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Front drums to discs #2325447
06/22/17 10:21 PM
06/22/17 10:21 PM
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Eugene, Oregon
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minivan Offline OP
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minivan  Offline OP
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Eugene, Oregon
Can anyone give me their real world experience on this conversion to a mopar 66-70 B body...

Night and day difference or just a little better.

TY

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325450
06/22/17 10:30 PM
06/22/17 10:30 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 96,649
On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
amxautox Offline
Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
amxautox  Offline
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On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
When I did it to my '71 Plymouth it was a bit better, but not a lot. But then the car was only about 3 years old. I also changed it from manual to power brakes. And from the little rear end with the little brakes, to an 8 3/4 from a station wagon and 3" shoes. Also it doesn't make any difference what year it is, it's still better.


Tom

"Everyone should believe in something; I believe I'll go fishing."

-Henry David Thoreau

Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths

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Re: Front drums to discs [Re: amxautox] #2325479
06/22/17 11:21 PM
06/22/17 11:21 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 959
Cincinnati,Ohio
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jcastle1 Offline
super stock
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Cincinnati,Ohio
go read my thread, I just did this on a 69 road runner last weekend. had original front drum brakes (manual)
I did research ALL companies. Cass from Dr. Diff hooked me up with his stage 1 kit, It is great!
The only mods I had to do is I wanted to front mount the calipers and I do not have a front sway bar, but i still had the sway bar mounts on the lower control arms. Air chisel knocked then off nice & clean.

great service and a great product! Stops better than expected.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325483
06/22/17 11:26 PM
06/22/17 11:26 PM
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Cincinnati,Ohio
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jcastle1 Offline
super stock
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Cincinnati,Ohio
Cass explained that the routing of the brake hoses are much cleaner and less stressed if you front mount them, (as long as you don't have the sway bar)
His website is super easy to navigate. BTW- I did not buy the stainless hoses or the slotted rotors, stopping power is night and day!
Test drove up to a little over 115 mph and the car stopped in less than half the normal time that it used to on the same stretch of road.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325487
06/22/17 11:31 PM
06/22/17 11:31 PM
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Posts: 4,443
Morristown Tn.
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71birdJ68 Offline
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I did a conversion on my 71 Road Runner with all factory parts, and everything just bolted on like it was, well, factory. I can tell a big difference in fade resistance. RRs had 11 inch heavy duty drums which are powerful, but one good hard stop, and that's it.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325496
06/22/17 11:39 PM
06/22/17 11:39 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,842
Pattison Texas
CSK Offline
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Pattison Texas
doing one now, Dr Diff stage 2 drilled rotors, rear mount 1968 Charger, great kit.


1968 Charger COLD A/C Hilborn EFI
512ci 9.7 compression, Stealth heads, 4.10 gear A518 ODtrans 4100lb,10.93 full street car trim
2020 T/A 392 Stock 11.79 @ 114.5

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325673
06/23/17 11:30 AM
06/23/17 11:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
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therocks Online content
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks  Online Content
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
Did it on my 65.Big difference and I dont like change.One of the best things i did.Stops straight and true even at 120.Rocky


Chrysler Firepower
Re: Front drums to discs [Re: 71birdJ68] #2325674
06/23/17 11:37 AM
06/23/17 11:37 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,651
Wichita
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GY3 Online content
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Wichita
Originally Posted By 71birdJ68
I did a conversion on my 71 Road Runner with all factory parts, and everything just bolted on like it was, well, factory. I can tell a big difference in fade resistance. RRs had 11 inch heavy duty drums which are powerful, but one good hard stop, and that's it.


That was my biggest issue, brake fade! I learned to push, letoff, push, let off with drums on my Cuda.

I spent a little more money and did the aluminum hub and aluminum caliper Wilwood Pro Street kit on my '63 Dodge. Vented (but not drilled) rotors. The car stops from 121mph runs in the 1/4 mile easily and consistently. It was a very easy kit to install on my existing drum brake spindles and took a LOT of weight off the car!


'63 Dodge 330
11.19 @ 121 mph
Pump gas, n/a, through the mufflers on street tires with 3.54's. 3,600 lbs.
10.01 @ 133mph with a 250 shot of nitrous an a splash of race gas. 1.36 60 ft. 3,700 lbs.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325698
06/23/17 12:16 PM
06/23/17 12:16 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 435
Austin, TX
lunacy Offline
mopar
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Posts: 435
Austin, TX
For a one time panic stop, not much difference between my 10" all drum Dart and my 10" rear, front 73 up disc Dart. With the front disc car you can modulate a little better and its not as temperamental in stop and go traffic. Once drums get heated up they can not stop well and get grabby.

Discs are definitely the way to go if you're going to drive the car or if your drums are in bad shape, better to go ahead and put a disc setup on than put money into the drums.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: lunacy] #2325703
06/23/17 12:47 PM
06/23/17 12:47 PM
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Posts: 9,066
Eugene, Oregon
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minivan Offline OP
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Eugene, Oregon
Thanks for all of the responses..

My 67 has been pulling and a recent post on here was commenting on how adjustment is probably not the cure..

Car has the 11" stock front drums w/ 10" rears ( yes the rear end was changed out at some point in its 50 years of life)

My problem is the car just doesn't want to stop very well..
New EVERYTHING when I did the car, but that has been 11-12 years ago and I wonder if my wheel cylinders might be corroded or the rubber lines have gone bad?? Had the front drums off recently and all looked good ( no weepage or "damage" to the brake linings)..

