dart4forte
Well-Known Member
Anyone here use this setup? Seems pretty straight forward. I favor the single piston caliper which this kit uses.
Summit Disk Brake Conversion
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live4theking
Old Man with a Hat
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It's kind of strange that the first disc brk calipers were 4-piston (as the Corvettes were back then). Then there were some durability issues with rebuilds and such, so the next biggest thing was the "single piston" caliper (with only one large piston). Then, as performance levels increased, now we have 6-piston calipers OEM. But the newer surface areas on the rotors are not as wide as they used to be, so more pistons and a longer pad are needed.
Scarebird uses GM-based calipers, which might be what the Summit kit uses? KEY thing is where do you get the replacement pads in the future? For both you and any later owners.
CBODY67
Scarebird uses GM-based calipers, which might be what the Summit kit uses? KEY thing is where do you get the replacement pads in the future? For both you and any later owners.
CBODY67
C Body Bob
Old Man with a Hat
dart4forte
Well-Known Member
This is the SSB kit. Summit has a similar kit
1965 CHRYSLER 300 SSBC Drum to Disc Brake Conversion Kits W155
stubs300
Senior Member
Yeah John, I have on a 66-300 many many moons ago. The only problem I had was I needed 1/2" spacers to keep from rubbin the rim. When I called them on it, all they could do was scratch their heads, go fig? I've had no problems with it, if anything I would buy better pads for it. Good Luck
The issue with "wheels" isn't specifically the rim diameter, but the shape of the back side of the rim itself. Which relates to caliper clearance. Using 15" wheels was the easy fix, earlier on. Might be that an aluminum aftermarket wheel with a flatter rear rim section might work where a stock steel wheel (with an angled area between the rear bead and where the wheel center is welded in) would not clear the caliper.
That's what I found out, years ago, when I was researching that issue. Seems like the earlier Mustangs had 14" disc brake wheels?
CBODY67
That's what I found out, years ago, when I was researching that issue. Seems like the earlier Mustangs had 14" disc brake wheels?
CBODY67
stubs300
Senior Member
And it could be that I have the deeper wheels to fit my spinners as where the shallow rims, my caps won't fit.
Yatzee
Active Member
I had a kit from SSBC on my 65 Fury but it was 4 piston. Mine were Corvette calipers and pad replacement was done by giving the counterman the year of Corvette. Unfortunately the SSBC wasn't up to the job of stopping my car well and when I upped the horsepower they were even worse. Not too sure the weight of your beast but I would think that you need all the stopping friction you can muster and I'm doubtful that a single piston caliper would be your best choice. To be sure, calculate the total square area of the friction material on your existing shoes and then the pads. Shoes use a 1" piston and the calipers probably 2" so you have a great pressure multiplier using the larger piston in the calipers but a much smaller contact area than using drums. And it's that contact area that makes for excellent braking. They'll probably work OK but you'll most likely be changing pads frequently as they'll wear down sooner due to the small contact patch. Save your money a bit longer and buy a heavier braking system.
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
They use dodge ram calipers.
If anyone has a brain out there and the smarts to create a adapter, the best and a most common caliper to use would be a Trailblazer/caddy CTS style aluminum caliper (very light and plentiful) drawback is adapter needs to carry the pad load, the caliper does not.
dart4forte
Well-Known Member
Years ago I had a 67 Fury vert that I did a disk conversion. I can't remember what I used but the spindles and rotors were off a later C body. The calipers were single piston.
Thanks for that update. I suspect they also use the Ram brake pads? Seems like all of the earlier Dodge Rams went through brake pads pretty quick (some in 20K miles of normal driving), from what I heard back then. But that was the OEM pads, fwiw.
I haven't looked at the Scarebird deal lately, just recalled the more common GM calipers were used back then, but things have changed since then as to what's plentiful as reman calipers or salvage yard items.
CBODY67
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
I think they do use GM calipers on some of their conversions. I think most of the mopar conversions are with 90s Ram calipers and pads, and early 70s Ford rotors.
68plymouth383
Senior Member
The ssbc, and eci brand conversions use the Chevy calipers. The scarebird use dodge second gen calipers, and Ford full size rotors
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