Input on 4 piston vs single piston brakes

[Fixable]

Looking for some input on front brakes, I currently have manual drums all the way around so almost anything is going to be an upgrade. Whats the best bang for the buck as far as braking power? Manual 11" 4 piston Willwoods/SSBC or a single piston power setup? Street/strip 67 Coronet that is driven a lot, thanks.

 

[69L48Z27]

For starters - Welcome!

Best bang for the buck? The 4 piston calipers, modern ones, give more clamping pressure across more of the pad. Single piston will give you very good braking for normal everyday driving. If you your going to put the car through its paces then the Wilwoods would be my vote.

 

[1967coronet440]

4 piston wilwood

 

[RVW]

I have 4 piston Wilwoods on both my 66 Dodge and on my 62 Dodge Dart. The 66 Dodge weighs in at 3950 with me in it and full of gas and stops just fine at 130 mph (no power brakes). The 62 Dart weighs 3850 and also stops great with no power assist.

 

[RVW]

I have 4 piston Wilwoods on both my 66 Dodge and on my 62 Dodge Dart. The 66 Dodge weighs in at 3950 with me in it and full of gas and stops just fine at 130 mph (no power brakes). The 62 Dart weighs 3850 and also stops great with no power assist.

Also go with the 1" bore Wilwood master cylinder and the Wilwood proportioning valve.

 

[Darthomas]

Single piston moves more and more likely to stay free if you see road salt.
In the rust belt, four pistons is asking for headaches.
My experience.

 

[Fixable]

Gotcha, thanks for all the suggestions.As much as id like to get a nice 4 piston setup, I think ill go with a single piston setup from Pirate Jack. Anybody had any experience with their products?

 

[Mike67]

We put 4 piston Wilwoods on the Nova with a corvette disc/disc MC and they just didnt seem right. We Called Wilwood and said they recommend 11/8" bore...
Im not saying a 1" wont work but just make sure the other pieces are compatible.
I have manual Willwoods on all 4 corners of my Coronet, but have never driven it...... However the pedal is tight and high with a factory MC...

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I have the SSBC manual,,,but wish I used something lighter for track days.

 

[Mike67]

Hemi,
Did your SSBCs tell you to pull the caliper , flip upsidedown and bleed the bottom bleeder?
Just curious, weve vacuum bled, pressure bled and pedal still felt spongy. We purchased a Wilwood MC havent installed yet but the guy at Jegs said he had to do this on his SSBCs...???

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Hemi,
Did your SSBCs tell you to pull the caliper , flip upsidedown and bleed the bottom bleeder?
Just curious, weve vacuum bled, pressure bled and pedal still felt spongy. We purchased a Wilwood MC havent installed yet but the guy at Jegs said he had to do this on his SSBCs...???

The bleeder is on top.If yours are on the bottom switch sides,,,,,

 

[Mike67]

Thanks! But they are on each side (4 total,1 for each piston) top bottom , inboard and outboard.
Thought the SSBC's were the same

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

The SSBC have one per caliper,,,,,,I just had to look!

 

[Darthomas]

I do wonder about just how nice n hard pedal is on a nice virgin KH 4 piston manual system.
But I loved the 73 single swap into my 71 so much, I'd never think of doing the 4 piston.
I bet I got 150,000 out of the used single calipers I put on in 83 or so.
Never had a piston seize.
The pedal feel is supposed to be harder and "better" in a 4 piston setup.
Need to hear from someone who has used both without power booster.

 

[holanae]

I went with stock front 11" rotor kit from doctordiff.com. Worked really good but then decided to upgrade. Wilwoods up front with drums in the rear. Slam on the brakes and I am eating the dash. Stops faster than my daily driver. I still have the drdiff setup, and wanting to part with it if your interested?

 

[NJRR]

I went with stock front 11" rotor kit from doctordiff.com. Worked really good but then decided to upgrade. Wilwoods up front with drums in the rear. Slam on the brakes and I am eating the dash. Stops faster than my daily driver. I still have the drdiff setup, and wanting to part with it if your interested?

I'm interested. conversation started.

 

[Fixable]

Thanks for the input all. Holanae, I am defiantly interested.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I do wonder about just how nice n hard pedal is on a nice virgin KH 4 piston manual system.
But I loved the 73 single swap into my 71 so much, I'd never think of doing the 4 piston.
I bet I got 150,000 out of the used single calipers I put on in 83 or so.
Never had a piston seize.
The pedal feel is supposed to be harder and "better" in a 4 piston setup.
Need to hear from someone who has used both without power booster.

I can tell you that I went from 10 inch drums in the front to the SSBC 's and the pedal was BETTER!