Hello,
I'm investigating converting the front brakes on my 69 Dodge Charger from drum to disc and have a few questions:
1. What is the best brake conversion kit to buy? (I've seen some in Year One, Classic Industries, Summit Racing, etc.)
2. Is there anything special I need to look out for or be careful of?
3. Suppose I buy a conversion kit from a place like Classic Industries, but then need replacement pads, rotors, or calipers (due to normal wear) in the future. How would I purchase just the pads/rotors/calipers?
> I wouldn't have to buy a whole other conversion kit again would I?
> Could I just go to NAPA and buy rotors and pads for a 1969 Dodge Charger with front disc brakes?
> I'm just not sure how that works since I'm buying an aftermarket conversion kit. Do the conversion kits have the exact same size rotors and pads as a "factory" car would have had if it had factory disc brakes?
Thanks for any advice offered.
Jeff
There are any number of kits out there, but if you want good advice and service after the sale, give Cass a call.
https://www.doctordiff.com/
you can go with the correct assembly for the year... which as far I know is hard to find and expensive, or get parts from newer Mopars ( 73 and lates A bodies ) and keep into the stock cheaper parts still available anywhere
https://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/brakes/disc-main.html
or get aftermarket parts too.
Check with supply vendor. Most kits like Dr.Diff's are copies of factory parts listed in the Disk o tech outline.
I just converted mine from power drum to power disc. Do you have manual or power drums now and do you want manual or power discs?
I did my conversion with all OEM or reproduction OEM parts to make sure I could easily get replacement parts in the future and because I wanted an oem look. I'd be happy to share the parts list I used if you want to put your own kit together. Previous replies pointing you towards Dr. Diff were right on as well, he's definitely got all the parts you need, just maybe a little more expensive than buying everything piece by piece from conventional auto parts stores etc.
What type and size are your wheels?
1 - as others mentioned, Cass at Dr Diff has a stellar rep.
2 - calipers should be mounted so the bleeders are up, at a high point. If you have a factory sway bar, the calipers will need to be on the back of the spindle. Factory 66-69 rotors and calipers are either expensive, hard to find, or both. Factory drums used a single-diaphragm booster, disc uses a dual-diaphragm booster. Stay away from the Chinese gold cad boosters, they have a poor quality track record. the 66-69 repo booster is OK, but they need the repo firewall plate to match, as they changed the size of the hole for the linkage. :icon_smile_angry:
3 - Classic Indust. is pretty good to deal with, I'd stay away from Year One. The de-facto conversion for a DIY years ago was 73-76 A body spindles, calipers, rotors and proportioning valve, and master cylinder. Hard to find now, sadly.
No thread hijack intended, but if I have the complete setup (spindles, brackets, calipers, rotors) from a 1975 Scamp, could I replace the calipers with the larger piston ones from a '76 Aspen or do they have different brackets? The prices are really close and if I can get larger pistons for almost the same price, why not? Thanks!
Don't overlook Scarebird if you don't mind sourcing your own parts.
https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=101
Quote from: Wasco on May 12, 2020, 01:28:01 PM
No thread hijack intended, but if I have the complete setup (spindles, brackets, calipers, rotors) from a 1975 Scamp, could I replace the calipers with the larger piston ones from a '76 Aspen or do they have different brackets? The prices are really close and if I can get larger pistons for almost the same price, why not? Thanks!
Excellent idea.
I have the later calipers in both of my cars. The 73-75 A-body front disc calipers had a 2.6" piston. The 1976 A and the Aspen/Volare/Diplomat/LeBaron/Gran Fury/Fifth Avenue cars used a 2.75 piston. Larger piston means more clamping force,
I have mine set up to mount the calipers behind axle centerline. You can do this with either the A body steering knuckles/spindles or the B/FMJR versions. It is only a matter or putting them on the correct side of the car so the caliper mounts are facing the rear of the car.
Quote from: Kern Dog on May 12, 2020, 02:53:10 PM
Excellent idea.
