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By 55charliebird - 6 Years Ago
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I am anal about doing a "half" job so I am looking for a kit for 4 wheel disc conversion. Any info would be helpful. Its a casual w/e driver.....but I want discs. Two wheel is available but I want 4. Conventional brakes, not power brakes.Thanks
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By slumlord444 - 6 Years Ago
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Front is avallabel from sevral sources. Same for rear if you have a 9" reare end. Not sure if it it not a 9".
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By miker - 6 Years Ago
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I’m assuming you’ve got the original Dana rear end in a 55 bird. I’ve run two sets of rear disc. The first set was early GM calipers with the “ratcheting” handbrake arm. The brakes worked, the hand brake never did. Everyone I talked to that worked on those new hated them, so don’t go that route.
The set on the back now is a later model Mustang caliper, and the parking brake does work. They don’t show them on the web site (or they didn’t then),but if you call them they can provide them. The front disc on my car are from one of the ‘bird suppliers, and use a turned down hub on a Granada disc with an early Fairlane caliper.
https://www.superiormustangparts.com/contact.asp
FWIW, I’d never do the rear disc again, I’d just install good shoes and the later self adjusting mechanism in the drums. Unless you’re autocrossing or canyon racing you’ll probably never fade the rear drums.
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By 55charliebird - 6 Years Ago
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Yes, I see that the front kits are readily avail. Maybe I should just do front discs and then the rear shoes/drums. This car has not rolled in 17 years so I'm sure the brake fluid is bad. Once I figure how to flush the lines then I would tackle the brakes front first then rear. Makes the conversion a lot cheaper also. Thanks.
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By paul2748 - 6 Years Ago
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Some of the kits that are offered for Tbirds also have different cylinders for the rear so you don't need a proportioning valve.
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By 55charliebird - 6 Years Ago
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That is what summit told me, also. Their kit gives new rear cylinders which eliminate the need for a proportion valve.
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By charliemccraney - 6 Years Ago
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Get some quality brake pads. I finally wore out the pads that came with my front disc kit a couple months ago. Rather than getting what they have at the local parts store, I got a set of Hawk HPS pads and those are freaking awesome. It's almost like having power brakes. They don't grab and seem to work better the hotter they get. It's been so long since I swapped to disks but from what I can remember, this brake pad change alone is better than I experienced with the conversion to discs.
As far as sizing wheel cylinders so that a proportioning valve is not required, I'd rather be able to tune that than be stuck with a certain bias. Case and point, I have been thinking for years about upgrading the brakes on my '88 Firebird. One thing I've read is that the pressure to the rear drums is so low that they would not even lock up if they were off the ground. I was thinking "yeah, right" so the next time I had it on stands, I tried it. Just letting it idle, in gear, slamming on the brakes, or a gradual application of pressure until just about standing on the pedal, sure enough, the rear wheels still turned. The explanation I found is that the OEMs really don't want the rear to lock up in any instance because of the loss of control that will occur afterwards so they made sure that it would not. And what a lot of people do is to swap a different spring into the combination valve to allow more pressure so the rear brakes can contribute more to the effort.
The kits may be a little more "daring" than the OEMs and it may not quite be the same result.
Of course, if you do set it up so that an adjustable valve is required, then ensuring that it is safe is on you.
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By miker - 6 Years Ago
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I had the same experience as Charlie with the front pads. I also run an adjustable valve to the back, and did even when they were drums. Same with my OT car with the Wilwoods on the front and the 12x3” drums on the back. Both my cars run larger rear tires and you really need to tune that.
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By KULTULZ - 6 Years Ago
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55charliebird (5/29/2018)
That is what summit told me, also. Their kit gives new rear cylinders which eliminate the need for a proportion valve.
Did SUMMIT mention the vendor of this "kit"?
I would love to read their TECH SHEET... :
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By oldcarmark - 6 Years Ago
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When You convert to front Disc Brakes its very important to keep the rear Drum Brakes properly adjusted. I added self Adjusters to mine using Adjuster Kits from later Ford with same size Brakes. Disc Brakes do a very high % of the Braking but if the rears are not properly adjusted it can cause the back of the Car to "fishtail" for want of a better Description when the Brakes are applied in a hard Stop.
