Drum Brakes, Disk Brake Booster?

Discussion in 'The whoa and the sway.' started by mkingan1212, Mar 5, 2005.

  1. mkingan1212

    mkingan1212 Well-Known Member

    Ok this may be dumb but i thought i'd ask anyway... :confused: I have non-drum brakes, can i put a disk brake master cylinder and booster on it? for a 71 lark conv. thanks
     
  2. 425 Dual Quad

    425 Dual Quad Restoring 65 'Lark - help

    Hi,

    Can I calrify - a non-drum car? - do you mean a non dic , or all-drum car?

    You can put a booster on anything [assuming you can get the rods etc to be the right length], but a master cylinder is specific.

    Disc calipers move a greater amount of fluid to work them than drum wheel cylinders do. This is why disc/ drum master cylinders have different size reservoirs - larger for the front discs and smaller for the rear drums. On a drum / drum car this doesn't matter since all wheels use the same amount of fluid.

    Use a master cylinder specific to your application. Generally they are quite chea now so unless you come across a good one that has recently come out of a running car and you know it works fine then feel free to use it but if it has been stood or on a bench for a while chances are that the seals have dried up and or the piston bore has started to go rusty, needing a rebuild. Best to buy new with brakes and be doubly sure!!

    Also bear in mind that to move the greater amount of fluid the front brake pipes to the discs are wider - have a larger bore. Whilst you are at your changes I'd consider renewing the front pipes and possibly the rear. They're now cheap enough if you buy the pipes by the reel and fittings from someone linke inline tube and I beleiver your local NAPA may sell them - however being in the UK I'm not sure on this point!

    Good luck, hope this helps!
    Nick :)
     
  3. mkingan1212

    mkingan1212 Well-Known Member

    Great, Good info

    oops, mind thinking one thing , typing the other. i ment to say a non-power drum brake car. the 71 is all drum brakes. ok so i can use the power booster off a disk brake car but not the master cylinder. right>?
     
  4. 1979SHX

    1979SHX derevaun seraun

    That's correct. The booster does just one thing-makes your pedal easier to push (less effort for the same amount of braking). It doesn't know or care if it's stopping drums or discs.

    The previous post about the master cylinder is also correct. Drum brakes use residual pressure valves within the master cylinder or proportioning/combination valve, while disc brakes do not.

    SO, if you have drum brakes all around, use a booster from a body style similar to yours, and get a master for a power drum/drum car.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2005

Share This Page