So... what's wrong staying with front discs and rear drums? It seems that having discs in the back, while nice, would be more trouble than it's worth. You could slap some Baer discs on the front and some Dyna drums on the back and call it good... then you're not worrying about calibrating four disc brakes and all that stuff. Just my worth!
Rear disc brakes are not necessary on these cars unless you intend to so some serious high-speed driving or slalom racing. Most people install them simply because they "look cool". Whether you have discs or drums on the rear has nothing to do with the potential need for a proportioning valve. You may need one either way. The factory used them on Mavericks starting in '75, so apparently they thought there was a need for it. If your rear brakes lock-up, the car tends to go sideways, causing loss of control, so the driver needs to be aware of the potential and be familiar with the way the car brakes. I've only had it happen once with my current setup, and I let off the pedal real quick to straighten the car back out. Got my attention though...
Very true. I want discs all around because they are SO very easy to maintain and service, compared to drum brakes. Especially when you take into account adjustment and the adjusters having a habit of not working, and even totally freezing. So for me it is a matter of convienence. Dave Btw: The later disc brakes are also lighter, especially in the form of rotating weight. Something that is not true for some other disc conversions using older model parts... Like the Versillies brakes, they ADD weight compared to drums.
I agree. The Versailles rear discs really aren't all they're cracked up to be. Either later model, or aftermarket is the way to go if you're gonna do it...
Besides the older cars listed earlier in the thread, what are some other cars I can get disc brakes off of? I've lately caught the junkyard bug and there's TONS of cars with disc, although not too many of which are 4-lug. I also have never done a brake swap but figure I'm learning off this car, so is there something online I can read that'll detail (maybe with pictures *lol*) how it goes? It doesn't seem too difficult but I worry about bleeding and other hydraulic issues with the change, and what parts need to be pulled from the donor car... I'm not doing the whole differential, don't have nearly that much courage yet.
Information Site http://www.geocities.com/cping3/frontdisc.html http://www.discbrakeswap.com/The_Granada_Swap_Guide_03.19.3006.v01.pdf
Four wheel discs would be over kill due to the light weight of the cars. As for why they put discs on it 1975, it was mandated by the feds. All cars had to have them up front starting that year.
Please prove the 'manditory" statment. There are lots of cars into the late 90s that still have drum brakes in the front, even Mustangs. There are lots of small cars with rear disc. Just take a notice in parking lots these days.
Are you sure Mustangs ever had drums in the front into the late 90's? I am not sure about Federal mandates, but I don't think any cars by major manufacturers had drums in the front in the 90's, did they?
I'm sure about the Fed requirement. No body had front drums are passenger cars after 1975. Trucks may have fazed in, but Heavy and medium duty trucks still had them and some have them now.
