I've decided to build my own caliper brackets for my 50's disc brake conversion. My question is... what should be the thickness of the steel plate? I was thinking a minimum of a 1/4 inch, but should I go thicker? Thanks
Yes, thicker. I think the ones I bought for the rear calipers for my ot truck are 3/8" 1/4 will have way too much flex in it.
I just measured some designed for a dropped front axles set-up (Super Bell) and they measure just a tad under 1/2" where they mount to the spindle. They measure 3/4" at the boss where the caliper mounts. 1/4", IMO, would be scarey. Stu
I doing this very thing right now on 2 of my vehicles ('55 Chrysler and '49 Ply). Kits I have bought in the past, and some caliper brackets I have purchased seperately, have ranged from 1/4" to 5/16". Personallly, I think that is on the skimpy side, though they apparently do work. What I am fabricating at present, and seems to work best so far, is to build a bracket to bolt on to the spindle, and a seperate bracket for the caliper that attaches to that. But both are going to be 3/8". Ray
I would pay special attention to the area where the caliper mounts. I might want to have that area much thicker, simply because of the nature of the beast. I'm no engineer, but when you look at "professionally manufactured" brackets, you will see extra "meat" where the caliper bolts on. ***uming you're working on the car in your avitar, I would say it's no lightweight. Seriously important pieces for the brake system should be well thought out and engineered properly. I would like to think that I have the ability to fabricate a piece like this for my car, BUT.....because there are many variable issues, mainly safety, I would have to buy the bracket that's engineered for my application. I'm sure there are a few to choose from, and I would be looking at them ALL for the part which seems the best. Good Luck. Stu
I used 3/8 on mine, just for peace of mind. I did discover a clever way to design them when i did it. I used a piece of clear 1/4' plexigl*** to make a template. Just hold it up over the area you want the brackets for and trace the contour with a marker. Once you have a rough design you can refine it and mark the holes that are needed and transfer the design to your metal. It's easier to see through the plastic than the steel to see what you have to cut around and to mark the mounting holes!
I agree the area where the caliper seats in the bracket is more substantial on factory units vs aftermarket. I think it has more to do with not wearing a groove in the caliper casting and thereby interfering with caliper movement sideways as brakes are applied or as the pads wear. So, with that in mind, I am intending to weld on a small plate or "shoe" that increases the contact area of the bracket to the caliper. I think that can be done without interfering with any other aspect of the ***embly. Ray
DANG! Great Minds think alike!! That is what I have been doing too. Although I start with a thin cardboard (cereal box works good) pattern first to get what I want, then made a plexigl*** pattern from that because the plexi is so easy to machine, proof fit it, tweak if necessary, then go to metal. The 'see thru" is a bonus for me, it's the machinability and stiffness of the plexi pattern I was drawn to. Ray
I have a Speedway rear axle conversion, which uses 3/16" plate for the caliper brackets, and some 1/16" gauge pressed steel 'top hat' for offsetting the discs over the axle ends. Both pieces are far flimsier than I would have imagined, but they they are for the rear end. I have made a front end conversion kit for my model A axle, adapting some Japanese discs/calipers for it, and I used 1/4" steel plate bolted to the spindles to mount the caliper. There is a lot of area for the load to be spread over, and it is not bending it, just 'shear' across its main direction of strength. The top of the bracket is as yet unfinished, as I plan to mount cycle fenders to it sometimes soon.
Thickness should depend on the span from the holes that mount the bracket to the spindle, to the holes that mount the caliper. The longer the span, the thicker the bracket needs to be. If you want to play it safe, chose 3/8" to 1/2" material.
think of it this way what are the concequenes if it to thick, nothing. it to thin it could flex or worse break under hard braking. seems like a no brainer
I've always wanted to make my own caliper brackets. How do you guys set the calipers? Do you just center them over the rotor edge? And how much of a gap do you leave between the edge of the rotor and the inside of the caliper? I suppose I could take some measurements off my silverado and apply them. I want to put rear disks on my chevelle. Mathius
I 'set' the rotor by keeping the outer radius of the pads very near the outer edge of the rotor to maximize the 'leverage' exerted on the rotor. Any rotor diameter outboard of the pad is wasted from my point of view. Ray
Every Wilwood kit I've ever seen or installed uses 1/4 aluminum brackets, when using tab mounted calipers. Radial mount brackets are much more substantial. You're design needs to utilize the natural strength of whatever material you choose, and not fight it by being oversized to make up for a poor design.
Wow who'd a thunk about clear plexi-gl*** for mockup/layout of a design idea. You learn something everyday on the HAMB. Thats whats great about this place .
The Jalopy Journal
