Master Power Brakes vs. Right Stuff vs. ???

[bill440rt]

I did a quick search here on the forum, didn't find the answer exactly so here goes yet another disc brake post. Forgive me.

I'm planning early for some winter projects I'd like to do on my '68 for better driveability. These include Eddy aluminum heads, a new PS box & pitman arm, and disc brakes. I already have the heads & PS box, so now it's on to brake kit shopping. The car now has 4-wheel manual drums, & I'd like to do a front disc manual conversion. I'm keeping it manual because I feel the cam will not make enough vacuum for power brakes.

I'd like to use an inclusive aftermarket kit without the "bling", to keep a factory appearance as possible.
So, I'm looking into these 3 kits.
MP Brakes:
http://www.mpbrakes.com/products/product-detail.cfm?product_id=232

Right Stuff (pg.144):
http://www.getdiscbrakes.com/Portals/0/Users/pdf/moparb.pdf

eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mopar-Disc-Brake-Conversion-Kit-Chrysler-B-E-Body-62-72-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem564448b712QQitemZ370512803602QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

The kits all look very similar, but there are differences. Although the most expensive, I'm leaning to the MP brake kit which includes the M/C and a disc brake brass prop valve. The Right Stuff kit has an adjustable (knob) prop valve. The eBay kit has no valve and no M/C. During conversations with Rick Ehrenberg, he also told me the eBay kit is cheap because it uses cheap Chinese parts, especially the cast knuckles which are inferior & have (and will) been known to break at the spindles. Not sure if there is 100% confirmed truth in that, but he does mention the MP kit which uses better drop forged knuckles.

Anyone have any experiences with these 3 kits, or know of any pros/cons/other differences between them? Or, are they basically the same with a different price tag?
Thanks!

[bobs66440]

I never bought a complete kit from MP Brakes but I've gotten a mc/booster/comb valve/lines from them and they were great. I have no experience with the others.

[xpbprox]

I wouldn't get the eBay one, if they are Chinese the discs will warp fast so that's already wares money on having to buy better discs. I don't know maybe one of those other companies uses Chinese parts too

[ChargerST]

I think they all use the same parts. Check for MBM brake parts on google. There was an article in mopar muscle magazine where they did a dics brake conversion using MP Brakes - you can clearly see that the spindles/calipers were made by MBM...

[b5blue]

  DO NOT DEAL WITH RIGHT STUFF!!! They are NOT Mopar savvy in any way shape or form. Dealing with their "Tech dept." was a waste of time. All the fuel lines I got from them were bent wrong or "off" from what they should be for my six pack. I reworked the pump to vacuum separator line, chopped up the carb distribution  lines and added rubber hose to make a "test/tune temporary" rig out of it and the line that runs up to it from the vapor separator I threw in the garbage as all it wanted to do was pass through my distributor and into an alt. bracket. They did offer to let me pay to mail it back for a refund or exchange but when you tell a tech there is a problem and he says: I know of no problems...then you say look, this stuff will not fit even close and he just replies well we don't have a six pack to test this stuff on so how can I know?   
  Get "North American made" rotors, NAPA has really nice beefy extra H.D. ones I like and will be using instead of the cheap overseas instantly rusting all to hell in the box ones I mistakenly ordered from a local parts house. Really I took them out of the plastic bags to check them and a year later they had rusted in the box, stored inside my A/C controlled side room.

[Charger_Dart]

I have not tried the ones you mentioned, but I can share information on 2 that I did try. I converted my power drum system over to front disc brakes using a Wilwood kit about 10 years ago. I was never real happy with that kit and it just did not seem to stop the car like I thought it should. I worked with their tech department and bought brake pressure kits, etc and the car still never stopped like it should. Finally in frustration I ripped it out and replaced it with a kit from Stainless Steel Brakes. What a huge difference in quality, workmanship, and most important - brakes! it bolted right in and now the car stops like it should. They are expensive kits, but very high quality. 

[bill440rt]

Thanks for the words of insight, guys. I was leaning towards the Master Power kit, anyway. I haven't read anything really bad about them.... yet. I'll have to call them & ask them about the brass valve they include just to get some more info.

I know someone that installed a kit from Right Stuff recently. To me the flex brake hoses looked way too short. When the steering was at full lock the hoses were pulled very tight. One pothole or bump & it would have snapped them like rubber bands. Scary, indeed.

Charger_Dart, NEVER in my lifetime will another SSBC brake kit find their way on my cars again. EVER. Their garbage brake kit gave me more problems in the build of my '69 than anything else. Totally inferior parts. I finally went with Wilwood coupled with a Hydroboost, & won't look back. Braking performance is awesome. The quality of the Wilwood kit made the SSBC kit look like an erector set. This was last year, not 10 years ago as your experience, so maybe things have changed.
But, my '68 is for the most part "stock" looking so I do not want a "bling" brake kit. Just something simple using stock Mopar parts.

If there are any more opinions on the 3 kits I've mentioned, I'm all ears.
Thanks!

[mpdlawdog]

  DO NOT DEAL WITH RIGHT STUFF!!! They are NOT Mopar savvy in any way shape or form. Dealing with their "Tech dept." was a waste of time. All the fuel lines I got from them were bent wrong or "off" from what they should be for my six pack. I reworked the pump to vacuum separator line, chopped up the carb distribution  lines and added rubber hose to make a "test/tune temporary" rig out of it and the line that runs up to it from the vapor separator I threw in the garbage as all it wanted to do was pass through my distributor and into an alt. bracket. They did offer to let me pay to mail it back for a refund or exchange but when you tell a tech there is a problem and he says: I know of no problems...then you say look, this stuff will not fit even close and he just replies well we don't have a six pack to test this stuff on so how can I know?   
  Get "North American made" rotors, NAPA has really nice beefy extra H.D. ones I like and will be using instead of the cheap overseas instantly rusting all to hell in the box ones I mistakenly ordered from a local parts house. Really I took them out of the plastic bags to check them and a year later they had rusted in the box, stored inside my A/C controlled side room.

