brake conversion ?

[daveSanborn]

I've installed the discbrakeswap.com kit on a couple cars and it's about as simple as you can get as far as disc brake swaps go. One thing to keep in mind though is that the hub of the Granada brake rotor may be too large for some styles of OE wheels.

 

[B67FSTB]

Watch the granada setup on 14" wheels. I don't think it will work. Make sure you ask this question to whomever you talk to.

+1 check if you can use your orig wheels.

 

[AtlantaSteve]

Just a quick point, discbrakeswap.com also sells the kit with the original KH calipers and the original style rotors, which I BELIEVE should relieve some of the woes of the granada kit.

Steve

 

[Dne']

i went with Chocostang too

Hey Rusty! I went with Chocostang too~! He's very nice to deal with! I did have a caliper that was bad(started leaking after I had Finally gotten around to bleeding the brake system), but he took care of it! I also bought the MC and power booster too from him. I went with the SSBC adjustable proportioning valve and of course all new brake lines. I still haven't had a chance to check my braking system out on the road :cry!
dne'

 

[gotstang]

Just a quick point, discbrakeswap.com also sells the kit with the original KH calipers and the original style rotors, which I BELIEVE should relieve some of the woes of the granada kit.

Steve

FWIW discbrakeswap also sells a 65-66 specific Granada kit that fixes all the issues with putting those brakes on an early car.

 

[AtlantaSteve]

FWIW discbrakeswap also sells a 65-66 specific Granada kit that fixes all the issues with putting those brakes on an early car.

Yep. The Granada kit comes with custom spindles, the KH kit comes with no spindles, and uses the ones already on the car.

But the Granada kit would still have the Hub with old wheels issues mentioned above, so I was saying, there are plenty of options out there.

 

[70solo2convert]

I did SSBC many years ago when they were just about the only game in town. They were not cheap by any means, but the kit was discs-in-a-box complete and over 11 summer seasons since I've had to do nothing whatsoever to them.

 

[daveSanborn]

FWIW discbrakeswap also sells a 65-66 specific Granada kit that fixes all the issues with putting those brakes on an early car.

Yep. The Granada kit comes with custom spindles

Yes, this is quite impressive when you step back and look at it. A regular ole "mustang guy" see's the popularity of the Granada swap and the eventual drying up of junkyard Granada spindles. He negotiates a contract with a manufacturer to start manufacturing new Granada spindles, which are eventually farmed out to a chinese company. To correct the bump steer issues with 65-66 car's, he goes a step further and modifies the design of the original Granada spindle and starts manufacturing them also.

Pretty cool if you ask me.

 

[AtlantaSteve]

Yes, this is quite impressive when you step back and look at it. A regular ole "mustang guy" see's the popularity of the Granada swap and the eventual drying up of junkyard Granada spindles. He negotiates a contract with a manufacturer to start manufacturing new Granada spindles, which are eventually farmed out to a chinese company. To correct the bump steer issues with 65-66 car's, he goes a step further and modifies the design of the original Granada spindle and starts manufacturing them also.

Pretty cool if you ask me.

I agree completely. When I talked to him on the phone the first time and he explained that I was floored. When I saw he was selling spindles, I figured he was doing some sort of junkyard refurbs, and wondered when his supply would dry up. I will say one of the complaints about his kit I've read online was that he's making these spindles and they don't have to go through DOT approval, or anything else like that, and a spindle is a critical "life or death" part, and would you rather have one made and engineered by ford, or one done by 1 guy and shipped out to China.

Personally, I let his reputation, and the track-record of his kit speak for itself. I wouldn't hesitate to use his kit. I was 100% set and ready to go, and then found another option that I think in the long run will be a lot cooler, so I'm gonna go that way instead, but there are going to be a lot of things to work out before I get started on my swap.

 

[sigtauenus]

I will say one of the complaints about his kit I've read online was that he's making these spindles and they don't have to go through DOT approval, or anything else like that, and a spindle is a critical "life or death" part, and would you rather have one made and engineered by ford, or one done by 1 guy and shipped out to China.

I understand this point and agree in concept, and also understand you are just stating a complaint read elsewhere.

