Disc Brake Conversion

Mark Ruset · 11-02-2013, 12:24 PM

Looking for opinions on doing a 4 wheel disc conversion for my 68 Camaro stocker. Car currently has drums all the way around. It stops well. but very hard to hold on the line. Just looking at all the options by Wildwood, Aerospace, Baer, SSBC, and Strange. Any pros or cons would be greatly appreciated.

1320racer · 11-02-2013, 01:00 PM

Everyone will recommend what they run. That said, I've had Wilwood on my former ride and Mark Williams on my current. If I was to swap factory drum brakes or disc/drum again, my choice would be Mark Williams.

Dave1695 · 11-02-2013, 01:19 PM

I have Strange all around on my car, and they work great. a friend has Aerospace on his L/SA Olds and another has Wilwood on his R/SA car. They all work great. SSBC doesn't pay contingency and their stuff is heavier than your current drum set up.

Larry Merk · 11-02-2013, 03:06 PM

We put Aerospace brakes on our car this year but I would NOT recommend them.

From a few feet away they look so good, all shiny machined aluminum. But when we installed them we found every tapped hole very rough and full of machining chips. We had to run a tap through every hole to clean them out. Following their instructions, one front caliper was way out of tolerance for being centered on the rotor. It had to be sent back to be machined an additional .080 inches so it would fit properly costing additional us freight charges and time.

To avoid finger pointing if we should run into any problems, we also bought the master cylinder and pushrod from them. After getting everything installed we started bleeding the brakes. Several minor leaks and several hours later the brakes still would not hold pressure. We finally removed the master cylinder and took it apart. There was a huge gouge in the cylinder bore! No wonder it would not hold pressure. Went to the local parts store and bought a master cylinder for a Dodge pickup and installed it. Had the brakes bled in 10 minutes.

To add insult to injury I called Aerospace, told them what had transpired, and asked to return the master cylinder for credit. No problem was their reply. When I got my credit card statement they had dinged me a 10% restocking fee on the defective master cylinder. Not my idea of good customer service.

The brakes work great, but the whole episode left a bad taste in my mouth. I would go with some other brand next time.

Dyno · 11-02-2013, 09:36 PM

Call Mike at MPR and order a set of Mark Williams. He will give you a good price and service. Remember, you get what you pay for, and you do not want "cheap" in your brakes. Dyno

jim hensley · 11-02-2013, 10:00 PM

hi mark how are you. I use the Strange disc all the way around on my 68 camaro with their soft pads, been pleased with them. also use their master cylinder as the wilwood leaked at the caps.

Jody Lang · 11-02-2013, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Ruset

Looking for opinions on doing a 4 wheel disc conversion for my 68 Camaro stocker. Car currently has drums all the way around. It stops well. but very hard to hold on the line. Just looking at all the options by Wildwood, Aerospace, Baer, SSBC, and Strange. Any pros or cons would be greatly appreciated.

Going to a 4 wheel disc set up will not help your starting line issues. What you're explaining is how I would explain 4 wheel discs. Stops great, but doesn't hold very good on the starting line.

HandOverFist · 11-03-2013, 10:26 AM

In the process of installing Aerospace 2-piston on the front of our '67 E/SA Camaro atm. There was some minor rotor/caliper body clearance issues where we had to use a file to remedy. Seems the adage "you get what you pay for" does not mean much anymore.

Next weekend will bring the install of a 4-piston Aerospace system on the rear. We will be using a Strange master cylinder with a 1.032 bore as recommended by Aerospace...time will tell if that was the correct advice.

Sorry I can't be of more help on the subject as we are still in process. I did use Aerospace in the late nineties on a '69 B/SA Camaro without issues which is why I chose them this go around.

Mark Ruset · 11-03-2013, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jody Lang

Going to a 4 wheel disc set up will not help your starting line issues. What you're explaining is how I would explain 4 wheel discs. Stops great, but doesn't hold very good on the starting line.

Thanks for your reply Jody, can you elaborate on your comment on what does it take to hold a car on the starting line? My only issues is the starting line, if I get up on the convertor much more than 2200 the car wants to push through the beams. the car on the top end stops well.

