Help newbieDisk brake conversion directions

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mkingan

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Hi, new to forum and got my first a-body. My brother had this car for 10 years and I've always wanted it so I finally got it. its a 65 valiant/barracuda convertible clone. I have a couple of questions to swap out the drum to disk brake conversion. he kept the car pretty original so non-power drum brakes up front. he was in the process of acquiring the parts to do the swap due to him not having the leg strength to push the non-powered brakes. Anyway, I have the spindles, backing plates and caliper brackets I want to retain the 14" wheels he has on it. He also acquired two power boosters. I'm not sure what size rotors or caliper types I need and the master cylinder setup that would fit. it has the 273 commando in it. I have also read that the bottom control arm needs to be replaced to accommodate the new spindles? any help or direction on this would be much appreciated
 
mkingan said:
. . . .. Anyway, I have the spindles, backing plates and caliper brackets I want to retain the 14" wheels he has on it.
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It would help to know from which year/donor are the parts from - 65-72 or 73-76. Both disc set-up will take the 14 in wheels.

Welcome to FABO!
 
ill take some pics tonight and see if I can get the answers from what year he got the spindles from
 
I don't know of a disc brake conversion that will require lower arms be changed. Lower ball joint will need to be changed to match whatever spindles you have.
 
thanks for all the input. I read that article and seems the spindles are correct. not real sure on the caliper bracket though for the 14" wheels and I'm pretty sure I need the smaller rotors.
 

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You have the 1973+ factory disks. There are many articles detailing the swap. You will need to change only the upper control arm or not even that if you buy the tapered sleeve to use your current upper ball joint. Choice depends on what other suspension work needs doing.

The MC is really a separate issue. You need more hydraulic pressure to operate front disks, which is why most cars today have boosters. But, many here are happy w/ manual disks with a small-bore MC - 7/8"D or 15/16" D.
 
just a thought....Mopar power discs are very sensitive and it is near impossible to not lock them in a panic stop.With the 1 " or 15/16" master and the later 2 3/4" callipers manual brakes operate very easy with very little leg pressure.
..and you get rid of engine bay clutter
 
BillGrissom said:
You have the 1973+ factory disks. There are many articles detailing the swap. You will need to change only the upper control arm or not even that if you buy the tapered sleeve to use your current upper ball joint. Choice depends on what other suspension work needs doing.

The MC is really a separate issue. You need more hydraulic pressure to operate front disks, which is why most cars today have boosters. But, many here are happy w/ manual disks with a small-bore MC - 7/8"D or 15/16" D.
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ok great info! I'm reading that the upper control arm needs replaced? why?
 
I picked up what I needed from The Ram Man and it is the same as you have there, if you don't want to change out the upper A arm look him up for any parts you need
Do a youtube search on Ram Man Mopar brakes and you can learn allot from him.

Love mine, any part you need just give him a call, he leaves his phone number on his utube video's :color: Tell him you herd it from me here :glasses7:
 

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mkingan said:
ok great info! I'm reading that the upper control arm needs replaced? why?
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Because those spindles use a different size upper ball joint. It has a bigger tapered hole. you can use a tapered bushing if everything else is good and not needing to be rebuilt.
 
Mopar Tim said:
Because those spindles use a different size upper ball joint. It has a bigger tapered hole. you can use a tapered bushing if everything else is good and not needing to be rebuilt.
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That is what I did and used the tapered bushing :coffee2:
 
Mopar Tim said:
Because those spindles use a different size upper ball joint. It has a bigger tapered hole. you can use a tapered bushing if everything else is good and not needing to be rebuilt.
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yea everything is new. so I can get the bushing from the ram man?
 
mkingan said:
yea everything is new. so I can get the bushing from the ram man?
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Yes he has them.
a-body-upper-ball-joint-tapered-adapters.jpg

these are from Dr diff http://www.doctordiff.com/a-body-upper-ball-joint-tapered-adapter.html
 
I am putting a Wilwood disk conversion kit on my 64 Barracuda. They said it would work with 14” rims but my old steel rims do not fit. The center bore is too small on them to fit over the hub and the rim offset lets the welded tab inside the rim hit the caliper; so now I have to get larger rims. You should check to see if you have the same problem with your setup. Good luck
 
Bob52 said:
I am putting a Wilwood disk conversion kit on my 64 Barracuda. They said it would work with 14” rims but my old steel rims do not fit. The center bore is too small on them to fit over the hub and the rim offset lets the welded tab inside the rim hit the caliper; so now I have to get larger rims. You should check to see if you have the same problem with your setup. Good luck
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What
Wilwood kit you using?
 
If you do decide to change the UCA, for bling consider tubular UCA's. Also functional because they allow adjusting for more caster, which you need with radial tires. After all the cost and effort of de-rusting & painting a 1973+ UCA w/ new bushings and ball joint, the cost seems reasonable.
 
Bob52 said:
I am putting a Wilwood disk conversion kit on my 64 Barracuda. They said it would work with 14” rims but my old steel rims do not fit. The center bore is too small on them to fit over the hub and the rim offset lets the welded tab inside the rim hit the caliper; so now I have to get larger rims. You should check to see if you have the same problem with your setup. Good luck
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thats the issue i have the steel wheels won't fit over the hub too small. i need to get my hands on a big bolt pattern wheel so i can see if its going to work
 
if anyone has 14" big bolt pattern in arkansas can you pm me? lost number thanks
 
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