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  #1  
Old 06-25-2001, 11:26 PM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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Default Manual or Power Brakes

I have a 68 Road Runner 440 with 11" manual drum brakes all around. I'm looking at doing a front drum to disc conversion using the kit from Stainless Steel Brakes. I know that it can be done a lot cheaper by using used parts, but I like the idea of lighter rotors and 4 piston billet aluminum calipers.

My main question is if I should also convert to power brakes or continue with Manual? I drive the car a few times a week to work (Sometimes in Traffic) and also race it on the weekend.

My other question is whether anyone has had experience with Stainless Steel Brakes conversion kit.

Kekoakeakane.
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  #2  
Old 06-26-2001, 12:00 AM
mr_340 mr_340 is offline
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Default Howzit Kekoakeakane!

I've got the factory manual disc brakes on my '69 340-S Barracuda (Hawaii car -- factory heater delete). They stop great but needs a little less pressure on the rear drums (lock up too early). I'd give the manual setup a shot and consider an aftermarket proportioning valve and the late model Mopar master cylinder. The drum M/C probably won't work too good with discs.

Mahalo for shopping at Moparchat.com
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  #3  
Old 06-26-2001, 12:24 AM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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Cool

Actually, the Stainless Steel Brakes (SSB) setup comes with everything needed to install disc brakes on drum spindles. Includes Master Cylinder, Adjustable Proportioning valve, hoses, spacers, seals, bearings, hubs, calipers, etc. I was just wondering if I should get their power booster or not.

Mahalo for the input.

Kekoakeakane
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  #4  
Old 06-26-2001, 01:30 AM
Walkercolt Walkercolt is offline
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Get the stuff for power brakes!I was a teenage idiot in the late 60's driving big power cars with no brakes! You could slow some of our tanks down better by dragging your foot.If you went with someone like Wildwood or another racing brake, you wouldn't need the power assist, but for a street car, they aren't too practical.
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  #5  
Old 06-28-2001, 10:25 PM
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1969RR 1969RR is offline
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I did this conversion on my 69 Runner. You can see the job done at http://www.hotrodder.com/nick and click on the "tecnical" link. There is allot of info there. I went with the power brake update with a electric vacum booster. My cam is too large to get good vacum so, needed the boost.

My conversion was putting the kit together from a "A" body spindle. Check it out, its all there and it works!!

I'll make it easy, here is the link; http://www.hotrodder.com/nick/diskbrakes.htm
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  #6  
Old 06-29-2001, 12:12 AM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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Nice site and great ride. Where did you get the electric vacuum booster?

Kekoa
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  #7  
Old 06-29-2001, 12:49 AM
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DartMan360 DartMan360 is offline
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Does anyone know that when you use the drum to disc from Stainless Steal Brakes if your bolt pattern is 4 1/2 or will it stay the old 4". Also if anyone has done this conversion on an A-body (67 dart) how hard it was to do it. We are thinking about doing this this winter before we put the new motor in it.
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  #8  
Old 06-29-2001, 12:50 AM
451boy 451boy is offline
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I think the SS Brake stuff is rather silly. Why pay all of that money for brakes which are worse than what the factory put on there? The best setup is the '73 to '76 A body knuckle and then use the big 11.75 rotors. If you want lightweight calipers then either get the kit from Hershberger to hang the Wilwoods on there, or go with the Brembo conversion. Go over to moparts.com and search for Brembo. That will be a killer setup.
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  #9  
Old 06-29-2001, 01:42 AM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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Using the 73-76 Spindle assumes that you can get your hands on one. In Hawaii, we don't have that many salvage yards to pick from and the ones we do are more interested in getting money for the recycled metal than for the parts on the car.

In order for me to get all the parts for the brake swap, I would need to get them over the internet and end up paying more than $500 in Shipping for parts that may or may not be in useable condition.

Also, how do you figure that the SS Brake setup is worse than the factory setup. The hub and rotor construction is better than factory since the factory two piece rotors were known to warp under hard braking. The one piece rotors wouldn't warp, but were more fragile. Not to mention that the post '70 calipers were single floating piston vice the 4 fixed piston setup from SS Brake. Yes, the factory rotors were slightly larger, but that would mean that I would have to change my 14 in rims.

Other things that I have considered is that I'll probaby have to rebuild the master cylinder and calipers since their both 30 years old. etc.

I appreciate your input, but I have put some thought into the brake conversion. My only question was opions on manual vs power brakes for a street/strip car.

