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Good morning gentlemen, I am looking for some help with the brakes on my 1968 442. Last summer my brakes were getting pretty weak so I upgraded my calipers to some new stock ones + pads ect. While they were quite expensive, they did not fit the matching rotors I bought. I ended up having to use the old rotors and even with that, the driver side would not work period. I ended up reusing the driver side calipers. So the driver side really just got new lines and pads! After getting everything back together, one of the cyliners started leaking fluid in the reused caliper. I decided I wanted to just go ahead and get some nicer stuff that worked well together as the stock calipers had a slight drag on the rotors anyway.
I thought instead of trial and erroring this project that maybe someone on here could point me to a easy swap. I was looking at the wilwood setup at summit racing but I am not sure if I would need to replace the MC and booster also if I go with these. I read the multi cylinder calipers may require a different MC or booster. Not sure if that is a fact or not. I would like to avoid replacing the booster and MC unless I have to. The kit I bought came with a new MC and booster but if I can avoid that install that would be best! I feel like if i get a kit that comes with the calipers and rotors together, I will have less isues with drag also. Since this is brakes, I dont mind spending a little extra if it is going to be worth it in safety! Hoping someone can help me as I am not the best mechanic out there and really want to get some solid brakes I dont nbeed to worry about. Leaking brake fluid is not something I want to see!
From what I have read, it sounds like I need to look at a kit with single cylinder calipers that comes with the rotors as well. My rotors are pretty trash so hoping I can replace those as well. I have two sets of rotors that wouldnt work with the stock so hoping this set does the trick so I dont get stuck with yet another useless set I have to try to trade or sell!
All that said, I appreciate any guidance and also if anyone is looking for some brand new stock calipers and rotors for a 68 442, please let me know!
What brakes were factory on the car,, disc or drum in the front. Power or manual?
What brakes are currently on the car? If disc are they factory, I'm asking because "upgraded" was mentioned. Does that mean replaced what was there "like for like" OR was a different type of brand used? Have the spindles been changed?
Hi and thank you for replying! So the car came with drums and was converted to disk before I purchased. Whatever they put on there was really shot and the brakes were getting worse so thats why I started the whole replace project last summer. I figured I could just order the stock calipers and rotors and be on my way! Not so much!
It may be easiest to first determine exactly what conversion was used. Once that is determined, decide if it is what you want and replace it with like components. Post pictures of what was on the car when you got it, there is a good chance a CO member will be able to ID it.
To confirm, you currently have power brakes, that were factory drums converted to disc and we are talking about only the front brakes?
Also post a picture of the master cylinder and the booster.
Since the car has been modified, it's hard for us to provide useful info without knowing exactly what parts are on the car. Photos of the brakes would help here. Also, what does "getting weak" mean? Unless there is actual fluid leakage from worn seals, the calipers don't get "weak". What, exactly didn't fit when you assembled the new parts? Did you ensure the pistons were fully retracted into the calipers when you tried to put them on? Sorry, but your description of the problem doesn't give the impression that you really know what's going on.
My 68 was an original dual piston caliper disc brake car. I bought a master cylinder, rotors, single piston calipers, & pads for a 69-72 from a local auto parts store and everything bolted right up and works fine
My 68 was an original dual piston caliper disc brake car. I bought a master cylinder, rotors, single piston calipers, & pads for a 69-72 from a local auto parts store and everything bolted right up and works fine
Originals were four piston, actually. The spindles are the same but you must have changed the caliper brackets to mount the single piston calipers.
Sorry, I am not the best communicator. I meant the brakes were weak as in dont work as good as they did when I purchased the car. Less stopping power.
The new capipers I bought did not slide over the new rotors as I would have expected. I thought there would be a small gap between them so the calipers do not rub on the rotors. You can see in the picture of the rotor that is exactly what is happening. I did make sure the calipers were retracted also. So that is what didnt fit. I was thinking instead of messing with the stock stuff, maybe if I got a new set of calipers and totors that the new ones will have a small gap so the pads arent sitting on the rotors all the time. I am also doing this because fluid is coming from one of the caliper cylinders. I figured its prob just better to get something newer that works better than the stock stuff I am not having good luck with.
Sorry, I am not the best communicator. I meant the brakes were weak as in dont work as good as they did when I purchased the car. Less stopping power.
The new capipers I bought did not slide over the new rotors as I would have expected. I thought there would be a small gap between them so the calipers do not rub on the rotors. You can see in the picture of the rotor that is exactly what is happening. I did make sure the calipers were retracted also. So that is what didnt fit. I was thinking instead of messing with the stock stuff, maybe if I got a new set of calipers and totors that the new ones will have a small gap so the pads arent sitting on the rotors all the time. I am also doing this because fluid is coming from one of the caliper cylinders. I figured its prob just better to get something newer that works better than the stock stuff I am not having good luck with.
Disc brake pads always rub on the rotor. That is the nature of disc brakes. Any gap causes pedal free-travel that can turn into an OH $#!+ moment if you are panic braking. The calipers themselves obviously should not rub on the rotors. These fixed calipers sometimes require shims to center them over the rotor.
Also, did you verify that you have the correct new calipers? The commonly available ones for first gen Camaros use smaller pistons than do the ones for the A-body cars.
Thanks, that is good to know! Appreciate you answering my questions! I had heard the pads sit on the rotor somewhere but I didnt understand why until the way you just explained it! When I was looking at those wilwood kits, it says they have a .80 gap but thats probably between caliper and rotor, not pad and rotor. Also didnt mean the calipers were rubbing, just the pads. So that is good to know the pads can in fact sit on the rotors.
With all I have learned today, I may just keep the setup I have then and deal with the one leaking caliper. The other side is fine and not leaking. I was able to get the new caliper on the new rotor with no issues on the passenger side. The new caliper I have for the drivers side has the same part number as the one in the pic but just doesnt have the clearance to get over the rotor strangely. Thats why I just put the old one in the pic back on. So of course that one has to leak! Wondering if maybe the part wanst stamped correctly on the new one and I have the wrong caliper. I figured if it was just a direct replace same part number for same part number i would be good.
While I have your ear. Is there anything a guy can do to get around using those small metal tubing/hose fittings that go into the back of the caliper for something a little easier to work with? I bought a new pair of the fittings but they are a bear to line up when putting everything back on!
Thanks again! That is also good to know! I picked up the MC and booster in the pics last summer, do they look correct? I was hoping to not have to replace as I havent done one before but if I have the wrong mc i should at least swap that out.
Properly working factory front disc brakes coupled with factory properly working rear drum brakes will stop your car well. It sounds like you are already heading in this direction...I'd stick with all factory components unless you have need for more braking. Remember if the existing brakes have the capability to lock up the wheels and transition to sliding friction vs. rolling friction, stronger brakes aren't going to change anything once the wheels are locked. You could get better cooling out of discs all the way around to reduce heat fade; but, for normal driving I'd stay with the factory disc brake setup.
Agreed! Now I know it is ok for the pads to sit on the rotors, I really dont have a reason to upgrade. I appreciate you guys, all of this information has been very helpful today!
At this point, I will replace the MC for the correct one and then replace the driver side caliper and see where I am at.
If you haven't, replace the brake hoses (2 in the front 1 in the rear), they are critical and fail from the inside even if they look good on the outside.
Thanks again! That is also good to know! I picked up the MC and booster in the pics last summer, do they look correct? I was hoping to not have to replace as I havent done one before but if I have the wrong mc i should at least swap that out.
That master cylinder is actually the 1971/72 style, but it will work fine with your brakes. The booster looks correct.
February 12th, 2024, 10:07 AM
