Disc brake conversion (70 Dart)

72bluNblu said
Jim I totally agree. StPaulSwinger can use the 73+ parts he has with some new and reconditioned parts and he'll have excellent brakes, and he doesn't even have to worry about considering significantly more expensive options.

I think some of the discussion about actual braking force is worthwhile though, because people incorrectly believe that more expensive aftermarket brakes are always somehow inherently better, without even considering the actual physics at work.

So, yeah, I think showing that the Wilwoods will actually generate LESS braking force at the caliper is important. Now, the opinions can fly about whether or not the Wilwood design can make up for the 24% disadvantage they have in piston area. But I think a reasonable person can look at those numbers and realize that, at best, the Wilwood Dynalites are realistically in the same ballpark as the 73+ Mopar calipers for stopping power. The margin in performance between the two is likely small, probably only a few percent in either direction.

Actually, the bottom line is that the Wilwoods are mostly just more expensive, and that even an optimistic interpretation of the physics would put them in about the same performance ballpark as the 73+ brakes.

So they're a great choice if you have money to burn and like bragging about performance you don't understand, but not nearly as great where the rubber actually hits the road.

Actually you are quoting yourself and them trying to back up what you posted with misinformation that you quoted as fact. Something you do an awful lot... You also don't read very well when it comes to trying to understand something. And now you claim to be a physicist, mechanical engineer and a finite element engineer. 72 *b+l -u (N)b ^l -u Not Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawkings talking Wheelchair could teach you anything.

The disadvantage in our old Mopar calipers comes from what area of the pad that can be reliably used to to calculate the braking force with focus placed on overall function of the mechanical components and factoring in the inherent design flaws. It's not just 24% more piston area. You would never really understand why a lot of multi piston calipers have different diameter pistons in them or why manufacturers choose to use sequential piston sizes in the same caliper. (Psssst it's just another way to combat uneven pad wear and promote uniform clamping force ).

If the OP wants to just upgrade to disc brakes on the cheap he could just rebuild the old Mopar ones and it will work. That might be all he really needs for HIS car. But if a guy wants to buy a Willwood setup that will work better. He's not just a "check writer", like you say. . He might actually need better more reliable braking. Maybe he just wants to upgrade his car to maxim performance potential in certain areas of his own car. And we don't need your analysis on you being right Dr. 72bluNblu PhD.

Your own car doesn't need SPC uppers, Howe racing ball joints, QA1 Lowers, Hellwig sway bars, Caltrac sliders, incorrectly welded in sub frame connectors or even 275 & 295 width tires on 18" rims to drive around on the street. That said, you don't even need your Cobra calipers on 13" rotors ... You don't race it you've stated many times over. You claim to drive like your grandma in it everywhere, which explains how you get 60k miles on a set of brake pads? (Dude, you might want to change them out more often than that. Pad materials do deteriorate from the metal backer plates). You really only need a Slant 6, 4 wheel drum brake car.