Joined
·
1,648 Posts
I think your OK. The rotors on my '65 Hi-Po (front only) rotate about the same as your '65 coupe. Perhaps a softer pad material is the answer.
-
February's Vintage Mustang Photo Challenge Is Now Open For Entries!
help! problems with stainless steel brakes install
G
Awhile back I installed a 4 wheel disc brake setup on my 65 coupe. The car stops ok but I was expecting to at least be able to lock up the front discs, it doesnt exactly "pull your fillings out".The main problem is that I think that the pads are running too tight on the rotors, I know that discs are supposed to drag some but I have less than .004" clearence between pad and rotor and the wheel spins only about 1.5 turns when you give it a push. I have waited a couple thousand miles to see if things would loosen up but they havent, the bearings are brand new and look fine and the pedal is firm. Has anyone had similar problems with the stainless steel conversions or have any ideas what could be wrong with mine? Thanks in advance
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
G
Guest
·I'd say they're working ok. Why do you want to lock up the wheels? Locked wheels
equal no control and that's NOT a good thing.
equal no control and that's NOT a good thing.
I posted a similar problem a while ago, I ended taking off the stock pads, scuffing the rotors with a 3M disk.
Added new performance friction carbon pads. The braking is good now, I think the stock pad were junk.
Here's the post http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=1&Board=forum&Number=364986&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1
Added new performance friction carbon pads. The braking is good now, I think the stock pad were junk.
Here's the post http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=1&Board=forum&Number=364986&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1
1966 'A' code GT fastback. Ivy Green Metallic. 327ci. Not terribly stock anymore.
Joined
·
11,380 Posts
I had exactly the same results when I put SSBC brakes on my car. I changed them out for BAER.
The BAER brakes don't lock the wheels up either, but boy do they stop the car.
If you are able to stop the car quickly you should be ok. Locking the wheels is not what you are really after anyway.
Question: did you use metallic pads? If so, they won't really work well until they get good and hot. Get some Green Stuff pads or maybe carbon/kevlar.
The BAER brakes don't lock the wheels up either, but boy do they stop the car.
If you are able to stop the car quickly you should be ok. Locking the wheels is not what you are really after anyway.
Question: did you use metallic pads? If so, they won't really work well until they get good and hot. Get some Green Stuff pads or maybe carbon/kevlar.
I've got to chime in here. Bear in mind that I have no answer. It seems reasonable to try different pads as suggested -- that's a relatively inexpensive experiment to try.
My wheel assembly spins similar to yours. That's either good for you or bad for me. I haven't had any problems with my front disc conversion though it is the Granada flavor and not the SSBC flavor.
This may be more for a point of discussion rather than a concrete answer. I'm not sure I agree that *not* being able to lock up the wheels is good. It is true that locking the wheels up leaves one with no control. However, here is my thinking as it pertains to cars without antilock brakes.
-- If we reasonably assume that maximal braking occurs just prior to lockup, then it seems reasonable to say that a braking system is performing well enough when it would get to this point. It need not exceed this point, but it must be able to get to this point.
-- If your wheels do not lock up, how would you know you had maximal braking? I mean, let's just say you took some runs and measured distance to stop. Then, say you could make some adjustment such that the calipers pinched the rotor just a little more and then repeated the test. At some point, the distance to stop would be minimal. Crossing this threshold would result in a locked wheel. It seems that you would only know the "position" of the threshold if you could slightly exceed it. Otherwise, you'd have no clue as to the braking ability that you are not utilizing.
Maybe I'm nuts, but I like knowing that I can lock up the wheels if necessary. In my Granada conversion, I can. As the driver of a car without antilock brakes, it's up to me to regulate them to not lock up in a panic situation. If my car were physically unable to lock up the wheels, I'd think something was wrong and my braking distance might be longer than it need be.
Just my thoughts,
Jerry
My wheel assembly spins similar to yours. That's either good for you or bad for me. I haven't had any problems with my front disc conversion though it is the Granada flavor and not the SSBC flavor.
