View Full Version : Brakes
Grimm
08-15-2007, 05:44 PM
I'm curious as to what type of braking systems ya'll are using. Are you keeping your stock brakes or using aftermarkets. The reason I ask is that the 78 Bronco's stock brakes are crap and won't stop this truck without the added weight and tires even with all new components. We plan on getting disks with our new 9" rear but other than that not really sure.
Thanks guys.
chupakabras
08-15-2007, 07:26 PM
we have the stock ones in the front, and disc brakes that comes with the 8.8, hope one day have a c & c brakes, want to eliminate the brake booster, ocupies too much space there too, , you really need a good brake system on your racer, :D
Blanco
08-15-2007, 08:19 PM
Yeah the stock Bronco brakes SUCK! :(
I've currently have stock up front & '90 lincoln LSC disc out back.
& that help'ed some but the brakes still dont sadisfy my needs for good braking power..
I added a Brake booster out of a '90 F350, Thats over twice the size.
Stock booster.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/515821/fullsize/img_3877.jpg
F350 booster.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/515819/fullsize/img_3876.jpg
I've not had a chance to drive it yet with the bigger booster, but it should help some. :cool:
straightaxle
08-15-2007, 10:23 PM
We have the stock rotors and calipers in the front, and 11.75 rotors in the back with GM front style calipers. With weight near 50/50, this works pretty well. We do use race type master cylinders with no boost of any kind. The drivers have each developed a very strong brake foot. It will start to lock the baja 35's on the pavement if you have a lot of adrenalin pumping (panic). Agressive pad material also helps, but you trade extra pad wear for better braking, and we can't find them for most Ford applications. There are some things that could be done with master cylinder sizes: smaller bore cylinders = trade more pedal travel for less effort. We haven't tried this, instead we just concentrate on racing faster with less brake.
Grimm
08-16-2007, 04:40 AM
Ya, I installed an F-350 brake booster and master cylinder but found that it didn't help that much if at all. Either there was still some air in the lines which i don't think was the problem, or the engine isn't drawing enough vacuum to make the booster work properly. We are just about done with the new engine, now i'm woried about stopping the truck. If its not one thing its another i guess. Thanks
I just installed the T-bird front calipers and chevy rear. I'll let ya know!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u293/EGud/SSPX0123.jpg
locopny
08-16-2007, 05:12 PM
I'm just now installing Cad rears on a fresh 9" build. stock TTB D44 brakes up front. factory booster and MC as well. went this route before & liked it with the rig set up for towing...so I don't imagine it wont work for a race/prerun application.
I'll get around to posting some photos sometime.
Grimm
08-16-2007, 06:35 PM
EGUD, Did you have any problems putting th Thunderbird calipers on? I know they bolt directly up but the only thing that I know changes is the use of a banjo bolt or something connecting the brake line to the caliper. Is that a hard piece to find? I'm contemplating set up as well.
Thanks
toddz69
08-16-2007, 09:39 PM
EGUD, Did you have any problems putting th Thunderbird calipers on? I know they bolt directly up but the only thing that I know changes is the use of a banjo bolt or something connecting the brake line to the caliper. Is that a hard piece to find? I'm contemplating set up as well.
Thanks
The banjo bolt size is different and there aren't really any stock brake lines with banjo fittings that fit on the calipers correctly (the T-birds do, of course, but they're too short and don't mate up to the Bronco lines). What I'd do is run an aftermarket set of braided lines with the correct banjo fitting on them. You may still have to grind the caliper just a bit for the banjo fittings to seat correctly (I did). If you want nice pre-made ones, Chuck at BC Broncos sells them.
Todd Z.
toddz69
08-16-2007, 09:44 PM
Ya, I installed an F-350 brake booster and master cylinder but found that it didn't help that much if at all. Either there was still some air in the lines which i don't think was the problem, or the engine isn't drawing enough vacuum to make the booster work properly. We are just about done with the new engine, now i'm woried about stopping the truck. If its not one thing its another i guess. Thanks
A nice upgrade in the boost arena is retrofitting a hydroboost system. Physically smaller than a vacuum booster (especially the ones on big Broncos and F350s) and a lot more powerful. Just the ticket if your engine doesn't create much vacuum. I helped develop a system a few years ago for the Early Broncos and there are plenty of junkyard options out there as well. Plenty of folks have used them on big Broncos too. You're starting to see them on more and more prerunners.
