Front Disc Brake Conversion

[metallicareload99]

Hello, I'm seeking advice on my planned disc brake upgrade.  I have searched and read most of the other disk brake swap threads.

Option A, I have been leaning towards the  SSBC aluminum 4 piston caliper set up here:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SSB%2DA156%2D2&FROM=MG

I like how the kit is more complete, and feedback over all seems decent.  The thing I have heard is that the pedal effort is a little much.  I am currently running manual drums on all four corners and I find the pedal effort fine.  If this conversion requires some more I would be fine with that.  However, I have heard that this excessive pedal effort issue is due mainly to the bore of the master cylinder, and that the supplied SSB master cylinder is incorrect:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,36479.0.html

So should I just junk the Kits master cylinder, and go for a rebuilt or new one with the correct diameter piston from an auto parts store?  If so any part numbers or info would help immensely.



Option B is to go with a Wilwood set up:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=WIL%2D140%2D2721%2DDR&N=700+400196+4294908110+4294908099+4294925083+115&autoview=sku

The Wilwood kit is less complete, but it is cheeper and the other parts shouldn't be too hard to come by.  Since this kit doesn't include the master cylinder I can just by the proper master cylinder once and go from there.  The downside is that I have heard that the Wilwood set up is not exactly street friendly, in that the calipers don't have dust boots, and the rotors seem pretty small compared to other kits or even OE brake set ups.  Rotor warping is another issue I have heard about.

The bottom line is that I want to get a good brake kit the first time, and I would like to be able to upgrade rotor diameter in the future.  I have 15" wheels now but I plan to go bigger in the future.  I would prefer to not change spindles at this time.  I will be staying with a manual set up, thanks for any help

[metallicareload99]

I see that neither kit has hoses, how would I go about getting those?  I'm sure that the correct length hoses are sold out there.  Also other than hoses the only other major parts I would need is an adjustable proportioning valve to dial in the front/rear brake balance and a 10 pound residual pressure valve for the rear drums correct?  Any help appreciated

[bill440rt]

I installed a manual 4-disc SSBC conversion on my '69. It went on OK, there were a few problems with the rears due to a printing error in the manual. It took a few tries, & phone calls to their tech support, but it's on & looks good. Both kits came with all the hoses, hardware, prop valve, etc. You might want to deal with SSBC directly for the best service.

I have yet to drive the car (no motor, trans, etc), but it felt stiff when bleeding the brakes. Nice hard pedal. I've heard the hard pedal pressure will diminish a little once the car is driven & the brakes are broken in.

I got my hard lines from Fine Lines. The person I deal with (his name is Bill), is very informative. He custom bent me up lines for my application, & sold me a universal prop valve. He said I would not need an adjustable prop valve if I used this one, that it's already equalized.
This is the valve. Anyone else running this valve as well?

[bull]

Have you considered this one: http://www.moparaction.com/Tech/archive/disc-main.html

[HITMAN 149]

yes i would deal directley with SSCB if your gonna go that route.... don't forget to mention your a DC.com member... they may give you a discount?!?!?! i got my whole front setup, with powdercoated calipers for around $1200 or so!!
good luck
yea i have yet to drive the car after the brakes are  on also?!?!? so no input there.. sorrry

[metallicareload99]

Thanks for the help guys.  I think I'm going to go with the SSBC Force 10 kit.  I think that will be at least enough for now, thanks again

[HITMAN 149]

thats the kit i picked up directly from them!

[runningman]

We did have a group buy a couple of times with SSBC, if there is interest I can contact them again to see if they are willing to do anything for us.  Matt

[timinator]

I put the SSBC front disc kit on my 69 Charger and it absolutely doesn't work. I can't even drive the car it's so unsafe. I called the tech line and he confirmed the install was done correctly and everything was working properly. The tech said the master cylinder that comes with the manual kit is the same one they use for the power brakes so I probably needed to buy a master cylinder for a manual brake car. Why would they even sell me parts that aren't correct and then suggest I have to go try to find parts that work and spend MORE money. I spent over a grand for junk. I have a friend who's buying a kit from  this guy on ebay and from the reviews, it actually works!

http://stores.ebay.com/ADEALS-Top-Quality-Fast-Service

[mopar-540]

I also did the 4 wheel disc brake change over from 4 wheel drum using the SSBC setup. I've been unhappy since the day I put them on!! The car has a hard pedal feel but does not apply enough pressure the the caliper for the car to stop well. Always have to leave allot of room went stopping. Not a great feeling. The techs at SSBC brakes, after a few I found one that actually had an IQ, were pretty useless.