Kekoa
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  #10  
Old 06-29-2001, 01:46 AM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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DartMan360, the SS Brake site mentions that the bolt pattern for the conversion hub is 5 x 4 1/2 for a B-Body, but is 5 x 4 for a Dodge Dart.

Kekoa
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  #11  
Old 06-29-2001, 01:52 AM
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DartMan360 DartMan360 is offline
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OK thanks your that input. So let me get this rite. To switch to a bigger bolt pattern I have to go to a late model duster or dart with disc brakes? It really makes me wonder if i wana tackle this job. The only real reason i wana do it now cause with a 4" pattern you selction of rims is like like 3 different styles. I race the car at Dragway 42 in ohio. If anyone knows that track they have a VERY short shutdown area. And when this 340 goes into the car i hope to be going through at around 130mph. and dont really want to have to slam on the brakes to much to get stoped. Well now has anyone done this swap from a late model duster or what ever?
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  #12  
Old 06-29-2001, 09:13 AM
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kekoakeakane


Here is the link to the Vacuum Pump for the power booster and were you can get it. It also goes over the tech details. Let me know if you need other info.

http://www.hotrodder.com/nick/powerbrk.htm
The Runner
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  #13  
Old 06-30-2001, 01:03 AM
451boy 451boy is offline
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Go to www.ARengineering.com and look at some of brake stuff there. The stuff from SSBC really isn't that good for the money. All you need to do your own swap are the knuckles and they aren't that hard to find. $125 a pair plus shipping. Everything else can be picked up at auto parts stores.

Manual brakes are fine with the large rotors. Recommended master cylinder is the late model aluminum one. You can get the proper adapter from ARengineering.
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  #14  
Old 06-30-2001, 03:13 AM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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451boy,

There's some nice stuff at AR Engineering. I've also seen your posts on the Moparts site. Maybe you can help me out with my options here. First off let me say that I do understand that the most cost effective option is to go with the 73-76 A-Body Knuckles, but this may not be the best comprimise.

Options:

A) 73-76 Knuckles with associated stock replacement hubs, rotors and Calipers. Cheapest solution. Disadvantage here is that it uses the single piston floating caliper which I have never been a fan of. (Uneven pad wear and contact and caliper flex) Also uses 10.8 rotors.

B) Option (A) with Wilwood calipers using adapters from AR Engineering. (Assuming you can get me the knuckles too). Better setup, but requires use of the 11.75 rotors which would require me to change to 15 inch rims (Not that I'm completley against that, but I have fairly new 14 inch rims and tires). The change in rims and tires would throw in another 500 - 700 into the job. You yourself have also mentioned that the Wilwood calipers do not have the weather seals and should not be used on daily drivers.

C) Rebco adapter kit. Much better setup, but now requires 17 inch rims which I don't even want to consider for my ride.

D) SS Brake Setup. Quite pricey setup I agree. It does however give me four piston calipers with 11 rotors. Allows me to keep stock rims not to mention come with a 10 year warranty.

This was my logic when looking at doing the SS Brake conversion. I noticed that you are quite an expert in the field of brake conversions. Maybe you can tell me if there is something that I'm overlooking?

Thanks for you help.
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  #15  
Old 06-30-2001, 07:53 AM
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kekoakeakane


I just want to make a correction. You state that the 73 to 76 spindle swap will use a 10.75 rotor. This is not totaly true. You can use the 11.75 rotor from a "B" body as long as you use the calaper bracket from a 76-78 "B" body. Take my word for it, I have done it and it works great!

Link - read all of it; http://www.hotrodder.com/nick/diskbrakes.htm

This swap cost me a total of $650 and the rotors, calpers, pins and brake hose's were new.
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  #16  
Old 06-30-2001, 03:29 PM
kekoakeakane kekoakeakane is offline
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1969RR,

Option (A) was stated to be the cheapest option. It used the 73-76 knuckle, and 10.75 rotor to allow use of my 14 inch rims. A step up to the 11.75 inch rim leaves me changing rims to 15 inch, and that adds another 500 - 700 to the cost of the job. It would actually add another 1000 - 1500 since I am definitely not going to change my front rims to 15 and leave the back at 14. If I'm going to change to the 11.75 rotors and change my rims, I might as well also switch to an aftermarket caliper like the Willwood.

I'd like to say that although the Willwood caliper does not have the weather seal, I might try it here in Hawaii since it never snows.
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