It shouldn't be used as a band-aid for undersized brakes for your application but it does help in the "less effort required with the right leg" department.
Todd Z.
It was an easy bolt on. Like Todd wrote, The brake lines will have to be modified. The issue is the 7/16 fitting. I just ordered new from Summit. I lucked out being friends with the owner of the brake company that supplies the kits to many bronco and streetrod places.
Paul (the owner) told me that the caliper that takes the banjo fitting is for a Jeep truck and is just a modified T bird/Ltd caliper.
Somewhere there is a good write up on it. I’ll see if I can find it.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/13/092/article/Complete_Brake_Upgrade_for_1978__1979_Ford_Broncos .html
On the rear, one side is a cadillac seville and the other is a deville. I guess there is some sorta E-brake issue using the same car? :confused:
toddz69
08-17-2007, 08:00 AM
On the rear, one side is a cadillac seville and the other is a deville. I guess there is some sorta E-brake issue using the same car? :confused:
Cadillac used one caliper on the front of the rotor and one on the rear of the rotor on the late '70s Sevilles. Easier option is to get a set from the '79-'85 Eldorados - they're both on the same side. Be forewarned - the parking brake setups on those calipers suck.
Todd Z.
Didn’t the Eldorado have a smaller piston?
toddz69
08-17-2007, 11:05 AM
Didn’t the Eldorado have a smaller piston?
I'd have to review my brake stuff when I get home tonight - I don't have it all committed to memory anymore. I think the Sevilles I'm thinking of have the same size piston (the "metric" calipers) as the Eldos. The '76-'78 Eldos had larger ones.
Todd Z.
Paul gave me a set of Caddy calipers at 1st that were small. I told him I didn't think they would stop 35's. That is why he put these together. He said this was for the kits they sell at Tom's bronco, TCM and I think he said BC bronco.
I was thinkful to know someone that knew this stuff.
toddz69
08-19-2007, 07:27 PM
Paul gave me a set of Caddy calipers at 1st that were small. I told him I didn't think they would stop 35's. That is why he put these together. He said this was for the kits they sell at Tom's bronco, TCM and I think he said BC bronco.
I was thinkful to know someone that knew this stuff.
Those kits all the use the metric GM calipers I mentioned in an earlier post. One of the most common swaps out there.
Todd Z.
retroblazer
08-20-2007, 10:26 PM
I use aftermarket Howe GM style aluminum calipers up front and four piston Wilwood Ultra Lights on the rear discs. Twin CNC brake masters with a remote balance adjuster.
How does the CNC master cylinders vs booster stop that big blazer? I have a set that work get on my ranger but also have a set on my 79 shortbed that don't. I know the ranger is 1/2 the weight. I was thinking of going with that setup on the 73 bronco but was worried I wouldn't be able to stop it at speed as good as power brakes. :confused:
straightaxle
08-21-2007, 05:29 PM
Retro's brake setup is very similar to ours, we use Tilton master cylinders. It is all in the sizing of the components to make it work. Probably 3/4" to 1" master cylinders. And in the end, it is NOT a powered brake setup. Chris and the rest of us have been around so long that we remember and are just used to driving vehicles that came without power brake setups from the factory. What we live with for brakes on a race truck and what we have in our current daily drivers is probably completely different!
Blanco
08-21-2007, 05:34 PM
What have you guys ever seen as typical issues with Power brakes on a race truck? if any? :confused:
retroblazer
08-21-2007, 06:14 PM
What have you guys ever seen as typical issues with Power brakes on a race truck? if any? :confused:
What is typically used for "power brakes" is a hydroboost set-up where the power steering pump provides a boost to the braking. As opposed to the usual 1000psi a hydro set-up will provide 1500psi. I'm a firm believer is the k.i.s.s. approach, so I don't have to have a monster powersteering pump and some other device to go wrong. The FJ is running bigger front rotors than we are so that's another option as well, but again, I don't want to switch to larger wheels if I don't have to.
The bronco isn’t by any means a daily driver but it is still street legal (sort of) so I do drive it. I have had it for damn near 20 years now. I remember the manual brake sucked but it also had drums all the way around too.
That is the setup I have in the ranger. It stops great but I have never driven it on a paved road.
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