If you're going to use a booster with a dual master don't forget the pedal assembly as they are different,,I swapped my power drums on my 67 fury wagon to poewer discs and had to use the pedal assembly from the same doner car,,,,
Joined: Wed Aug 11 2010, 10:15AM
Location: E WA
Posts: 1230
aquaman wrote ... It takes a tremendous amount more force to stop a car with disc brakes than with manual. While disc brakes resist fade as they dissipate heat better etc, drum brakes are self energizing therefore require less pedal effort.
If you are putting disc brakes on, I would recommend adding a booster. My father-in-law has a '53 Studebaker Commander he converted to disc brakes without a booster. It takes quite a bit of two foot effort to shot that car quickly...it is much, much lighter than a C-Body.
I added 1972 disc brakes (more or less the same as 1973) to my 66 Newport a few years ago. The Newport did not have power brakes so I just bolted the new master cylinder to the firewall. Everything worked great.
I do agree that it requires quite a bit of pedal effort but the car was very driveable. I used my left foot as a "booster" and my right foot more to modulate the pressure. Just be aware that the pedal effort will be quite a bit more than either stock drums or discs.
Joined: Fri May 08 2009, 10:41PM
Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Posts: 315
flj wrote ...
aquaman wrote ... It takes a tremendous amount more force to stop a car with disc brakes than with manual. While disc brakes resist fade as they dissipate heat better etc, drum brakes are self energizing therefore require less pedal effort.
If you are putting disc brakes on, I would recommend adding a booster. My father-in-law has a '53 Studebaker Commander he converted to disc brakes without a booster. It takes quite a bit of two foot effort to shot that car quickly...it is much, much lighter than a C-Body.
I added 1972 disc brakes (more or less the same as 1973) to my 66 Newport a few years ago. The Newport did not have power brakes so I just bolted the new master cylinder to the firewall. Everything worked great.
I do agree that it requires quite a bit of pedal effort but the car was very driveable. I used my left foot as a "booster" and my right foot more to modulate the pressure. Just be aware that the pedal effort will be quite a bit more than either stock drums or discs.
Joined: Wed Dec 21 2005, 07:34AM
Location: indiana
Posts: 791
If you use manual discs please make sure to use a MC from a manual disc system.
My 68 Fury has manual discs (factory stuff). Used a MC for a mid-70s Dodge truck with manual discs . Pedal effort is similar to MDrums but braking is 100% better. Brakign from 40mph-0 is especially good.
I have a 65 Fury I converted to discs 20 years ago. OEM discs, orig MB pedal, 71-73 disc booster and MC. Car stops very well also, however the pedal is very soft. Feels like it has air in it (but it doesn't). Someone mentioned you'd have instant brake lockup with this combination and I would agree with that on paper. After driving a car configured like this, I can tell you that the longer pedal travel compensates for it. Only difference is a very soft pedal.
<span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Fri Mar 22 2013, 10:17AM ]</span>