Had to rebuild the master ( pedal would sink while stopped) so I would think it is OK...
I think I am going to take all of the drums off and remove and disassemble the cylinders and look it over at this point.

Wish I would have put discs on it when I spent all of the money for new front drums and parts... Of course I do not think all of the wonderful disc kits were available back then....


Car online pic.jpg
Last edited by minivan; 06/23/17 12:49 PM.
Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325760
06/23/17 03:04 PM
06/23/17 03:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline
top fuel
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Cotati, CA
A previous thread on here pointed to rubber lines bulging, might want to make sure those are solid.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: Dave Hall] #2325820
06/23/17 05:24 PM
06/23/17 05:24 PM
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Eugene, Oregon
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minivan Offline OP
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Eugene, Oregon
Originally Posted By Dave Hall
A previous thread on here pointed to rubber lines bulging, might want to make sure those are solid.


Any ideas on life expectancy of the hoses?? Mine are appx 11 years old w/ 6K miles on them...

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2325952
06/23/17 11:33 PM
06/23/17 11:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,483
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
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Freeport IL USA
Just about the 1st thing I did whenever I got a new to me Mopar was a disc brake swap. Been doing them since the mid 1970s! When I step on the brakes, I want the car to be able to stop, every time.

At 11 years old, your brake hoses may need replacing. The new hoses you will buy won't last that long, 5-6 years, tops. Gene

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: poorboy] #2326009
06/24/17 03:54 AM
06/24/17 03:54 AM
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Posts: 9,091
Rogue River, OR
Jeremiah Offline
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Rogue River, OR
I'd stick with the drums if it's a maintenance issue. My '66 Coronet 440 has the stock drums and as long as I drive sensibly down long grades (not like FL has much of that) it's not an issue.

If you are looking for increased brake performance my preference is the 73-76 A-body spindles and the 11.75" rotors from rotorpros.com and you choice of calipers. Personally I'm a fan of the AR000 Wilwood Dynalite adapter kit. Dr. Diff informed me that we might see these kits re-released towards the end of the year. You can use either a small or big bore master cylinder based on your pedal modulation preference.

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2326043
06/24/17 10:44 AM
06/24/17 10:44 AM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 348
Texas Hill Country
Centerline Offline
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Texas Hill Country
I used all Mopar parts on my '64 Polara. Spindles and caliper mounts from a 76 Dart. Master cylinder and calipers from a '75 Dart and rotors from a 77 Monaco. Everything just bolts together. Lines were from a '75 dart and just needed a little adjusting to clear and work perfectly.

Spindles were swapped side to side so the calipers could be moved to the rear so they would clear the factory sway bar. Without a sway bar they arr mounted on the front side. No tweaks needed for the brake lines if they're mounted in the stock location. The Monaco rotors are one piece 11.75" and are much stronger than the "A" body rotors.


Last edited by Centerline; 06/24/17 10:49 AM.

Centerline
64 Dodge Polara 426 Street Wedge - For when I want to go fast
99 Corvette Z-06 - For when I want to turn corners
Re: Front drums to discs [Re: Centerline] #2326058
06/24/17 11:43 AM
06/24/17 11:43 AM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
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Lincoln Nebraska
If you use A body calipers, ask for ones for a '76 A body as they have a 2.75" bore as opposed to the 2.60" for '73-'75 A calipers for more front bias. external dimentions/fitment is identical. & you might measure the bore at your parts house to confirm you are being given the right ones.


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2326076
06/24/17 12:26 PM
06/24/17 12:26 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
Supercuda Offline
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I swapped 11.75" discs on my 64 300, replacing the 11x3" drums. The drums would pull in different directions when they got really wet, other than fixing that nothing was a lot different. Didn't do enough stop and go traffic to get the brakes hot enough to fade and I drove that car with drums for over 5 years in San Diego, took it to Memphis and back that way as well. So I really got to wonder about the real cause of brake fade.


They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
Re: Front drums to discs [Re: Supercuda] #2326203
06/24/17 08:20 PM
06/24/17 08:20 PM
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Eugene, Oregon
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minivan Offline OP
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Originally Posted By Supercuda
So I really got to wonder about the real cause of brake fade.


I wouldn't even call it fade, just doesn't have very good brakes.. I want to think they were better when I first got the car back on the road, so maybe some maintenance needed on the brakes....

Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2326209
06/24/17 08:33 PM
06/24/17 08:33 PM
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Bitopia
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jcc Offline
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I wouldn't hesitate one second to change to discs, if better braking was desired (fronts), and if for no other reason that has yet to be mentioned, much better driving/braking in the wet. I believe drums can be, when in a perfect setup pretty close to discs, in limtred stopping situations, but they seldom are in perfect balance/tune/heat/etc, and in every other hard barking situation, they become limited, just by design.


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Front drums to discs [Re: minivan] #2326217
06/24/17 09:04 PM
06/24/17 09:04 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
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Originally Posted By minivan
Originally Posted By Supercuda
So I really got to wonder about the real cause of brake fade.


I wouldn't even call it fade, just doesn't have very good brakes.. I want to think they were better when I first got the car back on the road, so maybe some maintenance needed on the brakes....


Sounds like it. My 64 300 did not have self adjusters in the front, so you needed to manually adjust them, I did every oil change. Quality shoes help too. New hardware and a flush.


They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
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