HandOverFist · 11-03-2013, 11:15 AM

If I'm not mistaken Aerospace offers some soft pads which might make a difference in holding on the line, but it's just conjecture on my part. http://shop.aerospacecomponents.com/...brakepads.aspx

11-02-2013, 12:24 PM	#1
Mark Ruset Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 263 Likes: 35 Liked 43 Times in 29 Posts	Disc Brake Conversion Looking for opinions on doing a 4 wheel disc conversion for my 68 Camaro stocker. Car currently has drums all the way around. It stops well. but very hard to hold on the line. Just looking at all the options by Wildwood, Aerospace, Baer, SSBC, and Strange. Any pros or cons would be greatly appreciated. __________________ Mark Ruset 2048 STK

11-02-2013, 01:00 PM	#2
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,628 Likes: 160 Liked 759 Times in 379 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion Everyone will recommend what they run. That said, I've had Wilwood on my former ride and Mark Williams on my current. If I was to swap factory drum brakes or disc/drum again, my choice would be Mark Williams.

11-02-2013, 01:19 PM	#3
Dave1695 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 160 Likes: 0 Liked 15 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion I have Strange all around on my car, and they work great. a friend has Aerospace on his L/SA Olds and another has Wilwood on his R/SA car. They all work great. SSBC doesn't pay contingency and their stuff is heavier than your current drum set up.

11-02-2013, 03:06 PM	#4
Larry Merk Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 213 Likes: 46 Liked 314 Times in 113 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion We put Aerospace brakes on our car this year but I would NOT recommend them. From a few feet away they look so good, all shiny machined aluminum. But when we installed them we found every tapped hole very rough and full of machining chips. We had to run a tap through every hole to clean them out. Following their instructions, one front caliper was way out of tolerance for being centered on the rotor. It had to be sent back to be machined an additional .080 inches so it would fit properly costing additional us freight charges and time. To avoid finger pointing if we should run into any problems, we also bought the master cylinder and pushrod from them. After getting everything installed we started bleeding the brakes. Several minor leaks and several hours later the brakes still would not hold pressure. We finally removed the master cylinder and took it apart. There was a huge gouge in the cylinder bore! No wonder it would not hold pressure. Went to the local parts store and bought a master cylinder for a Dodge pickup and installed it. Had the brakes bled in 10 minutes. To add insult to injury I called Aerospace, told them what had transpired, and asked to return the master cylinder for credit. No problem was their reply. When I got my credit card statement they had dinged me a 10% restocking fee on the defective master cylinder. Not my idea of good customer service. The brakes work great, but the whole episode left a bad taste in my mouth. I would go with some other brand next time. __________________ Larry Merk

11-02-2013, 09:36 PM	#5
Dyno Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 916 Likes: 1,139 Liked 685 Times in 204 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion Call Mike at MPR and order a set of Mark Williams. He will give you a good price and service. Remember, you get what you pay for, and you do not want "cheap" in your brakes. Dyno

11-02-2013, 10:00 PM	#6
jim hensley Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: columbia tn Posts: 50 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion hi mark how are you. I use the Strange disc all the way around on my 68 camaro with their soft pads, been pleased with them. also use their master cylinder as the wilwood leaked at the caps.

11-03-2013, 10:26 AM	#8
HandOverFist VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Gulf Breeze, FL Posts: 1,651 Likes: 8 Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion In the process of installing Aerospace 2-piston on the front of our '67 E/SA Camaro atm. There was some minor rotor/caliper body clearance issues where we had to use a file to remedy. Seems the adage "you get what you pay for" does not mean much anymore. Next weekend will bring the install of a 4-piston Aerospace system on the rear. We will be using a Strange master cylinder with a 1.032 bore as recommended by Aerospace...time will tell if that was the correct advice. Sorry I can't be of more help on the subject as we are still in process. I did use Aerospace in the late nineties on a '69 B/SA Camaro without issues which is why I chose them this go around. __________________ Rich Taylor I/SA - 321

11-03-2013, 11:15 AM	#10
HandOverFist VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Gulf Breeze, FL Posts: 1,651 Likes: 8 Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Disc Brake Conversion If I'm not mistaken Aerospace offers some soft pads which might make a difference in holding on the line, but it's just conjecture on my part. http://shop.aerospacecomponents.com/...brakepads.aspx __________________ Rich Taylor I/SA - 321 Last edited by HandOverFist; 11-03-2013 at 11:18 AM.