I have the later calipers in both of my cars. The 73-75 A-body front disc calipers had a 2.6" piston. The 1976 A and the Aspen/Volare/Diplomat/LeBaron/Gran Fury/Fifth Avenue cars used a 2.75 piston. Larger piston means more clamping force,
I have mine set up to mount the calipers behind axle centerline. You can do this with either the A body steering knuckles/spindles or the B/FMJR versions. It is only a matter or putting them on the correct side of the car so the caliper mounts are facing the rear of the car.
Thanks, but the credit goes to you! I'd just read it on your '70 build thread (great work, by the way) and wondered if I could still use the Scamp hardware on my '68 but use the larger Aspen calipers like you did. I haven't started on the car yet, but trying to plan things out. Thanks again for the advice and excellent pictures.
Sure thing, man! :cheers:
Scarebird doesn't make B-body kits anymore, plus it's NOT the way to go:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,116384.msg1442672.html#msg1442672
I did the A-Model mod on my '70, I was happy
go simple and basic... stock Mopar parts available on regular part shops. Dr. Diff sells the kit already made, using the stock parts
OP just cut 'n run!
I prefer the Disc-O-Tech route. The spindles are reproed now, and you can pick stock or 2" drop. The caliper adapters are reproed now, too, so you can pick the A-Body 10.95" or larger 11-3/4" rotors. The Bendix disc booster is also reproed. Everything else is easy to find Schmuck Auto Parts stuff. Dr. Diff has all this stuff, along with like four different types, or increasing levels of braking.
Or you can also go the route of using Ford calipers and rotors off a mustang with the factory drum spindle, there was a guy selling the adapters on one of the forums, you can go up to a 15" rotor with a heck of a lot of stopping power. Its basically a steel or aluminum plate and everything else is just bolt on factory Ford parts.
found it
https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/119756-Any-interest-in-500-13-2-inch-brakes-for-stock-mopar-B-body-drum-spindles-and-hubs
11 pages of development
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=122780.0
Why use stock Ford parts if you can still get stock Mopar parts for you Mopar?
QuoteWhy use stock Ford parts if you can still get stock Mopar parts for you Mopar?
-- Higher-po factory parts and lots of aftermarket support to go up from there. With modern Mustang brake options you don't need Baer or Wilwood conversions to go really big.
-- It's a more common car and it's much younger than the Mopar conversion sources. Our idea of "later model" Mopar stuff is still old enough to need a full restoration.
Quote from: Nacho-RT74 on June 26, 2020, 03:42:42 AM
Why use stock Ford parts if you can still get stock Mopar parts for you Mopar?
I guess you missed the part where you can use your stock drum spindles and hubs and you can go up to a 15" rotor if you want...with this setup you can go from a 12.8" and up, and order the parts from any auto store because they are still in production and not a mail order or classic junk yard search. There are still newer mustangs in the salvage yards, not may A bodies left...
https://www.performanceonline.com/Disc-Brake-Conversion-Kits/
I used their 399 kit. Got it on sale for 350 i think. Stops mine at the drag strip from 130 mph without any effort, stock drums out back. No fade on the street. Off the shelf replacement pads and rotors available anywhere. They list the part numbers for your future reference in the kit when purchased. Hard to beat the price considering its pads rotors calipers hoses bearings seals and spindles for that price. Pretty much same kit drdiff sells i beleive.
Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on June 26, 2020, 06:40:27 AM
QuoteWhy use stock Ford parts if you can still get stock Mopar parts for you Mopar?
-- Higher-po factory parts and lots of aftermarket support to go up from there. With modern Mustang brake options you don't need Baer or Wilwood conversions to go really big.
-- It's a more common car and it's much younger than the Mopar conversion sources. Our idea of "later model" Mopar stuff is still old enough to need a full restoration.
This.
I used this kit on mine and it was a pretty easy build. I have not ran it yet but it looks like it is gonna do the trick.