Well after many trips to a couple hardware stores and a couple different auto parts stores, I finally got everything installed and bled out. I still have not gotten it out of the garage yet but I expect everything to be better when I do.( fingers crossed) 98 maro dual piston calipers/12" rotors
That is a lot of brake!!! I did a Wilwood kit on my 70 Camaro and that was a nice kit. All of it bolted right up and played nice. How did this go with the install? Looks great. Good luck and hope it works as well as it looks.
Didn't really have to change anything. Mostly just had to space things out to where the brackets were in the right position for everything to line up right and get some new bolts in the corrct lengths to work. I did buy a set of conversion brackets off eBay for $40. I also had to trim down the outside circumference of a set of drum hubs to fit inside the LS rotors( took me about 1/2 HR for each with a 4" grinding wheel). I did already have stock 69 discs on the front but truthfully it would have been an easier conversion on a drum brake car due to the differences in the spindles. I also had to replace the wheel studs with longer ones which required reaming the stud holes in the hubs out for studs with a larger diameter knurl. Oh yeah, and all new bearings of course. I wouldn't call this a bolt on gig. It was a process. Step by step it came together.
The wheel spacers... I'm running those BMW rims and they have a lot of back spacing. The backs went on fine but because I'm also running 1/2" taller upper ball joint in the tubular control arms the inside corner of the rim was hitting the UCA when I turned the wheel. So I had some 10mm spacers made with the raised hub centric ring in the center. Gave me enough clearance at full turn so it doesn't touch. I had to run them on the old brake set as well. Also was one of the reasons I needed longer studs.
The pads have about 1sq. In. more pad surface than the 69s but given their size I guess it's a significant increase, percentage-wise. Plus the new ones have a much wider pressure area due to the dual Pistons instead of the single and the rotor is just over an inch bigger diameter so maybe will handle the heat a little better too. Plus the calipers are aluminum so I might have shaved a couple of pounds( always a good thing).
That is not a bolt on for sure. Nice job on the install. The larger rotors and calipers will make a huge difference. My only other questions is, will that clear a 15" wheel or did you go bigger?
Not sure about clearing 15" rims although I had some on there a couple of days ago just to test fit for tire size but I didn't even look at the clearance. They did go on but I did not try to spin the wheel. I'm running 17s.
When converting from drum to disc is it necessary to machine the spindle to fit the rotor or are the spindles the same?
The spindles are different from drum to disc. So either do a swap or have them machined. A lot of people usually swap them and replace ball joints at the same time.
When converting from drum to disc is it necessary to machine the spindle to fit the rotor or are the spindles the same?
The spindles are different from drum to disc. So either do a swap or have them machined. A lot of people usually swap them and replace ball joints at the same time.
After 48 yrs of bumps and hitting curbs and what not just replace them It's safer
Yep the spindles are different just get some new ones. I ended up replacing both upper and lower arms bushings ball joints sway bar links and pretty much anything else. Trust me its worth it !
Originally Posted By Bluebird428
When converting from drum to disc is it necessary to machine the spindle to fit the rotor or are the spindles the same?
The only difference between drum and disc spindles are the upper bolt hole. The disc one doesn't come out as far to make room for the caliper bracket. If you have a drum spindle machined down, you have to tap the hole deeper. Better to get disc spindles. Just easier. My conversion would have been easier with drum spindles. Less of a spacing issue.
