I am thinking about going front discs on my 65 valiant , front drums are worn out , probable out of round ,Don't think they can be cut anymore, looking at kits for sale , but don't know if the spindle's are worn also. Any advise would be great.
How can you check the spindel's
- Thread starter desy500
- Start date
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Spindles don't "wear out" unless the bearings have been turning on the shaft and they "better not be." Easy.........Look them over good where the bearings fit, for obvious damage, heat, and trial fit the bearings by hand. This is subjective, but the bearings should be a slip fit with out too much "slop."
If you going from 10" drums you prob have to change them out, not positive though.
Frnknsteen
Well-Known Member
I would suggest getting ahold of Dr Diff and talk to them about a kit. He will be able to tell you what all you need to convert from drums to discs on your car.
DoctorDiff Drivetrain Components
DoctorDiff Drivetrain Components
Plymouth 65
I'll be in the shop
Drum brake and disc brake spindles are not the same. 65'
No, but there are disk conversion kits that use the drum spindles. Scarebird makes disk kits for the drum spindles, so does Wilwood. If you’re keeping the 5x4” small bolt pattern there are less options. There are more kits out there if you go to the 5x4.5” pattern, but a lot of them use different spindles anyway.
Now if those are 9” drum spindles I’d toss them regardless of their condition, they weren’t all that strong and they have had issues.
Frnknsteen
Well-Known Member
Dr Diff offers his conversion kits with either the small bolt pattern rotors or big bolt pattern. I was contemplating it for my Barracuda. He said he can get me a small bolt pattern setup for now, then when I have the cash to do the rear in big bolt pattern conversion, all I would have to do up front is swap out the rotors.
Just some options,....
Oh that's cool. I didn't realize Cass was doing anything with the SBP for the front, I thought for awhile there he was only doing BBP stuff. Maybe that's for the back. Good to know!
Frnknsteen
Well-Known Member
Yeah,... I was kind of surprised too. I was telling him I was holding off on doing the full BBP swap because of the cost of front kit, rear kit, axles, then having to buy new wheels and tires for the big bolt pattern. His reply was:
"You could run my Stage 1 front disc brake kit with a pair of MBM 5 x 4" bolt pattern rotors swapped in."
I then asked if I could just swap out rotors in the future when I am ready to change everything out to BBP, or if I would have to redo the front again. He said:
"If you want to convert to 5 x 4.5" bolt pattern in the future, you can simply install a pair of off-the-shelf '73 and newer A-body rotors."
Unfortunately, the conversion pushes the front wheels out 3/4" (front and rear) and with the backspacing on my my current stock 14" ralleye wheels, it looks like it will be awful close to the fender and I'm afraid it would hit when turning and hitting a bump. Soooo,.... guess I will stash a little money away here and there until I can swing the whole BBP conversion price. I don't mind the rallye wheels, but discs up front would be nice!
M
Right, the MBM rotors, gotcha. Yeah hopefully they’ve sorted out the production issues with those, there’s been a few people here that have had run out and casting issues with those.
And then there’s the track width change, going to the 73+ brake set up while keeping the SBP. Some wheel/tire combo’s can probably pull that off, but I’m sure not all of them can.
You’ve got 14” rallies, do you know the width and backspace?
Right, the MBM rotors, gotcha. Yeah hopefully they’ve sorted out the production issues with those, there’s been a few people here that have had run out and casting issues with those.
And then there’s the track width change, going to the 73+ brake set up while keeping the SBP. Some wheel/tire combo’s can probably pull that off, but I’m sure not all of them can.
You’ve got 14” rallies, do you know the width and backspace?
Frnknsteen
Well-Known Member
I don't know the width and backspacing of my rallye wheels. I would assume 5.5" or 6" width, and am assuming about a 3.5" backspace, but would have to pull them off and measure to confirm. They were on the car when I bought it, and I've never really had a reason to measure.
Cass recommended 4.25 - 4.5" backspace on wheels using his kits.
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