Rotors were still useable, used the calipers for loaded cores. Biggest $$ were the custom DOT fabbed lines at a local shop for $75. Maybe got $250 in the whole deal. Keep looking this stuff is still out there.
 
Not sure if you plan to do yourself or have it done. My error was trusting a so-called reputable shop to do the job right (Westech Auto)...like it was being done on their own car. I lost that bet even though my gut told me to do it myself. Long story. About 2/3 of the work was fine; the other was proper pedal adjust, pedal travel, quality of the installed linkage and finish work. This took me hours and hours to get it right. Lucky I have friends who work in machine shops to build me quality linkage and a firewall plate to close up the gaping hole left. Having gone from manual to power brakes they left the pedal so high I could reach it better with my hand than my foot...and they said "well to do more adjustment would require relocation of the brake light switch". Ahhh, OK - well...so leave the pedal in the sky? Would this be satisfactory on YOUR car? Anyway, after the redo work it all worked well. I spent more money than I should have. This might appear a minor matter in the grand scheme; but when you're ready to drive it ain't.
 
I did the wilwood kit on a 1968 charger many years ago. Took my time and with the help of a friend it was painless and straightforward. I fought squealing issuesfor weeks and was really ffrustrated. Called wilwood multiple times and they sent replacement pads twice. Finally went and got basic bendix pads from kragen and never had another brake squeal.
I second the advice of piecing together oem mopar. Several friends have gone this route and the cost savings plus reliability is great.
 
i use the scarebird adapter stuff.uses stock parts off diff vehicles with an adapter plate.i can get factory parts super cheep so i did the whole thing,with master,for about $230.only other stuff i had to buy was adapter plate for master,mancini racing,and an adjustable prop valve.if no one told you ,you will need both.
 
My Wilwoods won't quit squealing intermittently. Always when you're pulling into a show and people are looking. LOL
I'm also gonna install rear discs. It's tough hauling it down in high gear.
There are a lot of different pad material choices for the Wilwood brakes. Some are more prone to squeal than others. You might try some different pads.
 
I like the Dr. Diff kit. Comes with pretty much everything you need and a great price. I don't have it, but thats the kit I plan on getting in a month or two. I am a budget builder. Don't need a big name, just needs to do its job. Can't be any worse then my warped drums.
 
I've also heard good things about Dr Diff. A few guys in my old mopar club used his kits.
 
I used knucles from an 80's diplomat. All other parts are readily available at you local parts store. The front converson cost me under $300..
 
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