Register now to get rid of these ads!

Projects Finally got rid of the disc brakes.

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by sponge, Jul 18, 2020.

  1. would have been really cool to do a before and after brake comparison.
    especially with a couple of different front width tires.
    Sometimes the tire size and type gets lost in these conversations.
    the best disc brake set up you could install would probably show little improvement on tall, skinny bias tires.
     
  2. mickeyc
    Joined: Jul 8, 2008
    Posts: 1,363

    mickeyc
    Member

    One afternoon in down town New Orleans I was
    ogling a lovely young lass strolling along St. Charles
    Avenue. When I looked back at where I should have been looking all along I was crossing an intersection
    against the light! I slammed on the brakes in my 56-F100 and locked them up hard! The stock brakes bit
    so hard that the rear shocks snapped at the top mount
    and the right door flew open and an entire box of fresh
    tomatoes I had just bought launched themselves in to
    the Avenue. Fortunately for my dumb ass I did not hit
    a cab full of Japanese tourists with an astonished
    expression upon their faces while staring at the fool
    in the canary yellow behemoth squatting an inch from
    the cabs door! I was indeed impressed with the drum
    systems capabilities as well. I also feel the floor mounted pedal affords much better foot leverage than
    a hanging petal.
     
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  3. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    It's like you really haven't been paying attention to the discussion at all. Locking up the brakes is about the worst possible way to stop quickly. The fact that this is what happened to you really says all that needs to be said.
     
  4. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    I like OP car a lot,real nice {scrub could be fixed for the better,but likely its not a porb for Sponge or he would of done better fit rims an can do it later if it acts up..
    . Back on my last restore of my old rod{built in 1959} I thought about Buick fin Drums vs my 48 Ford drum I started with in the 50s. Even own a pair the Buick Fin drums,but being I had added alum 14"x 5 Slots long ago,the Buick fins would not fit into my rims anyway,geeeez,,, the 48 Ford barely fit. But I get the right scrub an stops n handels super. 002.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2020
  5. mickeyc
    Joined: Jul 8, 2008
    Posts: 1,363

    mickeyc
    Member

    Locking up the brakes may not be the ideal situation,
    but I was damn glad the old drums worked as well as they did!
     
    210superair, Elcohaulic and pirate like this.
  6. Just in case anyone is taking "tech info" notes; I suspect you actually ended up with '53-'56 F-100 hubs as the F-1 hubs would space the drums out too far when used with the Lockheed backing plates.

    I also just finished putting some '59 Buick backing plates on a small bearing 9"; works out pretty good without to much work.
     
    Moriarity and Elcohaulic like this.
  7. @dana barlow Buick fins will fit inside 14" wheels (with a little work); :eek: wouldn't say it's a good look, tho.
    14 inch wheel Buick drum (Medium).jpeg
     
    dana barlow and Bandit Billy like this.
  8. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,212

    Elcohaulic

    One modification begot three...
     
    Tman likes this.
  9. dsiddons
    Joined: Mar 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,541

    dsiddons
    Member
    from Indiana

    But if you had awesome disc brakes you wouldn’t be sharing this memory. But I was able to imagine this and laugh.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    The Shift Wizard and Montana1 like this.
  10. sdroadster
    Joined: Jul 27, 2006
    Posts: 420

    sdroadster
    Member

    You are probably right. It has been a while, and the old brain... I remember having to machine the inside vertical edge of the Buick drum because it rubbed on the backing plate. I was very happy with the fit, and the amount of fins exposed. Almost everything I do is home made, and many are junk yard/Ebay parts. That's how I like it.
     
  11. pirate
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,024

    pirate
    Member
    from Alabama

    Well to each his own. Your car you can do anything you want with it. I draw the line with traditional when it comes to safety. There’s a reason all modern cars have dual master cylinders and disc brakes. They are safer, more efficient and work better with less hassle. They used to think seat belts were dangerous that you could be trapped in a fire and you were better off getting thrown out of the car. I think we all know better then that now. As I said your car your choice.
     
  12. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,287

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Dana, what's with the dollar? Looks to be silver too.
    upload_2020-7-21_10-1-24.png
     
    Moriarity and dana barlow like this.
  13. Looks great @sponge and definitely right on your car.
     
  14. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Photo is of my high school hot rod,I built it 1959,I still drive it. The coins you ask about,were my way as a teen of having shiny spots*. I keep the rod as built mostly,but did add chrome headers an folding top,other wise if you saw me in high school 1960 to 62,you'd see same hot rod today. 28A bobtailed power Thunderbird Y.

    I could not afford chrome,so high polished every part that I could,brass,copper,alum,stainless,silver coins=The kingpin top is a new at the time JFK 50 cent*eagle up,,and all my tie rod ends also, I used 25 cent eagles,as a teen an now I still like the shiny an think it was better then chrome.but cost less. PlyConChurch.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2020
  15. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I suppose that a picture would help. If scrub radius becomes a problem, I could remove the spacers. IMG_0997.JPG
     
    210superair, RICH B and dana barlow like this.
  16. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,287

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    So Cutis Jackson III wasn't the "original" 50 cent!
     
    j hansen and dana barlow like this.
  17. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Ture maybe,but my 14in. fronts are not steel rims,I use early alum slots on both ends,15in. rears. I'm with you on the looks of cutting off fins anyway !!!!

