What is the best disc brake conversion kits
- Thread starter Wsch6349
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Depends how well you want it to stop and price, i would say Wilwood if money not an option, have seen guys also fit brakes from a viper as well. Would think wilwood would be the easiest as its a kit. Dr Diff also has a few kits etc
The best for what? Street? Drag? Circle track? Autocross? LOTS of different brake kits out there so it'll help to know what your intended use of the car will be. And also whether you plan to retain the small bolt pattern.
73Charger318
Member Rt 66 Mopar Club
I had good luck with piratejack when I did my 63 Dart GT front conversion.
piratejack.net
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I just bought front and rears from DrDiff, I like supporting small businesses when possible. Good quality parts were sent and you can get replacement parts for his kits at the local auto store if needed. I went with 11.7 fronts and 10s in the rear.
I have always wanted a set of Wilwood disc brakes because they look good but, I like running steelies so no one sees my disc brakes or calipers anyways.
FYI if you do rear disc you will have to bend your rear brake lines as no kit that is for “disc brakes” has lines for rear disc brakes. Get a good bending tool and Eastwood flaring tool for making the lines. I used cheap tools on the first car I did brake lines for but this last one the better tools made my life much better.
I have always wanted a set of Wilwood disc brakes because they look good but, I like running steelies so no one sees my disc brakes or calipers anyways.
FYI if you do rear disc you will have to bend your rear brake lines as no kit that is for “disc brakes” has lines for rear disc brakes. Get a good bending tool and Eastwood flaring tool for making the lines. I used cheap tools on the first car I did brake lines for but this last one the better tools made my life much better.
Same here, installed and everything stay mopar factory parts if ever need to replace anything, 73 to 76 disk breaks on my 66 ValiantI had good luck with piratejack when I did my 63 Dart GT front conversion.
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jbc426
Well-Known Member
What size rims are you going to run? Turns out bigger is often better, especially when it comes to brakes.
I prefer 15" rims on my old Mopars, but that limits which sized brakes I can choose from. I have Dr Diff's 11 3/4" Police/Taxi drilled & slotted rotors on the front of my A & E Bodies combined with his Econo Rear Disc kits. I use Firm Feels sintered Brake pads up front. The E Body has a booster the A Body does not. Both cars are 3700+ pounds stop great, are very balanced and predictable. The A-Body's brakes provide exceptional feedback at the limit, and the E-Body's are amazing at higher speeds. I do try and keep both cars under 150 mph, but I'm no saint. Why else would they put a 150 mph speedometer in these things if they didn't intended for you to bury it?
I do have an anti-lock module on the E-Body to limit rear brake lock-up upon initial hard braking application. For whatever reason, that car has always tended to lock up the rear wheels when given a sudden, hard braking input. That was especially prominent with the factory drum brakes that came on the Dana rear. It still did so with the rear discs, but not quit as bad. Now, it virtually never locks up the rears.
I prefer 15" rims on my old Mopars, but that limits which sized brakes I can choose from. I have Dr Diff's 11 3/4" Police/Taxi drilled & slotted rotors on the front of my A & E Bodies combined with his Econo Rear Disc kits. I use Firm Feels sintered Brake pads up front. The E Body has a booster the A Body does not. Both cars are 3700+ pounds stop great, are very balanced and predictable. The A-Body's brakes provide exceptional feedback at the limit, and the E-Body's are amazing at higher speeds. I do try and keep both cars under 150 mph, but I'm no saint. Why else would they put a 150 mph speedometer in these things if they didn't intended for you to bury it?
I do have an anti-lock module on the E-Body to limit rear brake lock-up upon initial hard braking application. For whatever reason, that car has always tended to lock up the rear wheels when given a sudden, hard braking input. That was especially prominent with the factory drum brakes that came on the Dana rear. It still did so with the rear discs, but not quit as bad. Now, it virtually never locks up the rears.
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dr. diff is your one stop shop.
the right parts, good prices, amazing after sales support.
the right parts, good prices, amazing after sales support.
65TerrorCuda
Well-Known Member
Here's an article you might want to read if only for reference. It's a bit out of date.
I did my upgrade this way and boy oh boy it doesn't disappoint.
https://www.allpar.com/d3/history/mopar/brakes/disc-main.html
I did my upgrade this way and boy oh boy it doesn't disappoint.
https://www.allpar.com/d3/history/mopar/brakes/disc-main.html
That's got the BS about the FMJ spindles causing issues. They don't.
also, keep in mind that this hinges heavily on whether you want to keep small bolt pattern or upgrade *everything* to big bolt pattern. so if keeping your rims is a priority, then it's something to consider.
it's not insurmountable, but it just takes a little pre-planning and some minor deviations from the norm.
it's not insurmountable, but it just takes a little pre-planning and some minor deviations from the norm.
