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10 inch Front Drum Brakes

ykf7b0

ykf7b0

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I own a 69 roadrunner and I'm contemplating a swap from 11 inch front drum brakes to 10 inch for the weight savings on the drag strip. I understand some b bodies have factory 10 inch drum brakes on the front but I need to know which will bolt onto my 69. Also, will my current hubs and spindles work with a 10 inch set up? Thanks!
 
Sure not of the parts you can find, but switched I from 10" to 11" & then back to 10" on my '65 Coronet. The parts are the same for your car.
 
66Satellite47 said:
Sure not of the parts you can find, but switched I from 10" to 11" & then back to 10" on my '65 Coronet. The parts are the same for your car.
Click to expand...
Approximately how much weight did you shave converting to 10 inch?
 
I hope you have good long shut down area at your local track
IMO going to 10" drums isn't the best idea, {15+% less braking ?}
it's bad enough with 11" x 3" HP/cop car front drums,
especially since your front brakes account for like
75% of your cars braking, the rears are pretty much along for the ride
your decreasing the braking by 15+% & if the balance/proportioning
isn't done properly the car will skid lock the rear brakes, more rear bias
IMO it's not really a safe idea, even if only nominal difference in braking...

IMO the "nominal weight drop/loss", really isn't worth it, at all...

I wouldn't suggest doing it, not worth the time or $$$, efforts...

IMO you'll also need to change the bias/proportioning to the rear brakes too,
if you keep the 11" rears & have 10" fronts,
your changing the proportioning bias/balance, by some 15%+ too
IMO your money & time is better spent on anything else...

no offence meant by any of my comments, I hope it's taken as such
BUT;
I've never known anyone that "actually" wants worse brakes on a race car
weight savings or not, I'm also all for weight savings, just not that way,
sorry, it's just a bad idea IMO

My $0.25 worth
 
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Brakes like Wilwoods offer lighter weight (aluminum hub and caliper), better braking and are less fade prone. I fail to see why anyone would ever swap to a smaller DRUM brake!
 
Yes consider a conversion to discs instead. Many years ago when my brother was drag racing he was still running drums on his Malibu SS. Well a younger inexperienced racer bought a car turn key and they were traveling down the shutdown and the guy took the short track exit right in front of my brother, stupid newbie. Somehow they missed each other but pissed my brother off. One of these days he'll put it back together and race again but he switched it to discs long ago.
 
Not saying I would go through with the 10 inch brake installation on my car but Jimmy Addison ran these same small brakes front and rear on the Silver Bullet and ran on the street. Of course he didn't have today's lightweight braking technology but he was getting every last bit of excess weight out of that Hemi GTX in his time. He was faster than most of us on this forum. Just sayin..........
 
ykf7b0 said:
Not saying I would go through with the 10 inch brake installation on my car but Jimmy Addison ran these same small brakes front and rear on the Silver Bullet and ran on the street. Of course he didn't have today's lightweight braking technology but he was getting every last bit of excess weight out of that Hemi GTX in his time. He was faster than most of us on this forum. Just sayin..........
Click to expand...



I'm glad you said most. LMAO
So how fast did Addison go?
 
The 10" work OK. I ran them on '65 Coronet 3450# car at 127 Mph & could take small track shut downs. But a good disc system is surely better. My current car has a converted front disc system, but I'm not sure it's that much better than the drum brakes.
 
SUPERSTOCKRACER said:
I'm glad you said most. LMAO
So how fast did Addison go?
Click to expand...
LOL! Most. Most history buffs will say 10.50 but I have read that we went 10.02. He didn't even have seat belts in the car!
 
tomorrow I will find out how well 10" brakes stop a heavy Charger, will post results .
I hope :)
 
I'm not saying they won't work, Drums "can" work well,
BUT; it's working well again & again, is the real problem...
Brake Fade happens, pumping them & not slowing down,
like it should be, it ain't fun either, been there done that...
Why even chance it, they have more parasitic drag & create more heat,
than disc.'s & can never reasonably dissipate it too, especially hot lapping
IMO that offsets what ever weight saving there may possibly be,
from a little drum...
This isn't 1966-70 anymore, we have the technology & parts available...

Ok I'm done...
 
it is a money thing , disc brakes are next. the wife is pissed that I am taking the car with drum brakes.
 
cdr said:
it is a money thing , disc brakes are next. the wife is pissed that I am taking the car with drum brakes.
Click to expand...

I was referring more to the OP comments #9 thou...

I know you know better,
cdr You got a good one it sounds like she's a keeper...
Good luck with the Charger runs...

Disc Fronts at-least...LOL, the back when you got the dough...
they are mostly along for the ride anyway,
unless your needing to use them quickly & often, cornering a ton,
than all 4 corners, it's a necessity of functions over budget...
 
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I had the 10" drums on my Coronet with full metal sintered iron pads and it worked ok without a lot of fade, but it went through drums pretty quick. Without those pads, hot lapping at the track was a definite no no. The sand pit and the end was closer than I liked a number of times. I am now using the SSBC 11" discs at all 4 corners and would never go back. In my opinion you would be better off cleaning out the glove box and trunk to save the weight and live to see another day.
 
With my Coronet I did a lot of "hot lapping" since I was winning a lot. Some long tracks, some short, never got real concerned. But the Roger Lamb disc's on my Arrow were really great.
 
ykf7b0 said:
I own a 69 roadrunner and I'm contemplating a swap from 11 inch front drum brakes to 10 inch for the weight savings on the drag strip. I understand some b bodies have factory 10 inch drum brakes on the front but I need to know which will bolt onto my 69. Also, will my current hubs and spindles work with a 10 inch set up? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I have a set of 10" front backing plates from a 66 if you need measurements, also the spindles from a 66 Belvedere.
 
BTW, it was a long time ago but seems like the 10" setup was about 5# lighter per side.
 
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