e50095
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2010
- Messages
- 216
- Reaction score
- 47
For the last couple years I've been working on my car and at times second guessing my decision to stay low buck and go with 11" rear drums on my car. As time goes by, I become more and more convinced it was the right call. The rear disk kits are great, but none of them, and I mean none of them, are available without going at least $750 deep, using non MOPAR and sometimes totally unknown parts, or requiring custom machine work that the entry level guy like me cannot do ourselves or easily source out. I know some would argue with the last part of that, but here's where I'm coming from. Backing plates to put 11" brakes on an 8.25 or 8.75 are readily available (same part) for less than $40 at a local junkyard. Drums, wheel cylinders, shoes, and all hardware are available at Rock Auto for less than $100. Even with shipping, the total outlay with new brake cables is less than $200.
Thats what I did, and I will use the saved 600-800 to buy frame connectors, sway bars, or possibly upgrade my cooling or ignititon system. I just have a problem with folks calling a $1000 rear disk setup a budget build. It's not, and to pretend otherwiae is folly. I think we would all agree that the amount of rear braking is negligible compared to the front. Good money meends to be spent on the front, and when I look at the 11" drums on the rear of mr car next to the puny 9" ones that came off, yes, it's definitely a budget worthy upgrade.
For those of you at this particular fork in the road, the backing plates can come off any Dodge van all the way into the late 90's, and they are thick in any junk yard. When ordering the rear brake parts, the choices are endless, but a safe play is a 76 Chrysler Cordoba, which all ahd this setup regardless of engine size. Parking brake cables are replacements if your existing ones, so order for your model. I replaced 9" drums with 11", and the stock cables on my 68 cuda worked fine.
Good luck with your projects guys....
Thats what I did, and I will use the saved 600-800 to buy frame connectors, sway bars, or possibly upgrade my cooling or ignititon system. I just have a problem with folks calling a $1000 rear disk setup a budget build. It's not, and to pretend otherwiae is folly. I think we would all agree that the amount of rear braking is negligible compared to the front. Good money meends to be spent on the front, and when I look at the 11" drums on the rear of mr car next to the puny 9" ones that came off, yes, it's definitely a budget worthy upgrade.
For those of you at this particular fork in the road, the backing plates can come off any Dodge van all the way into the late 90's, and they are thick in any junk yard. When ordering the rear brake parts, the choices are endless, but a safe play is a 76 Chrysler Cordoba, which all ahd this setup regardless of engine size. Parking brake cables are replacements if your existing ones, so order for your model. I replaced 9" drums with 11", and the stock cables on my 68 cuda worked fine.
Good luck with your projects guys....