what cars can i swap disc brakes for my 72 duster?

i was wondering if there were any late 70`s chryslers that i could swap the disc brakes out of for my 72` duster?


any advice would help.

thanks  

I believe your best bet would be finding a 73-74 A-body with disc brakes...   everything should swap right over - I believe you also need the later upper control arm due to different upper ball joint sizes  

If you do find something in the bone yard today, it may need to have brackets made.
This could add cost.
Rotors may be found, fined rotors will last longer and stay cooler. Check for cracks in the fines of the rotors. Check the surface of the rotors, if too thin, most places will not resurface them.

If someone does NOT know what will fit. You may have to do some measurements.

If you get a whole spindle assembly:
* Distance from upper ball joint to lower.
* Tie rod arm on spindle length and curvature.
* Ball joint threaded taper ball diameter, upper and lower.
* Tie rod threaded taper ball diameter.
* Distance between outer tie rod and the other (Center on the threaded area).
* Off set of the spindle between upper ball joint and lower.

Note: Make sure the rotor is from the same spindle or the like. I'm sure you want a five lug.

You may want to start with smaller vehicles with rear wheel drive.  

"If disc brakes are all that great. Why do they not use them on; Trains, semi's, Big things that must stop, Etc..."

You mean like 400 ton jumbo jets?

One should also note that "Budd railway disc brakes offered superior braking capabilities to the standard wheel tread system and were soon widely accepted by the railroad industry." http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/The-Budd-Company-Company-History.html

Certainly there are some "big things" that take a long distance to stop, do not usually engage in repeated stops without a cool-down period, do not have concerns with unsprung weight, and seem to benefit from the self-servo action of a leading-trailing shoe drum brake system.

No automobile I'm aware of is within that subset of vehicles.

It is beyond dispute that heat dissipation, driver feedback, and ability to precisely modulate brake torque are all superior with properly-engineered disc brakes.

Effective brake torque, not contact area is what's important to the single-stop efficiency of brakes. http://www.gt40.co.uk/gt40st11.html

Any brakes that will "lock up" have enough torque to exceed the available "rolling friction" of the tires under the conditions present. (see http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF8/843.html for a simple layperson's explanation of the physics involved)

Thus, the repeatability of stops (achieved through dissipating excess heat) and torque modulation ability (applying maximum useable torque on the threshold of lock-up without fade) are the two largest factors in repeatably shortening stopping distances while maintaining vehicle control.

Properly sized and engineered disc brakes excel at both in light vehicles. Drum brakes historically have not.

Here is another take on the topic. One should note that rear drum brakes were retained for years because of (a) cost (b) rear brakes do only a third or less of the stopping work on most light vehicles, and (c) the difficulty of meeting federal parking brake standards (some early disc-type parking brakes tended to partially release as they cooled during testing).  
*****
TURBO TED --Internationally known as the "John Force of the Yugo Racing Association."

Sergeant-at-Arms and immediate Past President of the SoAL Yugo Owners Group.

can i get my drum setup with two brake pedals...so my legs get evenly worked in that rush-hour traffic  
-
the red-headed step-child of the mailing list

fuzzy dice, air shocks & N50's rule

this should help... most of the article covers front disc swaps from mid 70's mopars

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/drivetrain/mopp_0711_1975_dart_sport_rearend_swap/index.html

as for disc brakes on train cars...  they have to be able to swap in a standard wheel set anywhere in the country...

many newer passenger car trains have disc brakes...

here in los angeles... i have noticed.. the MTA blue line which runs from downtown los angeles to long beach.. does not have brakes on its wheels...  it has brake pads between its wheels... that push down and contact the track... not the wheels..     that must save a lot of wheel flat spots... although... i have been on a red line subway car... that at full speed... i could feel the center cars had a terrible out of balance problem...  the end of the car was trying to hop up in the air...  when we stopped i ran forward and told the operator... he said he felt something..  and would put in a report..

drum brakes are great...   but when they get hot the drums expand slightly pulling away from the shoes...   the drums... the heat is also captured inside the drums...  i have several cars and trucks that have 4 wheel drum brakes... but i would rather they had at least front disc brakes...

as for rear disc brakes....  i used to have a bunch of customers with 4 wheel disc brake cads... i had at least one a week up on the lift adjusting the rear brake calipers...   i actually made a tool so i could take the lever and cable off.. and ratchet the parking brake bolt to bring the caliper back into adjustment.. so when i was done.. the brake lever could only move 7/16 of in inch off its stop... anything more than that.. and the pedal would be low...

i plan on reading some of the links above.. but i thought i would stick my toes in the water and post that link to answer the original question...

i also love that some of the hybrids... use regenerative braking so well.. that the wear surface of the brake rotors rusts from never being used...   who need brakes... turn momentum into electricity ...  

Ok guys. I'm not telling the guy not to put disc brakes on. As you will notice? I did give him some steps, should no one be able to help him, giving the fact that, vehicles that would make for a clean swap as described in many article, are becoming more and more scarse in the bone yards. Find some 70's vehicles, that aren't an arm and leg anymore? If the systems are still on them? Not to mention these parts are not so cheap any more. I'm not sure where he lives? If he has a good bone yard around? He may get lucky?

Remember? When this "Cash for Klunkers" went into effect most bone yards crushed things that were already there to make room for the later so called Clunkers?

I really do not want to confuse the guy?





To address you guys thoughs on disc over drum, I will love to create another Posting, so as not to confuse the guy here. He can read as we talk and then decide. After all this is his forum. He's just looking for a simple answer, not a big confusing discussion?

As for disc -v- drum, both have draw backs. I don't believe the gain really warrants all the hippe, money and time to install disc. As for us talking about it? Like I said in another post reply. I will start a new post so we and any one who wishes to can join in on it. Even this gentleman if he would like? I'm always open to talk, hear other views and learn.

Tell you what? It is late or I should say early right now. About 7AM here. Been up all night. I'm going to bed. I will start one tomorrow. I love to discuse automobiles. I want to hear all views. Go ahead, Change my mind!!!!  

dig deep grasshopper the truth lies within. check out the BRICKLIN automobile. drum brakes front. disk on rear. If that doesn't rock your world nothing will.  

OK guys. I'm Posted Come get me!!!! I'm posted as DISC -V- DRUM: CHANGE MY MIND

I will definately check out the Bricklin. Intresting Concepet.

Now let's have some fun!!!!

I WANT TO LEARN!!!!!!!  

If the answer is "Bricklin," you're asking the wrong question.

BTW, the people at the Bricklin International Owners Club seem to think their cars (or what's left of them) have disc brakes on the front and drums on the rear. See http://bricklin.org/BI_Specifications.htm  
http://speedzzter.blogspot.com