• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Who runs 4 drums no booster?

My 66 charger had 10" manual drums originally.
It's a heavy car and panic stops at highway speeds could get scary.
It just wouldn't stop as fast as a newer car with disc brakes, especially on the second try it would fade pretty badly that's not a good feeling.
I drove it for 25 years like that but had to leave some gap in front of me.
I switched to manual discs in the front and it will definitely stop better now.


Hey quick question for everyone. I was told that my front Drum brakes were put on backwards when they were checked. They work fine though.
I have disc conversions that i have waited to put on. No Booster on a 70 sport Satellite. What else do i need for this conversion can i use the stock master cylinder? do you think i should replaces the stock lines to the front They come with a short line that i think connects to where the brake line and the caliper is located. But not a long line all the way back to the booster.

FYI I am a newbie so more detail would be helpful.
 
The longer shoe should be towards the rear.
Go to Mymopar.com and get a service manual or keep your eye open for a hard copy here.
upload_2021-3-1_11-24-47.png
 
I'm looking at most of the "my drums work just as good as discs" comments, if you live in the country, small town and don't daily your car in modern traffic, yes they do. If you drive in "city" traffic, LA, Vegas, Phoenix etc on the freeway in heavy traffic with 99.9% of the other vehicles having disc brakes, no they do not work just as well. And then the "I just keep more distance between" doesn't work because as soon as you leave a car length, someone else pulls into it, you'll soon be backing up. Yes, nostalgia is great, originality is great, but I drive mine daily, in Vegas when I lived there, and now regular trips to Vegas n Phoenix. For piece of mind and safety around modern vehicles w disc brakes, I converted to front disc without booster. Please don't try to convince someone that drums work just as well as discs in the real world.
 
I'm looking at most of the "my drums work just as good as discs" comments, if you live in the country, small town and don't daily your car in modern traffic, yes they do. If you drive in "city" traffic, LA, Vegas, Phoenix etc on the freeway in heavy traffic with 99.9% of the other vehicles having disc brakes, no they do not work just as well. And then the "I just keep more distance between" doesn't work because as soon as you leave a car length, someone else pulls into it, you'll soon be backing up. Yes, nostalgia is great, originality is great, but I drive mine daily, in Vegas when I lived there, and now regular trips to Vegas n Phoenix. For piece of mind and safety around modern vehicles w disc brakes, I converted to front disc without booster. Please don't try to convince someone that drums work just as well as discs in the real world.


did you change them out yourself?
 
I'm looking at most of the "my drums work just as good as discs" comments, if you live in the country, small town and don't daily your car in modern traffic, yes they do. If you drive in "city" traffic, LA, Vegas, Phoenix etc on the freeway in heavy traffic with 99.9% of the other vehicles having disc brakes, no they do not work just as well. And then the "I just keep more distance between" doesn't work because as soon as you leave a car length, someone else pulls into it, you'll soon be backing up. Yes, nostalgia is great, originality is great, but I drive mine daily, in Vegas when I lived there, and now regular trips to Vegas n Phoenix. For piece of mind and safety around modern vehicles w disc brakes, I converted to front disc without booster. Please don't try to convince someone that drums work just as well as discs in the real world.

agree here, reluctantly. I wanted to stay original on the wife’s Dart. 9” drums. First hurdle is finding decent parts. Went through 3 sets of drums and 3 sets of different shoes before finally getting them working well. Went to town and had to do a panic stop. My mind went to the wife in that situation and ordered a disk setup that night. She would have panicked, I had to use some alternative methods to avoid the car besides braking. Maybe getting 10” or 11” working better with Muscle Car Brakes helps but I have conceded and if one of family is going to drive it then manual drum brakes are not adequate.
 
agree here, reluctantly. I wanted to stay original on the wife’s Dart. 9” drums. First hurdle is finding decent parts. Went through 3 sets of drums and 3 sets of different shoes before finally getting them working well. Went to town and had to do a panic stop. My mind went to the wife in that situation and ordered a disk setup that night. She would have panicked, I had to use some alternative methods to avoid the car besides braking. Maybe getting 10” or 11” working better with Muscle Car Brakes helps but I have conceded and if one of family is going to drive it then manual drum brakes are not adequate.
Jim, (9" drums); that's apples to oranges IMO. Jeff
 
Jim, (9" drums); that's apples to oranges IMO. Jeff
My Coronet is power 10” and I am not sure I would be comfortable with the wife or daughters with it in town. You don’t just get on them. They take some real time thinking in a panic situation.
 
agree here, reluctantly. I wanted to stay original on the wife’s Dart. 9” drums. First hurdle is finding decent parts. Went through 3 sets of drums and 3 sets of different shoes before finally getting them working well. Went to town and had to do a panic stop. My mind went to the wife in that situation and ordered a disk setup that night. She would have panicked, I had to use some alternative methods to avoid the car besides braking. Maybe getting 10” or 11” working better with Muscle Car Brakes helps but I have conceded and if one of family is going to drive it then manual drum brakes are not adequate.
Exactly!! Mine is 3,400lb 4 door Coronet w 383. Had 11" drums. When I inherited it from my Great grandmother in '96, it was scary af to drive in Vegas on the freeway, hell just in the busy stop n go traffic of the city streets. Someday my granddaughter will get this car. I dove as part of my job, cars n motorcycles for more than 20 yrs. Investigated crashes, drums are "just fine" if you are going to cars n coffee on Saturday morning or on the dragstrip. Not in the real world in real traffic.
 
My Coronet is power 10” and I am not sure I would be comfortable with the wife or daughters with it in town. You don’t just get on them. They take some real time thinking in a panic situation.
Completely understand, but unless my driving would drastically change; I'm very happy with no-power 11".
 
Completely understand, but unless my driving would drastically change; I'm very happy with no-power 11".

Agree with you Jeff, if it was just me driving these cars I have not problem but I am constantly thinking about what bad thing can happen every moment.... the female persuasion in the household (and that is all there is outside of me) thinks about nothing while driving other than what song is on the radio.
 
I've put a lot of pads on mini-vans.
About the 3rd set and I would check my brakes, they were usually fine.
 
Agree with you Jeff, if it was just me driving these cars I have not problem but I am constantly thinking about what bad thing can happen every moment.... the female persuasion in the household (and that is all there is outside of me) thinks about nothing while driving other than what song is on the radio.

Same here. My A12 stops very well on 11" drums. Conversely I worry every time that my wife wheels out of here in her drum brake '68 Dart GTS 'vert... She's used to giant Brembo discs on her GT500...and that beautiful little big block Dart doesn't stop like that...not even close.
 
I haven’t read the thread, but I’ll answer the op’s question.

I run 4 wheel manual drum brakes.
It’s not a problem, and IMO, not worth “upgrading”
 
Dagnab it...
What is the correct master cylinder on these cars with 4-wheel 11" drums??

Fred came with one of these on him and I've always suspected it's wrong....
and the mushy pedal regardless of bleeding efforts says so, too:
IMG_20210301_170839347[1].jpg
 
Last edited:
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top