This may be more for a point of discussion rather than a concrete answer. I'm not sure I agree that *not* being able to lock up the wheels is good. It is true that locking the wheels up leaves one with no control. However, here is my thinking as it pertains to cars without antilock brakes.
-- If we reasonably assume that maximal braking occurs just prior to lockup, then it seems reasonable to say that a braking system is performing well enough when it would get to this point. It need not exceed this point, but it must be able to get to this point.
-- If your wheels do not lock up, how would you know you had maximal braking? I mean, let's just say you took some runs and measured distance to stop. Then, say you could make some adjustment such that the calipers pinched the rotor just a little more and then repeated the test. At some point, the distance to stop would be minimal. Crossing this threshold would result in a locked wheel. It seems that you would only know the "position" of the threshold if you could slightly exceed it. Otherwise, you'd have no clue as to the braking ability that you are not utilizing.
Maybe I'm nuts, but I like knowing that I can lock up the wheels if necessary. In my Granada conversion, I can. As the driver of a car without antilock brakes, it's up to me to regulate them to not lock up in a panic situation. If my car were physically unable to lock up the wheels, I'd think something was wrong and my braking distance might be longer than it need be.
Just my thoughts,
Jerry
1966 'A' code GT fastback. Ivy Green Metallic. 327ci. Not terribly stock anymore.
Joined
·
11,380 Posts
I did not say that not being able to lock the wheels up is a good thing. I want to be able to lock 'em up and will be changing out my M/C to the one supplied by BAER shortly in an effort to achieve this.
One thing to be aware of is that 4-wheel disc takes a LOT of foot to get the same results as either disc/drum or 4-wheel drum. This increased effort is at least partially responsible for the lack of lock-up.
I can panic stop my car and have been able to make the front tires chirp, but not completely lock up. I'd guess that I am very close to maximum braking, but have no way to measure this to prove my assumption.
One thing to be aware of is that 4-wheel disc takes a LOT of foot to get the same results as either disc/drum or 4-wheel drum. This increased effort is at least partially responsible for the lack of lock-up.
I can panic stop my car and have been able to make the front tires chirp, but not completely lock up. I'd guess that I am very close to maximum braking, but have no way to measure this to prove my assumption.
Joined
·
1,643 Posts
I have the SSBC front discs and new ford rear drums with a dual master cyl. and power booster on my '66 vert. and I can lock them up. I had a good test a few months ago when a jeep pulled out in front of me and I locked up the front wheels for a few seconds until I eased off. I feel better about the braking of my my '66 vert than the braking of any classic Mustang I've ever driven.
It may be due to the power booster, I've heard that the manual brakes take a lot of foot pressure.
It may be due to the power booster, I've heard that the manual brakes take a lot of foot pressure.
G
Guest
·I realize that locking the brakes is not a good thing but as JSwartz was saying I would like to be able to lock them so I know how far is too far. I also realize that disc brakes need more pressure than drum. Sadly, SSBC covinced me that I should use their silicon dot 5 brake fluid, many have now told me this stuff is not the best for performance. Anyone ever switched from silicon to conventional fluid, how good of a job do you have to do to remove the silicon stuff?
1966 'A' code GT fastback. Ivy Green Metallic. 327ci. Not terribly stock anymore.
Joined
·
11,380 Posts
Is it DOT 5 or DOT 5.1? The DOT 5 is not at all friendly with DOT 3, whereas DOT 5.1 gets along quite nicely.
What does this mean? If it's DOT 5.1 you can go back to DOT 3 without a complete flush and clean. If it's DOT 5 you have to completely flush the system and make absolutely sure none of the unfriendlies meet.
No, I have never done this. I run DOT 3 in my ride.
What does this mean? If it's DOT 5.1 you can go back to DOT 3 without a complete flush and clean. If it's DOT 5 you have to completely flush the system and make absolutely sure none of the unfriendlies meet.
No, I have never done this. I run DOT 3 in my ride.
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
