Brake upgrade Disk or ???

[kencombs]

I'm still planning my 56 1/2t project.   Engine and trans(A833 OD) almost done, just need to complete the full flow filter install and carb (2bbl) adapter.  Then I'll start the teardown.  But, brakes are still undecided.  I had planned an Explorer disc conversion, home brew.  For my use disks are not really necessary but I really would like better brakes.  

 

In the distant past I upgraded a 58 Ford F100 to 12" Chrysler front brakes.  Did that after finding that the hemi and cast iron torqueflite made the truck really squirrely in a hard/panic stop.  Not enough front and too much rear brake.  So, I adapted the brakes from the same car that donated engine, 56 Chrysler.  Worked out really well.

 

The mod was suprisingly easy,  The outer bearing was the same, the inner 1/16" smaller.  So I turned the spindles' inner race area down and added a spacer between the backing plate and the spindle to position the shoes on the drum. 

 

Braking was well balanced and plenty of it.

 

Any thoughts or experience doing this on a B C series?  Or should I just go to disks?   Maybe a set of big drums and other parts might be available from someone who has done the disk thing

 

edit to add:  I looked at Rockauto and it looks like a New Yorker's bearings may even be the same as the B trucks.

Edited August 6, 2020 by kencombs

[stylesadamson]

I did Scarebird disc conversion up front and a disc brake Ford 8.8 rear end. Stops great with no booster.

[Jeff Balazs]

I put a 2002 Grand Cherokee rear axle with 12" discs on the rear and a rustyhope disc kit on the front of my 3/4 ton B series. No booster needed. In more than 25,000 miles I have not had to touch the braking system. If you are going to drive the truck much in traffic this mod is a real confidence booster.

Jeff

[Old CWO]

While not original, adding front discs, dual pot MC and seat belts are definitely smart safety investments.  I would also include radial tires and 12V/LED lighting right up there as well.

 

 

[59bisquik]

I run the Scarbird up front and a Corvette dual master in the stock location. Stops great and no booster needed. I will have disc's on the back once I figure out what rear axle I will use.

[kencombs]

Appreciate everyone's input.  Just for sake of discussion, why do we believe disks are inherently better than big chrysler drums in daily use?

 

My daily driver is a 13 Tundra with huge disks on all four corners.  Stopping power is impressive even loaded or towing it just stops straight and quick.  But, I suspect it would stop very well with those big wide tires, non-servo drums (like 50s big Mopars), antilock features and booster. 

 

IOW, how much of the performance is solely due to disks?  IMO, the only thing drums can't so well is stop from high speed more than once in a short time. Heat generated warps the drums and greatly reduces the actual surface in contact with the shoes.

 

Disks are inherently linear in stopping power produced vs input pressure.  Makes them easier to control lockup, either manually or with computer controlled antiskid and stability software.  But the non-servo drum systems I specified above are very good in that respect also. 

 

 

I'll likely wind up with disks, but mostly because the parts are easier to source compared to a 55'56 Chrysler donor.

 

 

 

 

[JBNeal]

Brake fade is a consequence of heat not shedding fast enough from the contact surfaces...fins were added to brake drums to increase surface area for cooling, but ultimately the ventilated disc can shed heat faster than any drum, reducing stopping distance substantially and consistently...there are a plethora of online articles and videos that go into some detail about this comparison...but effectively as vehicles have gotten faster and larger, more braking force is needed and more often in stop'n'go traffic, so ya need to keep them brakes cool to keep braking distances down...if we all drove 2500# vehicles that rarely exceeded 45mph, then drum brakes would probably be adequate

[Plymouthy Adams]

if disc were not so effective and the better system why is the industry using them...the fact that they are more trouble free and superior in about every regard that even a lowly Moped run disc brakes these days....same as fuel injection....who makes a carb these days except maybe a lawn mower and some of them are changing now...love the body style..no use for the antique mechanics...I will not change a running flat head...but I will not go out of my way to buy a running flattie....

[kencombs]

23 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

if disc were not so effective and the better system why is the industry using them...the fact that they are more trouble free and superior in about every regard that even a lowly Moped run disc brakes these days....same as fuel injection....who makes a carb these days except maybe a lawn mower and some of them are changing now...love the body style..no use for the antique mechanics...I will not change a running flat head...but I will not go out of my way to buy a running flattie....

 

I've also wondered why class 8 trucks still use drums for the most part.  Especially since disk are much cheaper to make and install, which is a large reason they are used almost exclusively in cars and light trucks.  better and cheaper, why not change?  Maybe it is the air application that is unique?  

 

Fuel injection?  so much better than a carb there is no reason not to change, except in my case, cost.   I have a Kohler powered project ZTR.  About ready to start up on a new short block.  Sure hope the FI is good, as the software to diagnose it costs more than the short block!

[Plymouthy Adams]

yeah...some of these proprietary garden tractor crap is off the wall...sure hope the farmers win the class action on JD....they off the chain...but of course, they always have been...they will not sell a bearing, you get the whole hub....you damage a connector on a wiring harness...you can only buy the entire harness.....bell and whistles are not a joy of toys to me personally but a collections of alerts and alarms to quickly run another direction.  Like many of the improvements...not the toys...