Here's a secret about Mopar brake systems a lot of people don't realize-
Mopar did the "proportioning", not with a valve, but with the wheel cylinders for drum systems and with the calipers and wheel cylinders in disk/drum systems.
If you want "as built" braking capacity, use all parts (at least cylinders and/or calipers) from the same donor system.
That way the proportioning is correct.
Once you start mixing calipers/wheel cylinders, everything is off.
Can you get it back?
Sure.
Either with careful calculation and knowledge of the specs of what is available, or a LOT of trial and error.
...but it is MUCH easier to simply use "everything" from the same donor, IE a 76 Duster, 87 5th Ave, or a 77 Cordoba.
Mopar did the "proportioning", not with a valve, but with the wheel cylinders for drum systems and with the calipers and wheel cylinders in disk/drum systems.
If you want "as built" braking capacity, use all parts (at least cylinders and/or calipers) from the same donor system.
That way the proportioning is correct.
Once you start mixing calipers/wheel cylinders, everything is off.
Can you get it back?
Sure.
Either with careful calculation and knowledge of the specs of what is available, or a LOT of trial and error.
...but it is MUCH easier to simply use "everything" from the same donor, IE a 76 Duster, 87 5th Ave, or a 77 Cordoba.
Street…..
I have 14” wheels currently. Everything I read indicate I should be prepared to go to a 15” wheel.
Then I would do like I have done. Rebuild a set of stock factory KH brakes or buy a set already redone.
RGAZ
Diehard
I have stock 73 up discs on the front and 14"x7" Road Wheels with a 4.25" offset and they fit perfect (BBP). So you may not have to go 15" if you don't want to. Besides, no one seems to want the B-body road wheels these days, I got them for almost nothing and I blasted, painted and cleared them. They aren't bad for a daily driver....
I ahve some cheapo trim rings coming to complete the poser look. lol
RGAZ
I ahve some cheapo trim rings coming to complete the poser look. lol
RGAZ
Thank you
What are everyone's thoughts on this kit from Kanter? It's a little pricey but they will honor the FABO discount. Someone converted my Duster to B body brakes and cut down the upper control arms to fit, so I need EVERYTHING.
www.kanter.com
1964-1976 Dodge Dart, 1964-1969 Plymouth Barracuda, 1970-1976 Plymouth Duster and others - Disc Brake Kit - DBKDOD642 - Kanter Auto
Upgrade your muscle car's stopping power with PST's Front Manual Disc Brake Conversion Kit. Designed for stock setups, this comprehensive kit includes everything you need for a seamless conversion, featuring 11" rotors, single piston calipers, and adjustable proportioning valve. Enhance your...
www.kanter.com
that's the typical BBP swap kit. it's made by "right stuff" so the fit & finish could leave a little to be desired.What are everyone's thoughts on this kit from Kanter? It's a little pricey but they will honor the FABO discount. Someone converted my Duster to B body brakes and cut down the upper control arms to fit, so I need EVERYTHING.
1964-1976 Dodge Dart, 1964-1969 Plymouth Barracuda, 1970-1976 Plymouth Duster and others - Disc Brake Kit - DBKDOD642 - Kanter Auto
Upgrade your muscle car's stopping power with PST's Front Manual Disc Brake Conversion Kit. Designed for stock setups, this comprehensive kit includes everything you need for a seamless conversion, featuring 11" rotors, single piston calipers, and adjustable proportioning valve. Enhance your...
no different than pirate jack or doctor diff. though, i'd take doctor diff over all of those any day knowing that the even if the parts were sourced from the same supplier the customer service will be LOADS better.
anyway, there's no magic there. if you have B brakes on there now, you might not need everything-- i mean, besides the modded uppers.
Dave999
Well-Known Member
I use an Australian slider caliper set up with standard 14 inch wheels.
the australian girlock slider (Girling lockheed) is the same as the post 73 short bracket slider caliper used in the US in every way apart from the fact that the US caliper splayes 1/8 inch wider at the claw. id expect the US stuff to fit with 14 inch wheels
your issue is finding the right PCD rotors.
other option is sumitomo calipers off a 1990s toyota hilux truck its little bit of a pain in the *** to do, if you are interested i can tell you how, and you would need rotors and a mopar to metric banjo fitting felxi hose for each side. it was a 2000s thing all australian mopars have 14 inch wheels this was an innovative solution into 4 pot calipers when space was limited. they are a steel 4 pot caliper in a very similar design to one of the wilwood models
the datsun 240/280Z boys have been using them for years, hence pad choice is wide and they are designed to stop a fully loaded 1.5 tonne mini truck with a much bigger rolling diameter wheel/tyre than a mopar.
Dave
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