Question about the med duty Scarebird kit?

[Bad B-rad]

So I was looking at buying the med duty Scarebird disc brake kit for my 69 Charger, and I guess they haven't been selling well enough to warrant them to continue to make them, or that's what I was told, by them when I requested the kit.

This should be a link to a video of the kit I wanted to put together/ buy:
https://youtu.be/b1AOv_qa-gI?t=125


The kit used Scarebird brackets and spacers, 1970 Ford galaxie rotors, and 1995-1999 Dodge  1/2 ton calipers and pads.
I guess you knock the cups that come in the rotors out and install bearing and cups(races) from a 1970-1970 Plymouth fury.
(and you use your stock drum brake spindles)
My question is what are the spacers used for?
I know the instructions for this kit say to install the spacers on to the spindles first(they do not say what direction) and what are the spacers used for, to do what? Space the rotor out on the spindle a bit for the kit to work, or is it to take up space on the spindle for the bearing to seat/ride on?



The current kit that scarebird offers uses rear lincolin rotors and 1990 GM cerlebrity calipers and pads, and I am sure it works fine , but those parts are a bit smaller then the Galaxie rotors and truck calipers.

If I knew what they were doing with what they call a spacer, I could have one made, and I could make this kit for myself, to hold me over and let me enjoy the car for a while as I save for a better kit.
THANKS.

[John_Kunkel]

There is a downside to using the Dodge 1500 calipers, they have a 2.95" piston that uses a lot of fluid volume to apply. I used them on my '57 Dodge Scarebird kit and ran out of pedal travel with the 1 1/32" MC, had to go to a 1 1/8" MC to get a pedal.

The GM calipers are 2.50", less squeeze but also less pedal travel.

[Bad B-rad]

I used the master power brakes kit years ago, and it used GM parts, the calipers are not too bad, but that booster and master cylinder, were like a HUGE middle finger to me every time I opened the hood, that is why I was thinking of using the Dodge vs GM calipers.
But Scarebird dosent make that kit anymore and, I have been thinking, by the time I make the brackets and get the parts, it may just be money wasted VS well spent.
The kit Scarebird does still offer, uses the lincloin rear rotors, and GM cerlebrity calipers, and that may work fine, but they did make the larger kit for a reason(and I bet it is because it works only slightly better then the stock drums)

I THINK, I may just repair my drum brakes for now, and do the factory style kit, when I can afford the whole thing.
I think I will buy the spindles and caliper brackets,from Dr. Diff, or on line somewhere, then rotors, splash shield and caliper/pads hoses, bearings, and master, all from like NAPA/ rock auto /Autozone.

Then, when I can afford it, go to the larger, Cordoba rotors and pin type calipers, the thing is those pin type brackets for the large rotors are like $323, for the set.

I havent seen pin type brackets for the smaller (reg Charger, Challenger) rotors.

So I guess my next question would be, reguardless of what kit I do get, will my  power DRUM/DRUM brake booster, work with a DISC/DRUM master, 
Or do I need a new brake booster for the disc drum master?

[chargerbr549]

Another recent disc brake option is this one using modern Mustang parts but if you wanting to stay with 15 or smaller wheels this might not work for you.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,122780.0.html

[Bad B-rad]

I have seen this Mustang option and I think it is GREAT, but I do not like the oversized wheels, that would be required to run these brakes.
I love that the guy made it himself, and that he is helping out many others, that is TRUE, hot rodding right there!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like that part of it, but, I am not a fan of the huge rims/wheels on our vintage Muscle cars(just my thoughts)
That's just me, I am willing to go to 15's(from the original 14,LOL)
If I start to go performance with the car, and need a better set up, brakes wise, then maybe I would upgrade the rim/wheel size for a better brake system.
(I just put SRT/Scat Brembos on my 2016 R/T, and I couldn't believe how much better the car brakes now with the Brembos)
If I need that type of brake performance, then yeah I will have to go larger wheels, but I just want my car to stop better then it did, and well enough to be driven in modern day traffic, and have nice predictable brakes, for panic stops, when the idiot in front of you brakes hard out of the blue, and he doesn't realize that not everyone can stop as quick as his Prius.

[alfaitalia]

Not wanting to be that guy but you DO know you can't stop as quick as the Prius guy so it's up to you to stay back not for him to brake more gently!

[Bad B-rad]

I understand that( I am a heavy equipment mechanic, I drive larges trucks from time to time, and travel in the cab, of the Peterbuilt with the lowboy driver all the time)
What I was getting at is that CRAZY emergency stop when the guy in front of you almost misses a turn, so instead of just turning at the next road, or light, he slams on the brakes so he doesn't miss his turn.

