Baer brakes?

[frank1966]

Has anyone tried Baer brakes? I spoke to them, they have a nice combo set up 13 inch fronts and 12 inch rear discs. I have a 70 charger with disc/drum oem and switching to disc/disc. I will be using 17 inch wheels. My master cylinder is from mp brakes with a 1 and 1/8 bore, do I need a 7/8 bore? I also need a adjustable prop valve? Where does the valve attach? To the MC on the rear line?

[WHITE AND RED 69]

I've got the Baer T4 on the front with 73/74 e body spindles and the Baer Ironsport on the rear. I wish I would have waited and got the SS4 for the rear but oh well, that upgrade will happen later on. I've been extremely happy with them. Been almost 2 years since they were installed and not a single bad thing to say about them. Car stops great and has has a nice pedal feel. And dealing with Rick Elam at Baer made my purchase simple. Great customer service and quality.

One thing to make sure is that your wheels will fit over the caliper. They are big calipers and could possibly hit the spokes of the wheel. Ask for the brake template and measure them with your wheels to make sure they clear without any spacers.   

If you are gonna look at other master cylinders I'd go with a hydroboost unit from Reilly motorsports (as long as you have power steering). Never heard any complaints from anyone except the price but it's definitely worth it.

For the prop valve, some plumb it next to the master cylinder but I put mine right on the frame rail behind the distribution block in line with the rear hard line so you don't see it.

[frank1966]

Thanks for that, I do like their customer service, they were very oat in with me on the phone. I hear mixed recommendation about the mc bore size. Mine is new with a 1 1/8 bore from mp brakes, they said this work well with an ad just prop valve. It's just really big bucks! I can't find any other options with a large single piston set up with large rotors. My 12 charger has slider calipers with 12 13 inch rotors and the car stops well. Why can't I find an option like my 12 charger?

[Patronus]

Another vote for Baer. Never a problem, front or rear. As long as you can afford em. Please. Please. I beg you. Don't buy Wilwood.

[frank1966]

No wildwood, its between baer and the cobra style from dr. diff.

Has anyone changed their plumbing by the stock valves? I was told I would need to remove the smaller valve and keep the larger one when I switch from drum to rear in the back? Iam not sure why. If I get a hydroboost would this eliminate the problem? Has anyone heard of this before? My car is orginal drum/disc set up.

[Dino]

The larger valve is a distribuiton block, that just pumpsfluid to all corners so that stays.  The smaller valve is a prop valve which is necessary for disc/drum cars but not disc/disc so it needs to be removed.  I think you can just order a stock drum brake line that goes from distribution valve the rear axle as drum cars don't have the small valve.

[frank1966]

thanks for the explanation dino. It looks like the small prop valve runs the right front disc line, then another line to the distribution block and I think there is another line. I don't see how I could connect these lines right to the distribution block without changing the entire line or lines?

[Dino]

I'm sorry to say I don't know the differences between the two except for the added valve. More knowledgable peeps will chime in I'm sure.   

[Supercharged Riot]

whats wrong with wilwood?
RMS sells their stuff on their website

[Patronus]

^ All I can say is mine squeak. And let me tell you, they squeak like a pig in a Mississippi swamp! I have tried everything! Had em cut, tried the low noise pads. Tried different and religious break ins...you name it, I've tried it. It's fine if your driving normal like...but get into a cruise situation all slow and stop/go and I'm done...you'll know I'm coming... Oh, I called em. Called My supplier, called Wilwood. What do you think they said? Shit. Why didn't I just buy Baer? No body complains, no Internet forums bashing them, no customer service playing the "aw shucks, I'm stupid" routine. I'm just telling you like I see it. And I'll never see another Wilwood product on my car. In fact, if anyone's interested I'll sell em. 12.19", black calipers, model for the drum spindles. Might as well squeak in style eh?

[Mopar Nut]

Baer brakes on all four here.

[bill440rt]

Very happy Wilwood user here. 
6-piston fronts, 4-piston rears, coupled with a Hydroboost. Not a peep. Car has an inline GM-style brass prop valve, provides great balance with awesome braking performance. Kit installed easily and I was very impressed with the quality. I'm using the pads that came with the kit, and followed the instructions during the installation.
I too toyed between Wilwood an Baer, but decided on Wilwood because they offered kits compatible for the existing drum brake spindles the car had.

Any product advice I can give is RUN from SSBC!!!     
My experience was not a noise problem, but absolute product failure:
Stock parking brake cables not compatible with their rear brakes, despite their claims that they do.
Front calipers that leaked like a sieve out of the box at their FACTORY assembly locations.
Front calipers that BLEW APART during the bleeding process. (Assembled at the FACTORY with WRONG tensile strength bolts)
Rinky-dink rear caliper mounting design.
Made in China cheap rear axle studs (required by SSBC) that failed, backed out & nearly caused a loss of a rear wheel. (Knurls were found to be worn FLAT)

Choose wisely, after all it's "only" your brakes!     

[frank1966]

Thanks for the replies. I need to remove the original prop valve and add the adjustable? What about the rear bearing, do they need to be changed? What size MC? I have a 1 1/8 bore, which brand MC?

[bill440rt]

Not sure about the Baer's, but the Wilwood's required the use of snap-ring style green bearings. Which, are supposedly a much better design than the standard flange-style green bearings, which were required by SSBC.

I used Wilwood's disc/disc M/C. It required a new fitting on one of the M/C brake lines. The Wilwood M/C uses the same size fittings, whereas the stock M/C has two different sizes.

[frank1966]

Bear site say either bearing, not sure if there is a problem there

[Patronus]

You could also look for used SRT stuff (Brembos) The big thing with brakes is deciding on wheel size. 17" wheels will get you a 13" rotor and a larger tire selection.

[frank1966]

I think iam sold on baer, spoke with them today, rice nice group, very patient, answered all of my questions... they recommend to remove my original prop valve and buy 2 new front lines that work with a drum/drum set up since they only used a distribution block. Also to add an adjustable prop valve for the rear line. I don't need to change the bearing with their rear set up either! but the cost!

[Patronus]

The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten

[myk]

Yup, buy once, cry once...

Edit:  wow I just saw the prices for the smallest 11 inch rotor and I'm already crying, lol...

[bill440rt]

The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten

True words spoken there.