My issue with that complaint is that guys can pull a 40 year old spindle out of a junk yard, which by definition means the car was junked either due to poor overall condition or collision damage, which then means that that spindle meeting DOT approval 40 years ago is no indication that its current condition is up to that same standard. A spindle pulled from the junk yard could have cracks or other weakness that makes it just as dangerous as a new spindle made in China that has not been tested.

Either way, if you are concerned about the strength of the spindles you are using, even if you are using spindles original to your car, you should have them tested, perhaps even if its just a magnaflux to check for cracks.

My only point here is that the quoted complaint seems to question the quality of the new spindles because they are made in China and untested, when the reality is the quality of any used spindle you put on your car is equally unknown.

 

[RustyRed]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am leaning at the moment towards buying the chockostang kit.

It would be nice to get the discbrakeswap kit and save the difference (about $150) for other parts but I prefer the idea of going with what numerous folks have used and given a good review on...some things I don't mind doing "on the cheap" when possible but brakes are kind of important

 

[monkeystash]

When I put the Chockostang '70 kit on my '63 Fairlane, it came with new China spindles. I questioned Dan on this, and he assured me that he has used hundreds of these with no issues. He also offered me original ones from his junk yard instead, if I preferred. I went with the new China ones. So far, so good.

 

[AtlantaSteve]

My only point here is that the quoted complaint seems to question the quality of the new spindles because they are made in China and untested, when the reality is the quality of any used spindle you put on your car is equally unknown.

And that's a great point, Sam.

 

[Neglected68]

FWIW, I have been quite happy with Street or Track's 11.25" disc brake conversion. My old 14" wheels did not fit over the calipers, but I wanted to go to 15" TTDs anyway.

 

[RustyRed]

I've decided to order the chockostang kit sometime in the next couple of days.

However, I was thinking while I was at it (yes, here I go again...) wouldn't that be a good time to go ahead and replace the front coil springs?

 

[AtlantaSteve]

If you want to replace them, then just go for it because you'll have the car up on stands.

But there's nothing intrinsic about the brakes that affects the springs UNLESS the chockostang kit comes with new spindles.

I believe (ask dan) that the kit you'll get just has the rotors/calipers and required hardware and hoses. So there's no need to mess with any of the suspension components. And you'll be able to get away without having to do an alignment(again, verify the no alignment with Dan)

If you change the springs, I'd definitely recommend a new alignment.

So this is a "while I'm at it" thing only in the emotional sense that they are close to each other, and both require putting the car up, and removing the front wheels...Beyond that, there's not a whole lot of benefit to doing the springs at the same time.

That's my take on it.

 

[daveSanborn]

wouldn't that be a good time to go ahead and replace the front coil springs?

If the coil springs are OE to the car.... then you might as well change out the UCA and LCA's while you're in there.... and after that's done, the sway bar bushings and to complete the entire front-end you might as well install new inner/outer tie rods. Don't forget to check the shock towers for stress cracks by stripping all of the paint off of them......


It's VERY easy to let one thing turn into another.

If it's just the disc brake upgrade you're after, focus on that or before you know it the car will be off of the road for six years while you're doing a ground up rebuild.

 

[FordDude]

If the coil springs are OE to the car.... then you might as well change out the UCA and LCA's while you're in there.... and after that's done, the sway bar bushings and to complete the entire front-end you might as well install new inner/outer tie rods. Don't forget to check the shock towers for stress cracks by stripping all of the paint off of them......


It's VERY easy to let one thing turn into another.

If it's just the disc brake upgrade you're after, focus on that or before you know it the car will be off of the road for six years while you're doing a ground up rebuild.

Dave you forgot the most important "while I'm at it" upgrade of all. ROLLER PERCHES!

fd

 

[daveSanborn]

Yeah, I thought about adding them in, but I think I made my point without them.

 

[RustyRed]

LOL! Dave, I get where you're coming from.

Actually, we redid a lot of the front end about two years ago. There were a few things worn out on the front end when I bought the car that made me not even really want to drive it until they were done. We replaced the tie rods, dealt with the bearings, etc. A lot of the stuff up there is already fairly new.

The springs however did not get replaced at that time and are old just like the rear leaf springs. When you hit a bump going 50 or so miles per hour you really notice the springs being old and worn.