I was not asking the imaginary prius driver to brake more gently, just looking out for the panic stop, the out of no where, when he has to brake so he will not hit a bus load of nuns, or when an orphan runs out in the street after a quarter.

Even non performance orientated cars, made today, can stop leaps and bounds better then a 1969 Charger R/T, so I want to upgrade my brakes to give myself a shot.

[Nacho-RT74]

why not simply on the Lates 73 Mopar route and you will be done?

Cheap, reliable and still a Mopar.

I mean... the wheel has already invented!!!

[Bad B-rad]

Not trying to re-invent the wheel, but Scarebird kit was $75.00 and I use my spindles, the 73 and up kit is $175-200 for just spindles, and then I need brackets($50) and then I need all the same stuff I would need with scarebird kit, so I was just trying to save some, cash.
I really want to get my car going for this spring, and due to health issues cash is tight, that's all, trying to make my money go farther.

[Nacho-RT74]

I think somebody around already did that work from Scarebird and got dissapointed ( I think it was NHCharger or AKCharger ? ). If I was you, will go with the 73 and lates A body option. Plug and play from ball joints, nothing to invent and will search Mopar parts without overthink anything. MAYBE a bit more of investment but you know will work, since all the parts will be matched from ball joints. No weird plates or anything

I bet you go to a local JY and will find the full set in les than $50... or searching on some board around parting out a lates A body.

I'm agreed the 11.75" bracket pin calipers will be nice ( I'm also trying to get them ), but ppl ( the "ramman" on ebay ) is crazy about them. However you can live for a while with 10.9"

Sorry I'm insisting, but something prooved out of fail. It worths the money. Take the advice.

Centric drilled and slotted rotors are available on both sizes, 10.9" and 11.75" as a stock replacement for our cars. I'm running the 10.9" which is the original size on my car. With ceramic Bendix pads. Everything certainly accesible from Rockauto, from same car listing , even calipers if needed. Just spindles and brackets out of them.

[Nacho-RT74]

if you are open to slider calipers instead pins:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-A-BODY-DISC-BRAKE-SPINDLES-CALIPER-BRACKETS-DUSTER-DART/282847232026?hash=item41db02401a:g:W-MAAOSw5P9agyAI&vxp=mtr

[Nacho-RT74]

or:
http://www.2040-parts.com/73-76-set-2-front-mopar-a-body-disc-spindles-2-brake-caliper-mount-brackets-i1327382/

[richf]

Another option is Dr Diff's Viper caliper upgrade, using the mid 70s C body 11.75 rotors and first gen Viper 4 piston Brembo calipers.  They fit snugly inside my 15x8 slot mags, so they probably won't fit all 15s.  Quality parts, and searching eBay for a few weeks, I was able to buy a pair of the calipers for about $180.  OE engineered high performance calipers.

[Bad B-rad]

Up here in NY, the chances of finding a vintage Mopar in the junk yard is not good.
I hit them all when I was 16(1996) trying to find Charger parts, and the best I got was a Duster rear end(small slant six one)
So it would be ebay/ or the net for me.
Yeah if the med duty scarebird kit sucks, then done deal,I am out.But the rotors seam as heavy as OE Charger stuff, and the calipers & pads are from a Dodge ram(Mopar) as would be the booster/Master, and valving.
I want all Mopar parts, but I am broke, right now, and working brakes on my car actually help it move forward with the work(as funny as that sounds)
My buddy has a body/paint shop, and I can get the car worked on up there, but it must be able to run and drive well, so I can drive it to the shop after HRS, or on Friday night, and drive it home Monday AM, when shop is open.

I do like the Viper/Dr diff kit, I am dying to know how well it works!!!(I bet you need a big master to move all that fluid volume for viper pistons)

[richf]

I do like the Viper/Dr diff kit, I am dying to know how well it works!!!(I bet you need a big master to move all that fluid volume for viper pistons)

I haven't actually been able to drive my car since installing the Viper brakes a few months ago!  However, I've read quite a few recommendations for the setup.  Dr Diff recommended the 15/16" bore master cylinder for my application, manual brakes, and rear discs.  He's extremely knowledgeable, if you think about going this way he can tell you what master to use.

http://www.doctordiff.com/aluminum-master-cylinder-kit.html
http://www.doctordiff.com/aluminum-master-cylinder-kit.html