4-Wheel 10" drum brakes on an E-body...???
#690005
05/06/10 07:55 AM
05/06/10 07:55 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
OP
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OP
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Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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Another question from the welfare chronicles...
I'm looking at ways to get my car on the road sooner than later. It needs EVERYTHING. Its a slant-6 survivor 70 Challenger and still all together, but putting a big block and stick in there i'm pretty sure that every single system in the car will need upgrading.
Especially the brakes.
This car has the lowest possible brake option 70 Challengers came with. 10" drums all round, manual. How bad will these be for daily driving and some fun? I know drums suck, and small drums really REALLY suck (hellooooo GM A-body...), but for the cost ov a quick drum brake job i could be on the road. A disc swap is gonna cost a lot more money than some new shoes.
Can i buy newer, better shoes that will make enough difference over the 70 crap that i can drive on these for a while? Has drum technology improved any? Can this car be made to stop reasonably well with these tiny drums? I plan to keep it manual.
I have no experience with drums, as they usually just get tossed for discs... very quickly.
This car will be light at least, 3200ish, and i'll have state ov the art rubber on it, so that there is the biggest brake upgrade by far. I'm also very easy on my brakes, most my brakes last over 50K before needing work. The planned upgrade is 4-wheel discs, but thats a bit down the road yet...
Good enough for now? or suicide...???
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Re: 4-Wheel 10" drum brakes on an E-body...???
[Re: buildanother]
#690008
05/06/10 09:41 AM
05/06/10 09:41 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,232
Someplace you aren't
SomeCarGuy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,232
Someplace you aren't
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Somebody will be along soon to chastise you and tell you that this is the worst idea ever.  If you get them working right, it won't be that bad. Just don't "drive it like you stole it" and you will be fine. I saw an article about a year ago in Hemmings Msucle Machines about a 69 Bee. The guy was running some specially arched brake shoes from Tulsa Brake and Clutch. Or maybe Tulsa Brake and Spring. Writers were impressed with the stopping power. Might be worth exploring obtaining a set of those shoes. 
I want my fair share
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Re: 4-Wheel 10" drum brakes on an E-body...???
[Re: buildanother]
#690009
05/07/10 08:20 AM
05/07/10 08:20 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
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OP
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Quote:
Yes, you'll live. I got by with the stock, skinny 10 inch brakes on a dart with a 440, street-strip that would run 11.60. Slowing from 115 mph or so, only became a problem after 2 or 3 hot laps at strip. THen the lack of good braking became apparent. 
Hmmm... i'm not building a drag car, i like the highway, but thats at least a little bit comforting. I dont tend to use my brakes a lot, and almost never get on them hard. Maybe i'm lucky? or maybe i'm a good driver. But thats in a LOT ov high speed miles. So ??? The car will be a stick car too, which is better still.
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Re: 4-Wheel 10" drum brakes on an E-body...???
[Re: RapidRobert]
#690010
05/07/10 08:22 AM
05/07/10 08:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
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OP
Swears too much
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Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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Quote:
Quote:
Another question from the welfare chronicles... Good enough for now?
(1) that's the story of my life (2) yes, get some better aftermarket pads, ceramic maybe?? and have the shoes arced to the drums for max contact and lookup/perform a breakin procedure.
I'll look into some HP shoes. But it seems kinda funny to think that someone out there is bothering to make high-performance 10" drum hardware...
Never heard ov the arching either. Hmmm...
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Re: 4-Wheel 10" drum brakes on an E-body...???
[Re: SomeCarGuy]
#690011
05/07/10 08:27 AM
05/07/10 08:27 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
OP
Swears too much
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OP
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Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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Quote:
Somebody will be along soon to chastise you and tell you that this is the worst idea ever.
If you get them working right, it won't be that bad. Just don't "drive it like you stole it" and you will be fine.
I saw an article about a year ago in Hemmings Msucle Machines about a 69 Bee. The guy was running some specially arched brake shoes from Tulsa Brake and Clutch. Or maybe Tulsa Brake and Spring. Writers were impressed with the stopping power. Might be worth exploring obtaining a set of those shoes.
Yeah, that somebody would usually be ME. I think its a STUPID idea. I razz my rat rod buddies about their drums all the time. But this would be another $3-500 that i would not have to find to drive this thing.
Sounds like with my odd combo and driving style it might just work... for now. With some attention to detail, and quality hardware, i could probably get this rig stopping as well as any other Mopar i've owned, but it'll just fade a lot quicker (no road-racing!).
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