• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Chevy disc vs. Ford Disc setup

Timmy390

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,609
Loc.
Conway, AR
Well I have two issues I'd like to improve.

1. Brakes are soft\mushy. I have checked for leaks and don't have any but can't figure out why the soft pedal.

2. Truck pulls to the left when I brake.

Was just thinking before I start troubleshooting this setup, I could swap in all new parts using the ford setup.

I don't have the Chevy conversion but I've read you have to clearence some areas for the calipers to slide. Pulling to the left could mean the right caliper isn't sliding fully.

As for soft/mushy brakes, are the calipers on correct meaning on the correct side? I put my Ford calipers on the wrong sides and couldn't get them bleed and had very soft/mushy brakes. The guys here clued me in and I corrected it. I was told it's easy to get them on wrong with the Chevy conversion to.

Tim
 

Timmy390

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,609
Loc.
Conway, AR
I currently have the chevy conversion on the truck now which I understand to be the f150 knuckles. I have a set of 76 EB knuckles on the shelve.

Your steering will not be long enough for the 76 knuckles unless you have two way adjustable tie rods........They point out as stated above. F-150 or big Bronco knuckles are the way to go IMO.....I'm running the big Bronco knuckes out on my rig......

Tim
 
OP
OP
Izzy

Izzy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
2,418
Loc.
Texas
Uh...what??

The Chevy conversion uses the EB drum knuckles.

The '76 EB disk brake knuckles create clearance problems with aftermarket rims.

I have whatever comes with the chevy disc conversion so it must be the EB drum knuckles. Apologies for the confusion.

I thought the 76 EB disk knuckles angled in to help prevent clearance issues?

Either way, it sounds like it's a waste of time and could cause me steering issues to switch back to ford so I will stick with what I have and just work on correcting the issues I have. Sounds like I need to start with the calipers.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,834
That truck has always had that pull to the left. even with those brakes on a dana 30 axle back in the 90's. More pronounced after the hydroboost was added. I always figured it was the calipers. Thought it was strange that one bleeder was english and the other metric. I always ment to swap calipers and see if the pull changed sides, but I never got around to it. Bleeding the brakes with a block of wood between the pads so you can get the bleeder nipple up is how you can get around the bleeders facing the wrong way to bleed.

Are the self adjusters still working in the rear brakes? I had to fix that once to fix a soft pedal.

The hydroboost has a very soft feel. I remember showing it off once by reaching under the dash and pressing the brake with 2 fingers, locking the tires up on a dirt road.

It has also been several years since I last saw the truck and many modifications since I last drove it as well.
 
OP
OP
Izzy

Izzy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
2,418
Loc.
Texas
Thanks for the input Tim. I may try getting fancy and putting on some performance calibers or something.

I have no problem stopping so that is not an issue. It just feels so different from the other HB installs I have done on other rigs.

I do hate the pull to the left though and really want to fix that.

If this system is good to keep, then I will put up for sale my Ford Disc setup.
 

bmc69

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Messages
11,852
I thought the 76 EB disk knuckles angled in to help prevent clearance issues?

.

Opposite is true..the late EB knuckles are the worst for TRE clearance to the rim.

As I found out the hard way. %)
 

Timmy390

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,609
Loc.
Conway, AR
That truck has always had that pull to the left. even with those brakes on a dana 30 axle back in the 90's. More pronounced after the hydroboost was added. I always figured it was the calipers. Thought it was strange that one bleeder was english and the other metric.

One metric and SAE is very odd. Sounds like caliper mismatch.....Like maybe off two different applications..........JMO

Tim
 
OP
OP
Izzy

Izzy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
2,418
Loc.
Texas
Ok, so if I am going to repalce the calipers, then I might as well go performance based. What have you guys found the best to work? Wilwoods?
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Ok, so if I am going to repalce the calipers, then I might as well go performance based. What have you guys found the best to work? Wilwoods?