I got all my lines from the right stuff....all were perfect...I live by them and called them in the morning....they had them ready two hours later for me to pic up.....my friend ownes a repair shop and gets most of his lines from them and never had an issue....as far as brakes go, I looked at their kit while I was down there....looked like quality stuff but as far as how they fit I dont have any experience using them

[b5blue]

  My frustration was compounded by my car being a daily driver at the time, on a new job. The urgency personally was high to have 48 hours to break down and reassemble my beast to use Monday morning. I am glad you were satisfied and sure they would have at least refunded my purchase price, ALL my other suppliers would have paid return shipping also.   

[Charger_Dart]

Charger_Dart, NEVER in my lifetime will another SSBC brake kit find their way on my cars again. EVER. Their garbage brake kit gave me more problems in the build of my '69 than anything else. Totally inferior parts. I finally went with Wilwood coupled with a Hydroboost, & won't look back. Braking performance is awesome. The quality of the Wilwood kit made the SSBC kit look like an erector set. This was last year, not 10 years ago as your experience, so maybe things have changed.
But, my '68 is for the most part "stock" looking so I do not want a "bling" brake kit. Just something simple using stock Mopar parts.

If there are any more opinions on the 3 kits I've mentioned, I'm all ears.
Thanks!

Wow Bill, sorry to hear you had such a tough time with your SSBS kit on your car. Maybe we installed different kits? I also wanted something that was stock looking and put their A156 kit on my car - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SSB-A156/ No "bling" for me either, just good stopping power. Glad to hear your Wilwood kit worked better for you. I noticed they have changed their kits since I tried them so they are probably much better now.

[twodko]

I used the MP Brake disc conversion on my 69 Chevelle and I'll do the same on the Charger. Great product, reasonably priced and everything fits/works as its supposed to. 

[tan top]

 i would  go with master power ,  they have been advertising in mopar mags for years  , before the internet really  , know loads of guys had their power disc & manual disc set up & never had a problem  although think i read somewhere someone had a problem with a booster  , not faulty  , just a fitting prob 

[bill440rt]

I used the MP Brake disc conversion on my 69 Chevelle and I'll do the same on the Charger. Great product, reasonably priced and everything fits/works as its supposed to. 

That's what I'm leaning towards. They are the most expensive (about $150 bucks more), but the peace of mind & better quality product is worth it IMHO.

i would  go with master power ,  they have been advertising in mopar mags for years  , before the internet really  , know loads of guys had their power disc & manual disc set up & never had a problem  although think i read somewhere someone had a problem with a booster  , not faulty  , just a fitting prob 

I've heard that as well regarding their booster, but I don't plan on installing power brakes. I want to run manual.

Wow Bill, sorry to hear you had such a tough time with your SSBS kit on your car. Maybe we installed different kits? I also wanted something that was stock looking and put their A156 kit on my car - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SSB-A156/ No "bling" for me either, just good stopping power. Glad to hear your Wilwood kit worked better for you. I noticed they have changed their kits since I tried them so they are probably much better now.

Looks like you have their kit with cast iron calipers. I had the Force10 with aluminum calipers. Junk. You can read about it here, starts 1/2 way down on page 5. It continues for the next several pages.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,64641.100.html

I'm not going to go into detail again on this thread, but it was basically product failure. And, I've read similar stories from other people. A buddy of mine who has a Dart just had problems with the hubs in the rotors, and his kit was installed about 8 years ago.

[FLG]

How about these??


http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,80036.0.html

[Charger_Dart]

After reading your tread, I realize I should of never brought up their name! Sorry about that! Your comments about the owner of the Dart have me wondering about mine.... 

[bill440rt]

How about these??


http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,80036.0.html

Thanks, Frank.     But, I'd still have to find/get disc brake spindles. They are $400+ new/repro.
The Baer system is very nice, but not what I'm looking to do for this car.

[b5blue]

Were it my money, I'd go with MP at this point. I've followed everyone's conversions posted and not seen any negative on MP?     

[MRCHARGER]

I got MP's 4 wheel disc conversion kit. The fronts where perfect and look very stock. The rear continues to be bad dream, unless the wheel spacers I had to order fails to correct the problem, then I would label as a total nightmare. If you are just doing fronts, it's the way to go.

[bill440rt]

Thanks again for all the insight. 
Looks like I'll be calling MP Brakes, seems there is common consensus on this & they were my first hunch as well. I'm hoping to have them within the next month.
Who knows, maybe I can get started on these big projects before the winter in the fall! 
Does anyone care to see pics of this while under construction? 

[tan top]

Thanks again for all the insight. 
Looks like I'll be calling MP Brakes, seems there is common consensus on this & they were my first hunch as well. I'm hoping to have them within the next month.
Who knows, maybe I can get started on these big projects before the winter in the fall! 
Does anyone care to see pics of this while under construction? 

  ......   yeah post up any pictures & stuff  love to see them  

[bobs66440]

Agreed, post those pics!     

[twodko]

Yes Bill, post post post the process so I'll be better prepared when I do my 69.

[bill440rt]

Will do!