A Wrapup of Goodbye and Good Riddance

[70bigblockdodge]

Roger that, I'm not that informed about C barges, but I do like them alot.

Good to follow that train of thought. Not that the stock brakes are the be all end all, but taking brakes from same size or bigger/heavier car will improve braking. Just because they are disc brakes does not make them better as seen from OP's situation.
I think in most cases these would be upgrades on a GM product, the same folks that stuffed their big car engine in mid size car and left the 9" drums from the economy version.

 

[fury fan]

I remember a few discussions in the past where we tried to diagnose this system. I don't remember all the details.

But -
Every component of a braking system must do its job for the brakes to work well. I don't recall if there were problems with the MC/calipers/rotors, or just the booster vs the brake pedal (and quality of the booster).

With that said, the Leeds rotors are 11.33", so only about 3-4% smaller than our 11.75" rotors if my math is right.
That reduced dia can be compensated for with increased piston dia and larger brake pads. (don't know if these calipers are, though)

74-78 C-bodies are heavier than earlier ones, and they use 3.1" dia pistons vs 2.75" 69-72. (and perhaps the booster provides more push?)

So my point - the Leeds kit might've worked well with a C-body booster installed with it?
I don't recall if that was suggested/considered previously?

@customsportsman
Do you know if this setup fits a 14" disc-brake wheel?

 

[Ben Herman]

I have the SSBC system up front

Dont buy anything from SSBC

I did find out you can solve the butter brakes problem by swapping the pads to EBC. Those pads saved my tail about 50 miles after installing them. I was on the highway in the city and honestly too close to the guy in front (along with everyone else) when the whole freeway stopped hard. The EBC pads let me lock them up with no problems.

The rotors seem to come pre-warped from SSBC and are "special" in some way supposedly so you have to buy theirs. I haven't solved this problem just yet.

 

[dodtorcito]

I have the SSBC system up front

Dont buy anything from SSBC

I did find out you can solve the butter brakes problem by swapping the pads to EBC. Those pads saved my tail about 50 miles after installing them. I was on the highway in the city and honestly too close to the guy in front (along with everyone else) when the whole freeway stopped hard. The EBC pads let me lock them up with no problems.

The rotors seem to come pre-warped from SSBC and are "special" in some way supposedly so you have to buy theirs. I haven't solved this problem just yet.

Hi, what EBC pads you are using?
I was thinking from some time that´s my problem with the SSBC fronts in my B-body.

 

[Ben Herman]

Hi, what EBC pads you are using?
I was thinking from some time that´s my problem with the SSBC fronts in my B-body.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C8YQ7C

Assuming you also have the 4 piston fixed calipers these are almost definitely what you want.

Its a night and day difference. I didn't know you could even have brake pads that bad before swapping them.

 

[dodtorcito]

Thank you man!!!
Yes, I have the 4 piston calipers, and after re-check all the system several times, the pads/disc friction coeficient was the only doubt I had.
I will try them.

http://[URL]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C8YQ7C

[/URL]

Assuming you also have the 4 piston fixed calipers these are almost definitely what you want.

Its a night and day difference. I didn't know you could even have brake pads that bad before swapping them.

 

[Ben Herman]

Thank you man!!!
Yes, I have the 4 piston calipers, and after re-check all the system several times, the pads/disc friction coeficient was the only doubt I had.
I will try them.

Fair warning: You may learn that your SSBC rotors are a bit less round than advertised. I'm still working on a solution for that.

Expect these pads to grab hard and be able to lock the wheels up no problem.

They'll also make sure you are very aware if you have any worn out suspension bushings.

 

[dodtorcito]

Fair warning: You may learn that your SSBC rotors are a bit less round than advertised. I'm stilhardestl working on a solution for that.

Expect these pads to grab hard and be able to lock the wheels up no problem.

They'll also make sure you are very aware if you have any worn out suspension bushings.

Thank you for the warning. I don´t feel any vibration when hit the brakes soft, hard or hardest. Actually my feeling is when I´mm pushing the pedal at 100%, it´s like the 60-70% stoping power.
I get the SSBC system in 2009-2010 or so, perhaps they were better than now.

 

[Ben Herman]

Thank you for the warning. I don´t feel any vibration when hit the brakes soft, hard or hardest. Actually my feeling is when I´mm pushing the pedal at 100%, it´s like the 60-70% stoping power.
I get the SSBC system in 2009-2010 or so, perhaps they were better than now.

I put my kit on in 2015 iirc. If your pads are anything like mine were, you're getting about 30% at most. The EBC pads will allow you to comfortably lock the wheels up on the highway.

I think they were sending soft pads to hide the low quality rotors.

 

[dodtorcito]

I put my kit on in 2015 iirc. If your pads are anything like mine were, you're getting about 30% at most. The EBC pads will allow you to comfortably lock the wheels up on the highway.

I think they were sending soft pads to hide the low quality rotors.

Yes, I think. I would get originals if I do it again. Always better.

 

[HOT FURY]

I know everyone keeps posting about going with OE brake systems if you insist on changing and if available. As an alternative I have used and currently use wilwood on multiple vehicles including my 66 SF and they work amazing. Front easy to install, rear requires pulling axles to change bearings and to install a mounting bracket as well as fabricating your own hard lines along the axle but I have yet to have any problems with any of the wilwood systems and have been running them for 12 years including on my daily driver for the last 10. They make a front and rear system for the C-bodies

 

[Big_John]

I know everyone keeps posting about going with OE brake systems if you insist on changing and if available. As an alternative I have used and currently use wilwood on multiple vehicles including my 66 SF and they work amazing. Front easy to install, rear requires pulling axles to change bearings and to install a mounting bracket as well as fabricating your own hard lines along the axle but I have yet to have any problems with any of the wilwood systems and have been running them for 12 years including on my daily driver for the last 10. They make a front and rear system for the C-bodies

I think there's a huge difference between Wildwood and Leeds.

Wildwood is a large manufacturer that claims USA made parts and Leeds looks to be a much smaller reseller of offshore parts.

Wildwood has been in business longer and has 320 employees (per their website). IIRC, Leeds was a bunch of guys from SSBC that formed Leeds when SSBC was going through a lot of troubles.

IMHO, based on what I've read and seen, Wildwood would be a good source... On the other hand, Leeds seems to be marginal at best.

Also IMHO, I'll say that rear discs might not be worth the effort, but that's just an opinion.

 

[HOT FURY]

I think there's a huge difference between Wildwood and Leeds.

Wildwood is a large manufacturer that claims USA made parts and Leeds looks to be a much smaller reseller of offshore parts.

Wildwood has been in business longer and has 320 employees (per their website). IIRC, Leeds was a bunch of guys from SSBC that formed Leeds when SSBC was going through a lot of troubles.

IMHO, based on what I've read and seen, Wildwood would be a good source... On the other hand, Leeds seems to be marginal at best.

Also IMHO, I'll say that rear discs might not be worth the effort, but that's just an opinion.

Agreed, the only reason I put them on the rear of my SF was because I did not want to see the drums behind the wheels when the fronts had all the shiny stuff behind them. That car is both a driver and show car so was done merely for aesthetic reasons on the rear but was much more of a pain in the *** to install than the fronts and likely didn't do anything more to improve stopping being in the rear. Their stuff has definitely been way better quality and the tolerances way better than the low budget disc brake kits.