News:

It appears that the upgrade forces a login and many, many of you have forgotten your passwords and didn't set up any reminders. Contact me directly through helpmelogin@dodgecharger.com and I'll help sort it out.

Main Menu

Wilwood disc conversion question

Started by --Rebel--, July 26, 2017, 09:36:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

--Rebel--

Hi all,
I've converted my '68 Charger from standard drums all round to rear drum front disc using a kit from Wilwood. The parts fitted are, wilwood discs, calipers and master cylinder. Also added a wilwood proportion valve in the rear brake line.
Standard Mopar master cylinders use the front part of the reservoir to feed the rear brakes and the rear part to feed the front brakes. This is how I've connected the new wilwood master cylinder.
My question is, is that correct?
According to the installation instructions, the front part of the wilwood master cylinder should feed the front brakes and the rear part should feed the rear brakes.
If I have connected it the wrong way round, will it make any difference or should I change it and connect it as described in the installation instructions?

richf

Follow the Wilwood directions. The original Mopar master cylinder has a larger reservoir closer to the firewall for the front brakes, the smaller reservoir for the rear brakes. But now that you have a different master cylinder, whatever Wilwood says would be best
1968 Charger 318/904 project
1985 Suzuki Madura GV700
2007 Ford Crown Victoria P71

Poor college student

--Rebel--

Great, thanks.
I'll go change it then

MxRacer855

I'm tackling this process myself right now.
Do you guys know if I can order any of the brake lines, or do I have to make all of them?

I have a Wilwood master w/ the proportioning valve mounted below it (no booster). Calipers and rotor front and rear with a Dana 60.

--Rebel--

Sorry, can't help with regards to buying the hard lines. I just made all of mine myself, but that was just because a couple of them needed replacing anyway, so I just changed them all. If you can buy them already made, I'm not sure they'd make it to the UK without getting damaged.

Unless your hardlines need replacing, you don't need to change them. The existing lines will all connect to the new wilwood parts

--Rebel--

Swapped the pipes round on the master cylinder, now the larger part of the reservoir at the front feeds the front and smaller part at the rear feeds the rear. Connected everything up, bled the brakes again and the wheels lock up when the pedal is pushed.
However, the pedal is spongy and goes all the way to the floor ( even though it locks the wheels ). Currently, when the battery is connected the brake lights are on permanentl. Lifting the brake pedal by hand switches them off. I'm guessing that adjusting the length of the pushrod from the pedal to master cylinder will allow the pedal to sit higher and switch off the brake lights.
I was wondering though, as the pedal is still spongy, maybe after adjusting the pushrod, I should bleed the brakes again. Just in case the pushrod isn't going all the way to the end of the cylinder

MxRacer855

Thanks for the info!
Could you by any chance post a pic of your master cylinder set up?

--Rebel--

Here you go, the brake pipes are still in the wrong positions in this pic. Apart from that though, this is my set up

303 Mopar

Make sure you follow the brake-in procedure for the pads.  I recently did a Wilwood 4-disc swap with their MC and proportion valve and had to do the break-in twice.  Also, if you have 6-piston caliper you will need to loosen the bottom bolt and remove the top to rock the piston back so the top bleeder is directly perpendicular to the ground otherwise there is a potential of an air pocket at the top.

Did you bench bled your MC? 
1968 Charger - 1970 Cuda - 1969 Sport Satellite Convertible

HPP

I'd be more worried about the copper tubing that is plumbed into that system. Household plumbing copper does not have the burst strength to safely operate a performance brake system.

--Rebel--

Quote from: 303 Mopar on August 01, 2017, 01:06:24 PM
Did you bench bled your MC? 

Yeah, bled it by bolting it in to the car and using the pedal before connecting any pipes to it. Still had air in the cylinder though. Removed it and bench bled it, reinstalled it and connected all pipework and problem solved.

--Rebel--

Quote from: HPP on August 01, 2017, 04:53:33 PM
I'd be more worried about the copper tubing that is plumbed into that system. Household plumbing copper does not have the burst strength to safely operate a performance brake system.

It's not household copper pipe, it's automotive kunifer brake pipe. Don't see the problem, or why you would think it's household pipe

HPP

I didn't bother to check your profile before hand to see that you are in the UK. In the US, this type of small copper copper line is typically made for low pressure household use, not high pressure hydraulics. If it is purpose built line for automotive applications than you would be fine.

--Rebel--

Really? I didn't know that. Do you guys use steel brake pipe still or is there something else you can use

richf

We use steel lines, as that's what's usually stock on most cars here. But a lot of us upgrade to stainless steel lines. I've been debating using stainless or copper kunifer lines myself lately.
1968 Charger 318/904 project
1985 Suzuki Madura GV700
2007 Ford Crown Victoria P71

Poor college student

--Rebel--

It's virtually impossible to find steel lines over here. It's all either copper or kunifer / copper mix now. I'd love to use stainless steel but I imagine it's difficult to bend and flare, I can bend the copper stuff by hand.