Disc Brake question

[Suregrip391]

Hi all, thanks for all the welcomes as I joined this site. Sorry to put you all through this question. I am sure its been asked a million times... I was thinking of installing disc brakes on my car (70 sport satellite, 383/727) at some point. The car currently has 4 wheel drum brakes. Power assisted front drums. I have a few questions:

What donor cars are a direct geometrically speaking replacement? A bodies from 73-76, B bodies from 68-73? and all E-bodies?

Also, What size rear drums do you think would be on this car? Probably 10"?

Lastly, if I get a disc brake setup...should it be the same size as the A-body rotors? I think in 73-76 they were 10 3/4" dia??...Not sure what the stock B-body size was.

I am looking to make the disc's appear stock so I want what is correct for my year.

Thanks guys!

 

[69 Runner]

First, your power drum brakes are 4 wheel power....not front assist. If your car had come factory with front disc then the rear drums would have been 10". Also, unlike some A bodies, B body disc brakes were always power. The easy way to swap on discs would be to use the 73 up A body units. They are plentiful, and it's been done a gillion times. You will need to change the proportioning valve as well as the brakes themselves. Also, you wouldn't HAVE TO change your rear drums if they happen to be 11" instead of 10".

Possibly the most economical way to do disc would be to use the scarebird setup. Yeah, you use some GM parts. But they're cheap and can be bought anywhere

 

[696pack]

If you want what is correct for your year car I think that from 66-70 they used the old Bud style calipers. I highly doubt that this is what you want. They are usually only used by people doing OEM correct restos on high dollar cars.
I had these brakes on my 1968 Hemi Charger that I started the the resto on my car in 2000 and at that time there were no caliper rebuild kits available for them. I ended up sending the calipers to Stainless Steel Brake Corp to have the calipers sleeved with SS in a size that would except currently available kits. All in all it was quite expensive.

This is the reason people use donor parts from later model Mopars, but don't confuse those parts as being "correct" for you year car.

 

[Dans 68]

Go to Moparts Tech archive for a start....:santa:

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/brake.html

Dan

 

[Deleted member 214]

F-body brakes/spindles also are a bolt-in, I'm told. Finding an Aspen, Volare, 5th Avenue, etc. is easier than an A or E body in most boneyards.

 

[Suregrip391]

Disc brakes

Thanks guys, I think I shall look for a 73-76 A-body setup when the time comes. They seem plentiful. Is the prop valve the same then? Take that from the Donor car as well?

 

[69 Runner]

Yep. Either that, or add an adjustable one to the rear brake line

 

[Suregrip391]

Disc Brakes

Sounds good....A & E body disc brakes are the same correct? Or is it just the spindles and its the calipers that are different?... Just trying to broaden my search.

 

[Revhendo]

Dude, you need to read "Disco-Tech" over at Mopar Actions website. It should answer any questions you could ever have. If I remember correctly, MPbrakes offers a complete kit that includes spindles and dust sheilds.

Any questions, feel free to ask. 69 Runner will answer them, and I'll double check his answers.....

Rev.

 

[jaak]

I put the late body (F,M and so on) on my 69 Charger. There is alot of debate about using them due to the spindles being 3/8" taller, but alot of folks have used them with no problem. I bought the spindles/caliper brackets/dust shields off a Fifth Avenue in a junk yard for 50 bucks, then bought a pair of reman loaded calipers off ebay for 25, then bought the rest rotors, hoses, etc. at Autozone.

Jason

 

[Revhendo]

That's actually pretty much what I did with my Valiant. ('cept I got greedy and used the big Cordoba stuff.)

Rev.

 

[jaak]

That's actually pretty much what I did with my Valiant. ('cept I got greedy and used the big Cordoba stuff.)

Rev.

Yeah I would have liked to had the bigger stuff, but all I could find in the local yard that day was a bunch of fifth Ave and diplomats, they were a few darts but most were drum brake cars or had the brake stuff done gone.

Jason

 

[mr.belvedere]

I put the late body (F,M and so on) on my 69 Charger. There is alot of debate about using them due to the spindles being 3/8" taller, but alot of folks have used them with no problem. I bought the spindles/caliper brackets/dust shields off a Fifth Avenue in a junk yard for 50 bucks, then bought a pair of reman loaded calipers off ebay for 25, then bought the rest rotors, hoses, etc. at Autozone.

Jason

I'll be taking the "race" Wilwood's off the front of my GTX this spring-the car doesn't stop worth a crap-too heavy I suppose for that setup. I've got all the parts for the 11.75" factory swap, but not sure what hoses to use. i would like to not mess with my swaybar, and mount the calipers to the rear like you did. what hoses did you use? the general opinion is that by moving the calipers to the rear, you can't properly route the hoses to prevent them from rubbing through. any advice? :confused:

 

[69 Runner]

My Duster already had Wilwoods on it when I bought it, and it will stop so fast it will make your nose bleed. Maybe you need a different compound pad.

 

[Suregrip391]

I'll be taking the "race" Wilwood's off the front of my GTX this spring-the car doesn't stop worth a crap-too heavy I suppose for that setup. I've got all the parts for the 11.75" factory swap, but not sure what hoses to use. i would like to not mess with my swaybar, and mount the calipers to the rear like you did. what hoses did you use? the general opinion is that by moving the calipers to the rear, you can't properly route the hoses to prevent them from rubbing through. any advice? :confused:

I was kinda wondering the same about an hour ago, If i picked up an A-body disc brake setup, used the same prop valve (73-76 A-body) what hoses do you use? Ones for an A -body (same as your donor) or get ones for a factory B body with disc/drum of the same year of your car? What about a master cyl?

 

[jaak]

I'll be taking the "race" Wilwood's off the front of my GTX this spring-the car doesn't stop worth a crap-too heavy I suppose for that setup. I've got all the parts for the 11.75" factory swap, but not sure what hoses to use. i would like to not mess with my swaybar, and mount the calipers to the rear like you did. what hoses did you use? the general opinion is that by moving the calipers to the rear, you can't properly route the hoses to prevent them from rubbing through. any advice? :confused:

Mine are rear mounted, and I used hoses for a fifth ave. They seem long enough and don't bind anywhere, but after I bought them I noticed alot of the guys doing this swap are using hoses for a 70 Monte Carlo because of the length. But like I said, the 5th Ave hoses seem long enough for me.

Jason

 

[BlueSS454]

I used a complete setup from a 78 Magnum. I took the spindles, caliper brackets, and backing plates from a junkyard car, bought all the rest new. I rear mounted the calipers. I heard some say there would be an issue with the brake hose, I encountered no problem whatsoever. The master cylinder I used is for a 1971 Charger, retained the original distribution block and added the valve to the rear brakes. Car stops just fine and the whole swap cost less than $500. The only thing you need to do is get a set of offset upper control arm bushings and install them reverse of what the instructions say so you can gain more positive caster to bring the car into correct alignment. I have no bump steer issues either.