Im curious, if retaining drum brakes, how much does a master cylinder come into play if hp is upped? I guess I'm asking is do different masters create more pressure in the system equating to more stopping power? Or does it make no difference being a closed system. Would it then come down to adding a booster or maybe covering to disc? What about double vs single bowl..... my understanding is double is more of safety issue.
dual master cylinders, if set up right, can still apply brakes to the opposite end of the car when one end fails due to a leak or something. It's a safety thing.
More horsepower requires more braking ability. Not higher pressure in an inadequate system. Look at factory drum bake systems and see how bigger engines were equipped with bigger brakes. Drum brakes require much more volume to actuate 8 pistons in the wheel cylinders. You up the go, up grade the whoa too. Don't over stress an inadequate system. Upgrade BOTH correctly. And, do what Squirrel said and run a dual master cylinder matched to the upgraded system. Your family and car insurance man will be glad you did.
Don't forget that tires, vehicle weight and road surface play into the stopping equation also. If it's an option self energizing drum brakes can be an improvement over the Lockheed style. I'll be using the Lockheed brakes on my roadster, but that's just me. -Dave
My opinion is, it depends on the application. It depends on the the set up and who is setting it up. Honestly, mismatched components and poor set up result in brakes that are bad. Bad brakes with all new stuff, that is the theme of 90% of the brake questions on here. In the end a lot these guys would have been better off with stock brakes.
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