Rear Disk or Drums

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Haney

Haney

www.carsonandironmt.com
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Piney Flats, Tennessee
I am trying to finish up my Dart Suspension to get it on the road for spring. I am doing a Dr. Diff 11.75 Disk Swap up front, Firm Feel Tube A-arms, FF 1.0 T-bars, boxed LCAs, ets up front.

I am changing my 7 1/4 to a B-body 8 3/4 that I have moved the perches in to 42" and will be using the offset hangers from Dr. Diff as well. I plan on using Cobra 17" wheels and 245/45/17's all the way around.

My question is about brakes in the back. Is there a huge advantage of using a disk set up in the back over a good 10" x 2 1/2 drum arrangement? I can get loaded backing plates and drums all new from Dr. Diff for $350 plus shipping. If I use his 10.7 brake kit in the back, it will be $725 plus once I get the E-cables. Is it worth the extra money????

The car will be a Daily Driver that I wanted to handle and stop as good as a 72 Dart could do with OEM type suspension / brakes. It is a 318 air car that will stay that way. It will get a better cam, intake and carb later, but it will not be a hot rod. Just look and sound the part.

Thanks for your ideas and comments......
 
having just gone from 10inch drums on the rear axle to 10.7 disks, from Dr Diff, I vote disks. If you are going to run 17 wheels, you can run his 11.7 rear disk kit and think about the 13inch kit for the front. Get serious brakes on it for daily driving.

One panic stop is enough to convince you to get the most brake you can fit.
 
I chose to make the change to rear disc for a few different reasons.

The first reason was that I was going to have to spend $$ to rebuild my brakes anyway.

The second reason is that they do improve the controlled braking when you need to stop in an emergency without as much tendency to lock up.

Although I don't do road course racing I know that discs aren't supposed to build up heat and fail like drums.

I like the idea of simplifying brake service in the future. - No longer having to put up with broken springs, the rusty crusty small parts, etc...

I also like the looks of disc brakes, - so I figured there was a sort of 'cool factor' also.

If I was doing a true restoration I would stick with drum brakes of course.
 
I just did the big bolt axle swap and discs too, for the same reasons rusty stated... I also thought while I was shopping that if the bigger drum stuff was that price, you might as well spend the extra for discs...

I just installed my discs and it was a breeze....
 
From a braking perspective, the rears only provide about ~30% of your braking, depending on your car's weight balance, tire sizes, etc.

But, that doesn't mean that disks don't have advantages. They don't stop working if they get wet like drums do. They also dissipate heat better, and weigh less. I find the application feel is more consistent too, drums seem to lock up easier when pushed hard. And then of course there's the adjustment, even with the self-adjusters the drums aren't always set the way they should be. When I back out of my driveway I almost always turn one direction, so, guess how often one rear drum locks up before the other? A little entertaining.

That said, I still run 11x2.5" drums on all of mine. One of these days I'll start converting them all over to disks, but it's not the first thing on my list.

Also, I wouldn't pay $350 for drum brakes. I've purchased from this seller before, top notch. 11x2.5's for $100, minus the drums.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/11-2-5-PLATES-LOADED-MOPAR-DODGE-PLYMOUTH-8-3-4-DRUM-BRAKES-8-75-NEW-YORKER-/271816046508?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276
 
I have 10x2 oem rear drum brakes(with the KH discs up front). In 15 years of street driving, and 125000 miles Ive never needed more.IMO, for a street A,drums are more than adequate. Why do you imagine theres a proportioning valve in that rear line?If youre installing much bigger tires in the rear, then you might be able to take advantage of more braking power back there.If not, then not. Too much in the back, tends to put the back in the front, at the worst possible time.
And I agree on the pricing. $350 sounds awful pricey.
 
There is a company in Los Angeles, Ca. that drills drums to get rid of the heat. FBBO has a thread on it somewhere.
 
Get the disks... If you're going to run 17" wheels, it will look much nicer. A big advantage for me was that disks are easier to work on. Here's you're setup on my Dart but with 11.7" rotors.
 

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Wow! Thanks so much for all the replies.... I love this place!!! Several asked about what I am doing up front for brakes. I bought Dr. Diff's 11.75 Brake swap kit. I also the newer alumnium MC from him as well.

I also have to admit that I like the looks of disk through the big 17" wheels on the back.....

I guess it just boils down to if I want to spend the extra $$ for disk....... Dang money thing again!!!!

What is the best rear disk conversion to use with my 11.75 kit up front?
 
1967 'cuda said:
I chose to make the change to rear disc for a few different reasons.

The first reason was that I was going to have to spend $$ to rebuild my brakes anyway.

The second reason is that they do improve the controlled braking when you need to stop in an emergency without as much tendency to lock up.

Although I don't do road course racing I know that discs aren't supposed to build up heat and fail like drums.

I like the idea of simplifying brake service in the future. - No longer having to put up with broken springs, the rusty crusty small parts, etc...

I also like the looks of disc brakes, - so I figured there was a sort of 'cool factor' also.

If I was doing a true restoration I would stick with drum brakes of course.
Click to expand...


this /\ /\ /\

Look at your MODERN cars and trucks for that matter. Discs.
 

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Haney said:
Wow! Thanks so much for all the replies.... I love this place!!! Several asked about what I am doing up front for brakes. I bought Dr. Diff's 11.75 Brake swap kit. I also the newer alumnium MC from him as well.

I also have to admit that I like the looks of disk through the big 17" wheels on the back.....

I guess it just boils down to if I want to spend the extra $$ for disk....... Dang money thing again!!!!

What is the best rear disk conversion to use with my 11.75 kit up front?
Click to expand...

I would probably just use Dr. Diff's 10.7" kit if you're going to keep the 11.75's up front. You could go with his 11.7" kit, but you wouldn't be taking advantage of the extra braking power compared to the 10.7's, they'd just fill out the wheel better.

I've been running the 11.75" front disks on my Challenger for probably 50k miles now, they're a great brake set up for the street. I run it with the 11x2.5" rear drums, works pretty well even with the stock combination valve, although I went with a different set of rear wheel cylinders to balance things out.
 
Haney said:
Wow! Thanks so much for all the replies.... I love this place!!! Several asked about what I am doing up front for brakes. I bought Dr. Diff's 11.75 Brake swap kit. I also the newer alumnium MC from him as well.

I also have to admit that I like the looks of disk through the big 17" wheels on the back.....

I guess it just boils down to if I want to spend the extra $$ for disk....... Dang money thing again!!!!

What is the best rear disk conversion to use with my 11.75 kit up front?
Click to expand...

Dr Diffs 11.7 or 10.7 kit. :D
 
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