The bottom line is their standard supplied master is a 1.030" bore master from a 71-75 B body. After I realized I was on my own, I went to a 1.125" bore master from a 67-68 C body. It looks totally stock in the Charger yet gives the larger bore capacity. Anyway there was zero brake improvement between the two masters. I then realized the stock power brake booster was probably not able to properly activate the larger master. I put in the RT Bendix factory disc brake booster. This gave a slight increase in brake but the car is still real scary to drive in traffic. I've got the factory brake pedal linkage that when applied heavily flexes the whole steering column support under heavy braking yet the wheels never can be locked up.

And all the master cylinders supplied by SSBC and Master Power Brakes are new units from NAPA's builder. You can get the same thing locally at 1/3 the cost. Master Power even uses the NAPA part number. SSBC tech guys don't actually know where their masters come from.

Any help on having poor brakes would be appeciated. Next thing I have in mind is the Fred Flintstone stop!

[Musicman]

Best of luck to ya... I wouldn't even consider an SSBC kit myself, I've heard way to many bad reports. Lots of great kits available today, from any number of manufactures, but SSBC isn't one of them... I would also steer clear of the kits offered by "The Right Stuff" for the same reasons. 

[69bronzeT5]

What about Baer's?

[71Charger JT]

im in the market also for brakes ... i have only heard bad things about SSBC.... Wilwood would be my last resort..... BAER i dont think makes a kit for chargers. Correct me if im wrong.

Ill be watching this thread 

[bill440rt]

Damn, you guys are scarin' the living daylights outta me. 

I spent big money on that SSBC 4-wheel conversion. Looks or originality is not a concern, so is there a better master cylinder to use than the one supplied??? 
I have yet to drive the car, so I cannot report on performance just yet. I went with manual brakes, but I can probably convert to power if need be.

[THE COLONEL]

We did have a group buy a couple of times with SSBC, if there is interest I can contact them again to see if they are willing to do anything for us.  Matt

Absolutly!!!  What kind of price was it before?

[runningman]

I will check with Garrett to see what the prices would be.  I would also like him to look into the issues some of the guys have been having with their setups.  I haven't installed mine yet so I can't give a report.

[ryan053]

I would possibly be interested in a front brake set-up also.  depending on what they say about all the problems people have been having with their kits.

[gasoline_24]

I am looking at trying these, but can't find anyone that has tried them yet.  http://www.justsuspension.com/product/393

[Foreman72]

wow...brembo is top of the line, but thats mad expensive...does jegs have anything good? i always thought ssbc was a pretty good deal, guess not huh...the beauty of forums

does anyone hav any upside stories about ssbc?

[terrible one]

I installed a manual 4-disc SSBC conversion on my '69. It went on OK, there were a few problems with the rears due to a printing error in the manual. It took a few tries, & phone calls to their tech support, but it's on & looks good. Both kits came with all the hoses, hardware, prop valve, etc. You might want to deal with SSBC directly for the best service.

I have yet to drive the car (no motor, trans, etc), but it felt stiff when bleeding the brakes. Nice hard pedal. I've heard the hard pedal pressure will diminish a little once the car is driven & the brakes are broken in.

I got my hard lines from Fine Lines. The person I deal with (his name is Bill), is very informative. He custom bent me up lines for my application, & sold me a universal prop valve. He said I would not need an adjustable prop valve if I used this one, that it's already equalized.
This is the valve. Anyone else running this valve as well?

I got my hard lines from Fine Lines as well, and they sold me the same valve for my manual disc/ rear drum setup 

[Bigiron383]

Just got the new " Speedway Motors " catalog # 260, page 30: "MOPAR front disc brake kit"'62-'72 B-body Includes rotor,spindles, calipers, brakets, pads, bearings, seals, dust caps, hoses, and hardware. No machine work, bolts together.  Part # 910-31962  $449.95

[THE COLONEL]

Just got the new " Speedway Motors " catalog # 260, page 30: "MOPAR front disc brake kit"'62-'72 B-body Includes rotor,spindles, calipers, brakets, pads, bearings, seals, dust caps, hoses, and hardware. No machine work, bolts together.  Part # 910-31962  $449.95

Is there a link to check that out in the mag?

[G Force]

I installed a set of SSBC  G Force 10 front brakes with their master cylinder on my 70 Charger and they did not improve the brakes at all.
My stock 11" drum brakes worked just as well if not better than the SSBC disk break set up.
So I spent alot of money and time to remove original components and now have after market "high Performance" products that are no better than the original stock brakes. 

I called tech at SSBC and they suggested that I change the pads to Hawk brand,
I tried that and it did not help, so another $175.00 was wasted on "high Performance" brake pads. 

Buyers be aware.

[bill440rt]

Could the problem be from using THEIR master cylinder? Is there another aftermarket or modern-type master that will work better with the SSBC system?
Any differences between the manual & power setups?

