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Disc break conversion ???

SGTPaul

SGTPaul

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After reading a couple of the other threads, I have a couple of questions on a disc brake conversion for my 68 Charger:
1. My car will be mostly street and some track. Do the single piston calipers used in the conversion kits and noted from other threads to use from bone yards off of 70’s Mopars, stop as good or better then the original four piston calipers from 68?
2. I understand the one piece 70’s rotor will do better with heat than the original 2 piece. Correct?
3. My car has four way manual drums. I picked the power brake portioning valve, master, and booster off a 68 charger parts car. Does it matter what proportion valve I use (power or manual brake)? According to my parts book it looks like the same part if I’m reading it correctly.
4. I received a set of single piston caliper disc brake set-up along with my car. Only part number I can find on the assemblies is on the caliper: XH (or maybe KH) 09832501. Anyway to tell if this is the correct set-up for my car? I can provide a pic if that will help.
5. Some of the conversion kits say not to use 14” wheels. Why? If I use the 70’s mopar set up will 14” wheels be ok?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Paul :icon_salut:
 
I do alot of street drivin'.My 3800+ lb junk was goin' 127 mph in the 1/4 with 6cyl drums up front when I knew it was "TIME".When I switched over to disc's,I went with the 4 piston set up from SSBC.EVERYTHING is in the kit and it's all new ****.This season I may exceed 150mph,then I'm required to have a chute.:munky2:
 
I went the less painless way( not on my wallet) and bought the kit from masterpower.com. Dunno about 1 to 4; #5 is, the 14" will not clear the calipers.
 
I have converted three b-bodies and one a-body to disk. The mopar single piston caliper was much better then the factory four piston caliper. I had a 67 rt with the factory four piston set up and they leaked the two piece rotors seemed to be always warped. I took that set up off and put it in a box in case someone wanted to spent the cash rebuilding it. I installed a set up off of a 73 dart and that set up worked much better. I kept the original proportional valve and it worked fine. So the 68 charger disk brake valve should work although it's not hard to find a 73-74 a body valve. As far as one piston vs four sometime around 1970 all mopars used the single piston caliper and the mopars with the disk brakes in the 70's stop very well.
It's all simple stuff once you get into it.
 
You'll need the proper spindles if you convert from a 4 piston setup to a single piston setup. The Bendix 4 piston setup used fixed calipers (calipers bolt directly to the spindle) while the single piston calipers are full-floating and use a different mounting system.
If you have the stock Bendix 4 piston setup I'd recommend checking out Calipers Online: http://www.calipersonline.com/
I've had mine on since 2003 and have had zero problems. I also went with one piece rotors and the brake system is trouble free. If your calipers need sleeved he can do that or you can just use yours for cores and he'll sell you a set he has in stock.
Doh! I see you have a manual brake setup. In that case I would probably use the single piston calipers simply because they cost a lot less than the Bendix 4 piston setup. There are lots of good conversion kits out there that have everything you need to make the swap.
 
If you're using stock Mopar stuff, calipers and whatnot, 14" wheels will/should fit on the 10.75 rotor. If you go with the big rotors (11.75), you will have to get bigger wheels. Only your thigh and leg muscle care if you have power brakes, the brake system itself, doesn't. Your prop valve should work just fine.
 
Thanks for all the help thus far. I checked out the prices of the 4 piston calipers from calipers online and wow!!! Without cores it over $1,000 ($600 for cores)!! Uh, not in my budget… I’ve posted a couple of pics of the disc setups that I got with my car. I tried mounting a 14” rim to them today and it was a no-go – rim hits the rotor. Rotors appear to be 11.5” +/- and I don’t know what they came off of. What Mopars used the 10.75” rotor? Can I use the same spindle I have and just buy the correct backing plate, calipers, and rotors? :eusa_pray:
 

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That there is a 73 up B body brake assembly. You say the rotors measure 11.75"? You can use the spindle, but you'll have to source the smaller rotor and caliper adapter bracket. The real bummer is you can't use that caliper, either. The bottom inlet for the brake hose is gonna hit your control arm.
 
OK. I found a kit from SSBC performance brakes for about $325 + shipping. Looks like it will work on my 73 spindles. They offer versions with 10.5”, 11”, & bigger rotors. 10.5” & 11” will work with 14” rims. Kit comes with rotors, calipers, seals, bearings, pads, and hardware. Anyone use a kit from SSBC? Feedback?
 
I bought the complete Master Power power disc brake front kit for my '68 Satellite and although it's OK, I liked the disc brakes I had on there before much better. I don't know for sure, but the guy I bought the car from said they were from a '71 E body. They worked great except for what I found out later was a clogged brake line that made the car pull left. I sold them to a guy around here in san jose before I joined this forum thinking that a brand new aftermarket set must work better. It's Ok, but I'm disappointed in the stopping power and brake feel.
 
Really should be a "sticky" for the brakes and suspension section. Or some sort of reference archive for the site.
 
I ditched the Master Power Brakes setup and based off of that excellent article, I'm totally happy with my new setup. I only have 50 miles on it, so the brakes are not fully bedded, but they feel great so far. Here it is:

11.75" smooth vented rotors from Napa Auto (1" thick)
Wilwood forged Dynalite calipers - the regular dynalites supposedly flex too much.
Caliper adapters from AR engineering (made specifically for the wilwoods) - buy through Mancini Racing
New steel brake lines from Oil Filter Supply Co (90 deg on one end and straight on the other. The first lines I tried from somebody else leaked cuz they didn't have the 90)
Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve
Wilwood BP-10 pads
I kept the master cylinder and vacuum booster from the MP brakes kit.
As far as the spindles, the MP brakes kit I had before came with a reproduction spindle like what the '73 up cars had (they actually told me it's from an '89 diplomat)., so that spindle will fit my new setup, but Magnum Force Racing around the corner from me came out with their new 2" drop spindles last year and they fit this setup also, so I went with those.

Compared to my original discs that the previous owner had installed from what he said was a '71 E body (maybe he meant '73 E body?), my new setup feels great with lots of gradual pedal feel and great stopping power, but that older setup from the '71/'73 felt really "snappy". I would barely touch the brakes and they would snap your head forward if you weren't careful.

If you want part #'s for my new setup, let me know and when I get home I'll add them. The greatest wealth of info for me was that brakes article that someone else posted and the 2 page tech sheet included with the caliper adapter brackets by AR Engineering when I ordered from Mancini. That's how I found the new P/N for the 90/straight brake hoses that work better.
 
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