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By 56 Parklane - 5 Years Ago
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i used 1979 Granada Spindles on the front ,the only modification is to ream the lower balljoint hole out to fit the 56 ball joint .on the rear i narrowed a 2001 ford Explorer rear end 2 7/8 inches .its much easier than it sounds . and along with disc brakes you get a tracloc and 373 gears and 31 spline axles
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By Florida_Phil - 5 Years Ago
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I have a question for those who have converted to front disks. Do you believe this swap was worth the cost and effort? How good are non power front disks? My 55 TBird has stock drum brakes with a dual master cylinder conversion. Everything is new. It stops, but I wouldn't take it on an expressway. Will front disks allow me to feel better about doing this?
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By Vic Correnti - 5 Years Ago
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Phil, I have non power front only disc's on my 55 Bird and see no need for power. The difference in stopping is way better. I used a kit that mounted the callipers on the stock spindles, I don't remember who's kit it was right now.
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By Pete 55Tbird - 5 Years Ago
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Phil, on my 55Tbird I converted to non power front disk brakes. I bought a kit from Master Power Brake in 1998 or so.
When I contacted them later to get some information about which calipers and rotors they used I was told that
because they had gone through a bankruptcy and new management was in charge NO RECORDS were
kept and they did not know me or my order. Oh dear.
You asked if was worth it. YES. My cars stopping is order or magnitude BETTER than drums. NO FADING after
high speed stops. I had new drums and shoes but the braking was poor. No more one side grabbing after going
to the disk brakes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a heavy car like your Tbird. Pete
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By charliemccraney - 5 Years Ago
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Ideally, you need a certain amount of line pressure for discs to work as they should. Power assist makes that easier to achieve but is not absolutely necessary. A smaller master cylinder bore, higher pedal ratio and your own strength can make that happen.
I don't have that pressure spec handy but the manufacturer of the brakes you use should be able to guide you.
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By miker - 5 Years Ago
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To add to my previous comments. I bought the front disc from a tbird suppler back in 1999. Best I recall they were a spacer on the spindle, bearings, Granada rotors with the hub turned down (for the smaller center hole in the old wheels), brackets and calipers. Some related hardware and a dual master. The calipers were an early Fairlane unit, but the year escapes me and I don’t have my notes available. The kit moved the front wheels out maybe 1/8”, but did not result in any clearance issues. They’re still on the car, and the front rims are 7” and still clear.
The Granada conversion is nice and lowers the car. I’m using Aerostar springs on the front, and someone here used those with the Granada spindles and had to go back to stock springs as the car was too low for his driving conditions.
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By Florida_Phil - 5 Years Ago
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Thanks for the input. I bought this TBird about a year and a half ago. I have gone though it making it as reliable as possible. New front end, aluminum radiator, brakes, new engine, clutch, gas tank, universals Etc. I put a dual brake master cylinder on it for safety. I drive the car around town and to the local cruises. It's a blast to drive. It needs better brakes. It stops OK, but I worry about panic stops. I am partial to Casco. Everything I have purchased from them so far worked. Their disk brake kit is a bit costly, but I'm sure it's complete and it works. Disk brakes are on my list.
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By DryLakesRacer - 5 Years Ago
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Prestige Thunderbirds in Santa Fe Springs California has IMO perfected a disc brake kit. It uses 4 piston front brake calipers and can use your existing vacuum power assist unit if you want. He includes a correct master and definately knows what to do with with your rears. I discussed his unit on a full sized car and he suggested I complete the 8.8 replacement (drum rear) first since I already have it ready. The owner has a vast knowledge about the baby birds...
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By Pete 55Tbird - 5 Years Ago
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Drum brakes use to be much better than they are now. The shoes contained asbestos, were arched to the drum.
That does not happen today. The drums are all made in China and quality control may be an issue. You
are risking a lot by driving with a brake system you do not have confidence in. Pete
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