disc brake conversion kit

[michael.warshaw]

When you do the disc brake conversion kit, do you need the change the master cylinder?

[1949P17BC]

Yes and or No, If you keep the orginal, both front and rear are pushed from one resevoir and you will need to add residual valve in line. If you go to a dual resv MC, you wont need to do this. I wnet with the orginal, its new and I didn';t want to spend more time and money converting

[michael.warshaw]

if you do just discs in the front, then do you need to do anything at all?

[Frank Elder]

2 lb residual vales are recomended for the front on a disc brake conversion, they are plumbed into to your hardline between the mc and your brakes. 10 lb valves for your rear drums.

[Jim Yergin]

If you use the original master and the in-line residual valves Frankie47 mentioned, you may need to remove the internal residual valve in the master. With it in there, I had a periodic problem with the disc brakes not releasing. Some people on this forum reported the same problem and others reported no such problem.

Jim Yergin

[Frank Elder]

If you use the original master and the in-line residual valves Frankie47 mentioned, you may need to remove the internal residual valve in the master. With it in there, I had a periodic problem with the disc brakes not releasing. Some people on this forum reported the same problem and others reported no such problem.

Jim Yergin

Thank's Jim, I guess my sometimers is kicking in again:)

[claybill]

the question is about front disc brakes ...NOT a power brake set-up....correct?

but it doesnt matter...right?

the existing M/C shuold be ok..yes?

bill

Edited March 3, 2010 by claybill
additions

[40plyrod]

I believe that you only need a 2lb residual pressure valve if your master cylinder is below the height of your caliper.

[chopt50wgn]

When going to disc brakes , it is highly recommended to have a bigger bore on the master cylinder, usually 1". The discs need more flow and should use a dual reservoir with a residual valve. Also should have a proportioning valve if it is not plumbed into the master. This goes for manual or power brakes.

[55 Fargo]

When going to disc brakes , it is highly recommended to have a bigger bore on the master cylinder, usually 1". The discs need more flow and should use a dual reservoir with a residual valve. Also should have a proportioning valve if it is not plumbed into the master. This goes for manual or power brakes.

Not doubting your info, but to be honest a lot of front disc conversions, have been done with success using the stock MC and residual and proportioning valves.

I would think the best would be a dual pot MC, but the stock MC's have worked very well for a number of the Guy's who did this conversion.

What disc brake kit and MC are you currently using?

[claybill]

is there a kit that doesnt requre, drilling, reaming, and rethreading, and grinding, to adapt?

bill

[michael.warshaw]

i am also, wondering that bill . god question .

[55 Fargo]

is there a kit that doesnt requre, drilling, reaming, and rethreading, and grinding, to adapt?

bill

Is the ECI kit not in this category?

The above noted items are not that bad to overcome, even for a novice, as any machine shop scan drill and thread these tiems, or if you go with Old Daddy, he will do them for a nominal fee..

[Olddaddy]

As far as installation effort, my kit does require drilling and tapping three holes to 5/8" fine thread. You are actually only opening up the existing three holes about 1/16" to reach tap size. There is no reaming or grinding necessary with my kits. I can do the work for you if you ship your parts to me. It's a toss up whether buying a drill and tap, having it done locally or shipping to me is better, one over the other. However, at $160 including shipping I think my kit is the least costly on the market. The parts needed to complete the installation are also economical, under $200 is possible depending on your location and how well you can shop for sales etc.

I believe the Scarebird kit is a complete bolt on, no drilling or tapping needed.

As far as master cylinders, I ran my 50 Suburban wagon for seven years on the original MC. I did not have residual valves, or a proportioning valve installed. I did remove the internal valve from the MC. The only difficulty I experienced was that in a hard panic stop the rears could lock up, but only did so once in the seven years.

Having said that, part of my rebuild on the car is to install a dual reservoir MC, with power boost, and residual valves up front. I will not need a proportioning valve as my car is four wheel discs. If it were rear drums I would want the rear valve also.

You don't need power boost, manual discs are fine, but the pedal is softer with the boost. I used an MBM brakes bracket, but ECI makes a nice one also. I chose MBM because I am running an automatic trans and the bracket was a single pedal. I believe ECI has brackets for both single and double pedals if you are running an original manual trans.

[old rat 49]

Have most of the parts for the job on my p15. Going to firewall mount power brakes. I will do a step by step photo log as I go along. Havent found one on site so this may help someone down the road. Hope to start monday.

[spatterso530]

1946 plymouth flat head 6,like to install power steering pump on the 6 cyl neen information on a pulley set up please help

[pflaming]

I'm installing Charlie's disc kit. The drilling and taping are a no brainer and I'm not a mechanic. Get a good drill press and a good tap. Buy some machinist a few and get it done free. That's what I did.

p.s. Look at my current threads on the Truck side.

Charlie was VERY helpful, it wasn't so much need as confirmation of a couple of items. He's got my recommendation, 110%.

Edited March 1, 2012 by pflaming

[OldDad67]

As far as installation effort, my kit does require drilling and tapping three holes to 5/8" fine thread. You are actually only opening up the existing three holes about 1/16" to reach tap size. There is no reaming or grinding necessary with my kits. I can do the work for you if you ship your parts to me. It's a toss up whether buying a drill and tap, having it done locally or shipping to me is better, one over the other. However, at $160 including shipping I think my kit is the least costly on the market. The parts needed to complete the installation are also economical, under $200 is possible depending on your location and how well you can shop for sales etc.

I believe the Scarebird kit is a complete bolt on, no drilling or tapping needed.

As far as master cylinders, I ran my 50 Suburban wagon for seven years on the original MC. I did not have residual valves, or a proportioning valve installed. I did remove the internal valve from the MC. The only difficulty I experienced was that in a hard panic stop the rears could lock up, but only did so once in the seven years.

Having said that, part of my rebuild on the car is to install a dual reservoir MC, with power boost, and residual valves up front. I will not need a proportioning valve as my car is four wheel discs. If it were rear drums I would want the rear valve also.

You don't need power boost, manual discs are fine, but the pedal is softer with the boost. I used an MBM brakes bracket, but ECI makes a nice one also. I chose MBM because I am running an automatic trans and the bracket was a single pedal. I believe ECI has brackets for both single and double pedals if you are running an original manual trans.

I don't know Charlie at all except through a few e-mails but you can tell by his post here to mention some competitor without trashing him says a lot about character on Charlie's part, certainly rare this day in age. Just my two cents.

[Frank Elder]

Who or what is MBM????

[Don Coatney]

Who or what is MBM????

http://www.mbmbrakeboosters.com/

[faucet47custom]

I have Charlies newest kit for the bigger D-24. I sent him my stuff so he could mock up everything and make the correct kit so I wouldn't have to put on the Plymouth spindles. Everything fit great and I only spent around $200 for the rest of the brake parts. I am having a shop make me a new bracket to put on a newer style MC, doing remote reservoir so I can close up the hole in the floor when I fix my rotting floor pans. The brackets will use all of my original pedals and bolt in place of the original MC and relocate it just behind the bump where the original bolted in.