[Bigiron383]

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/3793,926_Mopar-Disc-Brake-Kit.html?itemNo=91031962

[metallicareload99]

Hopefully this thread will benefit others as much as I have, I have been following it closely.  I still have not bought a brake kit yet.  SSBC brake kit is looking less appealing, especially if I have to get a new master cylinder for the new kit.

I have been thinking about going a different route.

Option 1:

Buy repro Disc Brake spindles and put on Viper kit from AR Engineering

New disc spindels:
http://www.mpbrakes.com/products/product-detail.cfm?product_id=604

AR Engineering Viper Kit:
http://www.arengineering.com/caliper/viper2/viper_ab13.html

With this master cylinder:
http://www.mpbrakes.com/products/product-detail.cfm?product_id=524

And also I would need the plumbing and find a set of Calipers, pads and miscellaneous stuff.  The big down side is that I'd have to find some decent 17" (currently 15" wheels) as I can't really afford nice ones at this time.



Option 2:

Go with this new Brembo kit and keep the 15" wheels
http://www.justsuspension.com/product/393

Right now I'm leaning towards the Brembo kit with the Master Power Brakes master cylinder and piecing together the rest of the plumbing.  IF I stay with 15" wheels I figure I can get the Brembo kit on and working for about $1,800 to $1,900. 

If I'm willing to go with bigger wheels, 17" or 18", I figure the AR Engineering kit can be put together for also around very roughly $1,900 or so + the required cost of the new wheels.

I know the easiest route would be a stock style single piston setup, but I would rather grow into my brakes rather than grow out of em, and I don't think the factory style single piston setup is all that upgradeable

[terrible one]

That master cylinder for $90 looks just like the '74 Dart master that I got BRAND NEW for $37.

[Shakey]

I did all this research about two years ago and saw many of the same answers here.  I ended up going with the Mopar Action brake set up.

Front
Spindles - '76 Dart
Calipers - '88 Diplomat (Sliders)
Rotors - '76 Dart 10.75"
Brake Hoses - '72 Monte Carlo

Rear
Drums - '69 Charger 10"

Booster and Master Cylinder - '69 Charger Bendix

All new In-Line Tube brake lines and valves.

Just this past weekend the brakes were bled and it's ready to touch the ground again.

I have read waaaay to many stories on here of sheer frustration when it comes to cobbling together a system of aftermarket parts.  I too may have some woes in my future with this brake set up however I feel that I'll be able to figure it out and fix it relatively easily - I hope!

[no318]

I did all this research about two years ago and saw many of the same answers here.  I ended up going with the Mopar Action brake set up.

Front
Spindles - '76 Dart
Calipers - '88 Diplomat (Sliders)
Rotors - '76 Dart 10.75"
Brake Hoses - '72 Monte Carlo

Rear
Drums - '69 Charger 10"

Booster and Master Cylinder - '69 Charger Bendix

All new In-Line Tube brake lines and valves.

Just this past weekend the brakes were bled and it's ready to touch the ground again.

I have read waaaay to many stories on here of sheer frustration when it comes to cobbling together a system of aftermarket parts.  I too may have some woes in my future with this brake set up however I feel that I'll be able to figure it out and fix it relatively easily - I hope!

I agree and am also going the a-body spindle route and the rest is from a cordoba with the big rotors.  Tell me more about the lines and valves from IN-line......please.

[Shakey]

I purchased the complete '69 Charger factory brake line kit from them.  That is all of the lines and hoses from front to back.  There are some photos in here:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,11238.0.html

http://www.inlinetube.com/

Since I used the slider calipers from an '88 Diplomat, I had different front brake hose connections than the factory '69 hoses, so they ended up in the "extra parts bin".  There have been so many questions on this site and others as to what front hoses to use and the only answer was to get some custom hoses made.  I went to In-Line and was looking at the custom made hoses when I saw all their factory hoses (GM, Ford Chrysler) hanging on the wall.  I asked to look at a few of them close up and choose the ones that figured looked right.  Once I got them home and on the car, tested the length from all different angles, they were the ones that were going to work best.

A photo of this hose is here:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,43180.0.html

As far as the valves, In-Line Tube now offers the saftey tee or distribution valve (that is the valve that mounts on the LF frame rail under the master cylinder) as well as the proportioning valve that mounts to same frame rail, about 10" - 12" behind it.

[no318]

Thanks

[gordo1968charger]

what is the master cylinder  to use with the force ten kit?also do you use the factory booster.mine is a factory power car.
i got the force ten kit,but it does nt really stop too good at high speed.
i thought with the big discs and calipers it should stop nearly as fast as it accellerates.

[Foreman72]

its a muscle car man....i should hope it goes faster then it stops haha