Disc Brake Conversion

[kencombs]

14 hours ago, Loren said:

 

Mopar and Ford (late) are 5 on 4 1/2.

The Ford guys have been putting Lincoln 12 inch brakes on their cars for decades.

In fact you can buy reproduction Lincoln brakes with the updated Bendix design system now.

I am tempted to buy a set and then compare the pieces. (I have a Model A which could use them).

Chrysler brakes are a challenge to find but they are out there (for about half the price of new Lincoln brakes).

I believe the Bendix system is better and easier to live with, plus you can add self adjusters to them.

The Lockheed system is the older of the two. When Ford switched to Bendix with the 49 models, my Dad hated them as they were "self energizing". He said you lost brake feeling. I don't know what he was talking about and I can't ask him now but I am pretty particular about my brakes too.

Vern Tardel the Ford V8 Traditional Hot Rod Guru thinks Lincoln brakes are the way to go. He says they really STOP! And he's never suggested you need disc brakes.

I've seen Tim's 49 and lusted for it!

Never heard anyone but me say that!  IMO, it is true and is due to the fact that brakes without the self-energizing design provide a linear reaction to pedal pressure.  The harder you push, the more it stops, without any increase due to the design.  Just a direct proportion to the input.  That aided with a booster gives reduced effort and much easier to brake just short of lockup.   The self-energizing feature is what promotes lockup in a panic stop.  JMHO.

 

I've always preferred the big Mopar brakes to any other.

[Loren]

1 hour ago, kencombs said:

Never heard anyone but me say that!  IMO, it is true and is due to the fact that brakes without the self-energizing design provide a linear reaction to pedal pressure.  The harder you push, the more it stops, without any increase due to the design.  Just a direct proportion to the input.  That aided with a booster gives reduced effort and much easier to brake just short of lockup.   The self-energizing feature is what promotes lockup in a panic stop.  JMHO.

 

I've always preferred the big Mopar brakes to any other.

 

Every once in a while my Dad hit on something. He told a story about a demonstration ride in a 49 Ford that soured him on a new car, where the brakes locked up on him. Clearly he was talking about the ability to modulate the brake pressure, something that has always been important to me. I attempt to drive very smoothly (ala Jacky Stewart) and you can't do that with grabby brakes. My current ride annoys me greatly because the 7 speed transmission down shifts while making corner with sudden hard shift. How can you slow down smoothly when the brakes or the transmission won't cooperate?

The Bendix system has the advantage that they are easy to service. However the Lockheed style once adjusted properly work very well indeed. Being an old mechanic I like the challenge of getting it right and I don't care how many times I have to take it apart to get it there. Interesting Mr Loughead (the inventor) went into the aviation business as Lockheed Aircraft and changed his own name to Lockheed. Bendix was already in the aviation business and started making auto parts.

[48ply1stcar]

On 1/24/2021 at 8:18 PM, GMAS54 said:

In the process of ordering a disc brake conversion kit from ECI a hotrod brake company.

Has anyone completed something like this....it appears it may not be too difficult?

Any feedback would be appreciated. 

Working on my 54 Plymouth Savoy Club Coupe.

Sorry, sometimes your subject can get hijacked.  I wish people wouldn't do it, but try searching here and on google, sometimes a google search will bring you back to a thread here. I hope you were able to find some answers.

[PatriotsRiot]

I have  1951 Desoto wagon (S-15) and it came with 5 on 5.5" drums. 12" if I remember correctly. Was this not stock setup? I'm having a tough time trying to find a conversion kit. Scarebird and others are for 5 on 4.5"

[kencombs]

Paging James Douglas!

 

Patriot,  search for posts by the above name here.  He has done such a swap and I think it was done as a custom job, no real kit.

[James_Douglas]

The "long wheelbase cars" also called the "large wheelbase cars" used a 5x5.5 bolt pattern. The spindles, the uprights and the control arms are all larger than everything else. I had ECI custom make a conversion. He actually did two. One for me and one for a guy in Texas. They did not put it into production as it took too long and they would not make any money on them.

 

It has worked fairly well except for a couple of things. One is that you have to mill a new disc down on one side some to fit.  The other is that on one side they were off just a hair on the dimensions and when the disc pad wears the top edge of the pad does not wear and you can get a little ridge. I take new pads now and trim off a 1/16 to 1/8 off the top of the pad. Some pads are glued high, some low and some just right.

 

At some point in the next six months I am going to pull the car apart and at that time if anyone wants a pattern, I can make one. The upright needs the bolt holes to be drilled out a little for the bolts. The car stops fine for a 4500-5000 pound car.

 

James