Question about A body brakes

[Nacho-RT74]

What is involved on a 69 A body front disc setup upgrade using the correct setup for the year? 5x4" pattern.

[Nacho-RT74]

Nobody?

Are the spindles diff between drum and disc setup? I guess will need the caliper and bracket of course, same as the hoses. What about UCA and ball joint?

[Pete in NH]

Hi Nacho,

I believe the original disc brakes on a 69 A body were 4 piston Kelsey Hayes types which are now very hard to find and expensive. I don't know if these used different spindles and control arms from the drum brake cars. A bodies used two different drum set ups, 9 inch on the /6 cars and 10 inch drums on V8's.

Since the 4 piston K-H set up parts are so rare today many people use the more common 73 and up disc brakes. This conversion does require using the 73 and up upper control arm and spindles. I'm not sure about the lower control arms.
This does force you into the larger 4 1/2" bolt pattern though.

I used a Scarebird conversion system on my 69 Barracuda. The conversion brackets bolted right on the original spindles and I kept the original control arms. Best of all I kept the original 4" bolt pattern so front and rear wheels are the same pattern. The rotors were Toyota Previa and the calipers are Chevy Cavalier units, cheap and easy to find. The whole set up went on really easy.

[Charger RT]

I have the factory disc setup off of a 71 A body I am putting on my 66 dart. The disc spindles bolt right up with just using the disc brake upper ball joints.
Tim

[Nacho-RT74]

Ok, so spindles are diff but also diff from 73 and lates A Bodies?

Or... Could be using lates spindles caliper and brackets, but 4" rotors? Usimg correct bearimgs, of course

[Pete in NH]

I don't think you can use the earlier 4" pattern rotor on the later spindles but, I'm not sure. I've never heard of it being done.

Go over to forabodiesonly.com and study the brake forum and I'm sure you will find some answers to your questions. There are several ways to put disc brakes on a 69 A body including using later Mopar FMJ body parts. The problem issue is that all the later parts use a 4 1/2" bolt pattern and the 69 uses a 4" pattern. Unless you change the rear axles as well you wind up with two spare tires.

That's why I went with the Scarebird conversion. I didn't have to worry about spindles, control arms and could keep the 4" bolt pattern all the way around.

[Nacho-RT74]

Yeap, I know very well the conversion to later 73 system, being the problem with the bolt pattern. A friend of mine made the conversion on his 70 swinger, but since his swinger got 8 3/4 axle and there is not 4.5" pattern to 8 3/4" axles on A bodies ( except using aftermarket axles witn green bearings ) what he did is change the "hub" on the existant A body axles using "hubs" from B body donor axles.

I was asking for something more plug and play using stock correct parts, but noticed how hard is get the parts for them ( but the rotors, cheap at rockauto)

This is trying to help for a friend locally. I'm actually unsure what axle he got on his 69. It got a 225 though. Maybe a 8 1/4" differential, what would make a fairly easier swap, just getting the correct axles... And brakes setup

Will look at the Scarebird kit

[Nacho-RT74]

Uuuuhhhm eeehhhhm... Just reading there was not 8 1/4 on earliers passenger cars

[Pete in NH]

With a 225 /6 there's a really good chance the rear is a 7.25.

[sccachallenger]

No  personal experience, but I've heard the calipers are the same as early mustang/shelby stuff, not "rare" at all.
I think it's worth checking if there's an adapter out there to keep the drum brake knuckles, this is what the ford guys use on the zillions of drum braked mustangs.
If it was me, I'd do some more checking.
Let us know what you find.

[Nacho-RT74]

With a 225 /6 there's a really good chance the rear is a 7.25.

In Venezuela... We can get whatever thing