RE: [Chevelle-List] Disc Brake Help -- yes, i did the swap (long)

[Dave Studly]

I did the conversion to 12" B-body brakes, using Hotchkis parts. (upper A-arms, springs (all 4), their pre-machined lower ball-joint, tie-rod sleeves, and the non-stock inner/out tie-rods.).  I used a 1.25" sway bar from a 2nd-gen F-body that I bought on eBay.  Yes, they really do fit.  Spindles came from an '86 full-size Cadillac.  I went to the parts store and ordered brake rotors from a '90 Camaro with HD brakes (the 1LE brakes in Chevy-speak, NAPA part# 85994).  I ordered calipers, brake pads, grease seals, and inner/outer wheel bearings for an '86 Caprice (same as Cadillac).  I also ordered a master cylinder for a '70 Chevelle with disc brakes.  I bought new disc brake dust shields from my local Chevy dealer.  GM Part #'s 344023, 344024.  I used Wagner F98912 flexible brake hoses to hook up to the calipers.   I cannot stress enough the HUGE improvement there is in braking.  I swapped from manual drums (to manual discs) and the difference is night and day.  Swapping from non-power to power shouldn't complicate things too much, but it wasn't a priority for me since I was used to non-power brakes.  There is also a HUGE improvement in handling too, but it comes at the sacrifice of ride quality.  I'd love to ride in a someone's car that did the brake swap, but kept stock springs.   I have a complete parts list (including the prices I paid) in Excel format if anyone is interested in seeing what the total costs are.  I did the swap in my garage, mostly by myself.   1) Be prepared to replace all the front brake lines.  The one going to the passenger front wheel might be a little difficult with the engine in.  My engine was out when I did the conversion.   2) The proportioning valve:  some have said they didnt change it and it works fine.  My life, as well as my passengers, are worth more than the $130 Master Power charges for a disc/drum proportioning valve and mounting bracket.  I spent the extra money and don't regret it one bit.  No, it doesn't look stock and I pretty much had to re-plumb all the front brakes and splice into the line going to the rears.   3) Since you're taking the entire front suspension off, now is the time to replace the control arm bushings.  If you are going to use Polyurethane bushings (I used Energy Suspension) GREASE them once, twice, and then a third time.  If you are not liberal with the grease, they WILL squeak.  Ask me how I know.   4) Getting the springs in and out is the most difficult part of the job.  As I mentioned, I replaced the stock springs with Hotchkis springs, which were notably shorter than the stock units, so re-assembly was easier for me.  You'll need some sort of spring compressor to put it back together, but I dont know what kind.  This is the part of the job where you definately want someone there helping you.   5) The Camaro 1LE brake rotors come with metric studs.  While I shudder at the thought of metric-size stuff on my 1970 Chevelle, it didnt seem worth the money having them re-drilled for American studs.  I bought metric lug nuts for a couple dollars.   5)  This is not a cheap swap.  I spent almost $1500 for parts doing this swap.  At $500, the a-arms are the single biggest expense.  All 4 springs were $270, and the rotors were about $140 for the pair.  The rest is a lot of nickel and dime stuff, but it adds up.  I live in Ohio, so my prices include local sales tax.   If anyone has questions, feel free to ask here, or email me privately,  [EMAIL PROTECTED]   -Dave,  [EMAIL PROTECTED]         -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Capt Crunch Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 10:36 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Chevelle-List] Disc Brake Help Has anyone on the list actually done this conversion??? I have seen it listed a number of time but have yet to see one done or talk to anyone who has done this.   Mikey   ----- Original Message ----- From: Brad Waller Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 1:14 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Chevelle-List] Disc Brake Help   > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kyle Bennett > Subject: [Chevelle-List] Disc Brake Help > > I have a 71 chevelle which i hope to start a body off restoration in > the spring. It's not an original type of restoration, but more so a > Pro Street restoration/modification. > > Question: What other cars come with disc brakes which can be swapped > over to a 71 Chevelle? I've was "told" a monte carlo would work, but i > would think that there are plenty of others. If you are doing it "Pro Street", then I would recommend an upgrade while you do this.  There are kits and plans to swap in F-Body 11" and 12" brakes that will give you a big disk and improve handling. Check out http://chevelles.com/techref/ftecref2.html and the links to Hotchkis and Global West.  In fact, if you are going Pro Street, get very familiar with these two companies because you will be buying stuff from them.  I would recommend that you decide which of the two you like better and stick with one.  As a generalization, Hotchkis likes bigger sway bars and softer springs, and Global West likes stiffer springs and smaller bars.  Global West is also older.  Talk to the tech guys at each about what you want to do and see what your gut feeling is about them.  I am sure that it is easier to "tune" the handling if you have parts from one of them.  Imagine asking Hotchkis what shocks will go best with the Global West springs... Brad Waller     ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) '66 Convertible | 327/dead | 4-speed   | Wilwood Brakes | 245/45/16 BFGs '67 Chevelle    | ex-SS396 | 355/700R4 | '79 F-Body Brakes (Global West setup) ----------------------------------------------------- To Unsubscribe please visit www.chevelles.net/list.html To start a new topic, send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]