    Bandit Billy, I'm LOL
    Thanks
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2020
  18. AndersF
    Joined: Feb 16, 2013
    Posts: 884

    AndersF
    Member

    Yeah sure.
    The only reason cars got discbrakes is becouse they are cheaper to produce.
    And dual masters safer? Maybe. If the rear sicurit fails they help.
    But if the front goes you got hardley no brakes and if the rear lock up the car start to spin around out of control.
    Where i live with a humid climate its a real battle to make the discbrakes work properly.
    Park the car in two days and the disc is rusty. After a week they can be so bad that they have pits and pulsating.
    Or in the worst case the calipper have stick and the brakes is dragging.
    I put alot more work to keep my brakes on my everyday car to work then my old ones with drums.
     
    Apache Albert and enigma57 like this.
  19. thats a new angle for me
    you live it so I guess you know
    I live in the humid south, never experienced any of that with discs.
    Just fired up a ride that had sit for nearly 8 months, brakes worked fine. A couple hard stop and its all good.
     
  20. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    FYI, if the discs are rusting, what makes you think the drums aren't?
     
  21. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Recently drug home a 65 Mercury Montclair and might keep the drum brakes,it has power brakes and if they work good then they will stay but will get a dual master cylinder eventually.
     
  22. I have had more issues with locked up drums than rotors
     
    Montana1 and Blues4U like this.
  23. hrdtlrdr
    Joined: Dec 24, 2007
    Posts: 40

    hrdtlrdr
    Member

    I find it stupid how some people think drum brakes on the front are equal to disc brakes.the lincolns look better and traditional. but safety is the answer.so whats traditional? i am 66 and traditional to me was 1960 ish rods that alot of times were lucky if they made it around the block.i am on this site every night after work and i am very happy people are here also. stay safe.
     
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  24. seabeecmc
    Joined: Jan 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,185

    seabeecmc
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Had to trim all fins on Buick drums for wheel fit brk4.JPG on my QC. Ron
     
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  25. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    What I always find amazing with these discussions is that so many guys forget how many cars and trucks of all sizes were equipped with drum brakes on all 4 corners when they were built.

    How many millions of miles were they driven that way?

    What makes anyone think that a small light car like my 26 RPU would be unsafe or stop poorly with 4 big drum brakes, big drums that were typically found on 1/2 or 3/4 ton trucks or big old boat luxury cars ?

    The guys who mentioned weight and the size of the contact patch and other factors like locking up the brakes are right on the money.

    Those factors will have a much greater effect on stopping than the type of brake, drum or disc.

    Brake fade will hardly be an issue off of the race track.

    A key to safe driving has always been to drive within your ability and your car’s ability and that includes braking.

    If you can’t stop in time and hit someone that’s on you driving too fast and too close.
     
    210superair, egads, Nostrebor and 2 others like this.
  26. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    See this, this I don't get. It's your car & your money, and God bless you, do with it as you will. I just don't get it at all. The purpose of the finned drums are to dissipate heat, and that now is gone. What is left is a small row of fins for appearance? Is this somehow different than a fake quick change diff cover? Or Cadillac valve covers on a SBC? Worse than that, to me, is taking a grinder to a perfectly good vintage brake drum and grinding all the fins off of it. That would keep me awake at night.
     
    Ned Ludd and egads like this.
  27. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    The point you seem to be missing, and it's an important one (and I did post this way back on the first page) is that disc brakes provide much better control and feel on the braking action vs drums (especially self actuating style brakes). You yourself mention installing over size brakes, you may have decreased the potential for fade, but you've increased the probability of locking up the brakes in a hard or panic stop situation. Just when you need the brakes the most you over apply them and end up locking the tires (or 1 of them) and losing the ability to stop the car or control it. Disc brakes allow far better control at the limit of tire contact patch adhesion, and better feel. You can better feel the tires start to slide and slightly lift to maintain pressure right at the limit. It is much harder to impossible to do that with drums, and self actuating makes it even worse. You lose the feel, and application force goes quickly from not enough to too much, and the feedback from the tires to your foot is muted and hard to feel. And what's worse is the uneven application among the 4 wheels. It is far more common to lock 1 front tire up, and/or 1 rear, with drums, which really screws up your control of the car. Just when you're trying your best to avoid an obstacle you lose directional control. So yes, the "guys who mentioned ... other factors like locking up the brakes are right on the money". At least you recognize that. Now recognize that discs are far better at preventing that, and allowing maximum braking force, and control.

    Now with that said, Moriarity I am NOT lobbying "for modern "upgrades" to vintage hot rods ", this is just a discussion on performance characteristics of drum vs disc brakes. I understand the point of the forum to promote and share traditional hot rods and traditional technology and I'm not trying to change that, at all. Just a theoretical discussion on the performance characteristics. That's all.
     
    Ned Ludd and Truckdoctor Andy like this.
  28. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,287

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Nice change @sponge , looks great and traditional. Do you notice much negative effect on the scrub issue driving your car. I ask because my car has a similar scrub to yours. I don't have a lot of miles on it yet but I haven't noticed anything irregular but I have read a lot of opinions on the subject on here. Just wondering what your thoughts are since you drive one that is similar.
     
    Moriarity likes this.
  29. 210superair
    Joined: Jun 23, 2020
    Posts: 1,952

    210superair
    Member
    from Michigan

    Anyone ever seen the movie major league, when the super fans are arguing about why the hit was a home run? Too high or too hard or whatever...

    These kinds of arguments always remind me of that scene.... Lol
    major-league-fans.gif
     
  30. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    Corvettes aren’t super light. 3362#

    I have been looking at the 1960 Chevy C10 M/C and Clutch Slave Cylinder setup. Anyone used one? If so, thoughts?
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2020
    Elcohaulic likes this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.