Hi all, I'm looking at some brake work during the restoration. I will keep the drums for now at least and am wanting to replace the booster and master cylinder. In the future I may swap out the front to disc, but not at this stage. I'm thinking a 7" or 8" single or dual diaphram booster and Disc/drum master cylinder. Would this be suitable for what I'm trying to do? Also with the vacuum of the original 239 be ok to run this? thanks Dave
Over the years guys here have not liked the single 7" boosters the duals are better. This brand has worked well for members in the past https://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-1956-...e:Ford&hash=item4d6bb7ee88:g:~1MAAOSwHwJaWpbk Notice the bracket where it mounts to the firewall ? You need that if you are staying with the Y-block to clear the exhaust,if the engine is in good tune the vacuum should be OK have you taken a reading on it yet ?
This is what I used on my '54. Of course, I'm not running a Y block. It's a 302/AOD combo. Wow! The price doubled since I bought it last year! https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Diaph...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 '68 Mustang master. Drums all around. https://www.autozone.com/brakes-and...00:GEN:ppjmid43737-8-11065&clickId=3301108114
You can but you need to add these on the drum lines. https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-lbs-Res...582201?hash=item2cf953d679:g:y7QAAMXQUShQ8e4c
Just so everyone knows. In the last 15-20 years. The manufacturer of Master Cylinders does not install residual check value any longer in drum brake dual master or disc brake drum brake masters. There theory is, brake fluid does not run up hill. If master is mounted on fire wall check valve is not needed. here is a print out from ECI Engineering, as to when check valves are needed.
I went the pricey route and put Wilwood Dynalite up front, with a Wilwood master, no booster, and an in line pressure residual valve for the rear drums. Stops like an absolute dream. Pricey, but everything lined up absolutely perfectly. No jerry rigging anything. I highly recommend it.
53vicky, are u running drums or disc's up front. I havent seen shoes on the wilwood website (maybe i missed em). I am thinking i need better stopping on the 54. New shoes and turned drums are ok but i wished the stopping was easier on the right foot. Or maybe i just need to swtch from drum to disc.
What master cylinder do you have now ? Also in the "Sticky FAQ" there is a link for Kevlar Ceramic brake shoes for 1952-54 Fords also did you do the self adjuster upgrade ?
I did the same in my 56. Wilwood 4 piston calipers, their master and no booster and I’m very happy. Plus I don’t need to look at that “can” every time I open the hood. The M/C only has 2 studs so I made a fake plate and painted it black to finish the appearance.
I have 66? mustang master, 1" bore. I think the pedal pressure is ok, its been 40 years since i had manual brakes so i may be expecting to much. I just got the car on the road after a 3 yr rebuild, new or turned drums and new brake shoes. and only 250 miles so far. If i consider it a death machine, i will bite the bullet and do the disc's. Jeff, i think you are right about the ceramics. Not sure if spending the $ on new shoes would make it that much better. Whats the consensus on the ceramics...worth it or not. Thanks Guys for any input. Just glad to be driving this think FINALLY
I'm old and not prone to change. Disk brakes are great if making high speed stops repe***ively or drive in mountains I have some hot rods with 4 wheel disk and some with 4 wheel drums. I can hard stop and lock up the tires on either one. No matter what kind of brakes you have if the tires stop rolling that's as fast as your going to stop. With that being said in normal everyday driving I feel perfectly safe in a drum drum car.
I bought the Wilwood disc conversion kit through Jamco last summer with the M/C. Since I am still doing the frame off and learning as I go, I don't have any idea how well they will work. Hopefully I install everything correctly and don't smash things instead of stop in the future.
I run manual front discs, no booster and it stops nicely. Anyone who drives the car mentions how well it stops. Master is from Speedway with a 1" bore. I felt it would be easier to sort out leaving it manual, I could always add a booster later.
I have the Wilwood Dynalite discs up front and drums in the rear. I highly highly recommend it. I live in rural Nor Cal, constantly going up and down steep hills, and have to deal with *****ic California drivers when cruising into Sac, so I wanted something that I knew would stop well.
The Wilwood disc kits are very nice. I helped someone with one on a Mopar, great quality and the price wasn't that bad over some I have seen that were not as nice.
I'm courious about the responses using a 1" M/C and no power. When I researched everything a 1" were for power ***ist front, 1-1/8" for 4 wheel discs, and 7/8" and smaller are for non-power ***ist. 7/8" were recommended by Wilwood and others and a 5 to 1 pedal ratio.
When I did the front disc swap in my '40 Ford I used a Maverick disc/drum manual master that had a 7/8 bore. Works pretty well.
I have a 7/8 bore MC on my 53 F100, Volare front disc, Tbird IRS with drums, stops great. Now my wife would not be pleased with it, nor anyone who has grown up with power brakes, but it stops extremely well with some effort. But I have no problem going from the F100 to my 40 with great power brakes. In other words the effort is not that much greater.
I have a 1" and no booster. I went with 1" simply because I found it on sale.. but I have no problems with it being too tough at all.
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