There are many choices but I believe Wyflyer used Wilwood front calipers and said due to their performance oriented design (apparently smaller) he didn't have to grind his knuckles.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,834
Well it does have a set of Wilwood pads on it already.
I have seen a bolt on replacment for the GM calipers in the Speedway motors catalog in the past.
If I were trying new stuff today I would probably be starting with a set of late model Dodge rotors (biggest production rotor I know of with a 5x5½ bolt pattern). After that caliper mounting would be 100% custom. Of course that also would require larger wheels to match. This is the mental plans for Bronco 3.0, the oddball.
 

bad 68

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
921
Loc.
Northest Washington
If you feel the truck pull to the left through the stearing wheel it's a front brake issue. If you don't feel it in the wheel but the truck pulls left than it's usually a rear brake issue.

A gravel road is a great way to figure out wich brake is the strongest and wich may not be working. Just get on the brakes at about 10 mph untill you get one to lock up, then get out and see wich one it was.
 
OP
OP
Izzy

Izzy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
2,418
Loc.
Texas
I can feel it in the steering for sure.

Are Wilwoods worth the cost? I was think I'd spend a couple hundred bucks but $400 bennies, holy cow man.
 

Timmy390

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,609
Loc.
Conway, AR
I can feel it in the steering for sure.

Are Wilwoods worth the cost? I was think I'd spend a couple hundred bucks but $400 bennies, holy cow man.

IMO hell no.....Still lots of cars on the road with the stock calipers. If it were me, I would hit the local parts store up and $50 or so later, be installing new calipers that I knew were correct. The Ford calipers are $19.99 each....

Tim
 

Ranchtruck

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
766
Mushy brakes and a pull can both be caused by a caliper that's unable to slide like it's supposed to. Take the pads out, put the pins back in and make sure you can slide the caliper all the way so the fingers are touching the rotor and all the way the other way so the piston is touching the rotor. You should be able to move it by hand with a bit of oomph. If it's bottoming out on the knuckle you'll find it then.

If the caliper is getting stuck, the hydraulic force has enough power to flex the backing plate. You're only getting one pad applying braking force on that wheel at that point and the rest of the force is going into bending metal.

Check the right front caliper first.

Metric vs SAE bleeder just means one was reman'd at a different factory than the other. It wouldn't hurt to measure the OD on the pistons on both calipers to make sure they're the same.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,346
Presumably with that hydroboost setup you're also running a larger bore master cylinder? Just checking, since the GM caliper pistons are slightly larger than the standard Ford truck calipers are, which could also contribute to a soft pedal feel if the master is too small.
I would consider 1 1/8" to be minimum.

Also, at least in my experience, the single most common reason for a soft pedal when a "custom" brake system is installed (no matter what parts are used), is an improperly adjusted actuating rod between the booster and the master.
I haven't personally messed with a HB setup, but it should only take a few minutes to verify the depth of the piston's cup vs the extension of the rod.

Good luck. Lots of good info and advice from the others to check out.

Paul
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,346
Oh, and other things that can cause a pull are:

1. Wheel bearings
2. Tire condition/inflation
3. Rear brakes (already mentioned)
4. Slightly too steep an angle on the trackbar.
5. A slight mis-match in angles between the dralink and trackbar.
6. The dragging or mis-matched caliper already mentioned too.
7. Left-to-right alignment specs too far apart.

And probably some other things as well. Is this one of bowsher's old rigs? Sounds like he knew a lot about it from a previous post. If so, then a lot of that stuff has already been checked out most likely. But it's worth mentioning anyway.
A quick way to test if the rear brakes need adjustment is to apply the parking brake a few notches or until it just starts to grab and then back off one notch. If the pedal gets firmer, then you need to tighten up the rear brakes a bit.

Paul
 

BajaBronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 30, 2003
Messages
3,931
Chev disc brakes widen your front track more than stock and more than Ford based conversion. I think it looks funny and effects handling. Others say I'm full of it....go measure.
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Chev disc brakes widen your front track more than stock and more than Ford based conversion. I think it looks funny and effects handling. Others say I'm full of it....go measure.

???
Is this because of the thickness of the rotor? I re-used my drum hubs.

I have the BC rear disc kit with Jeep CJ front (ie thicker mounting flange) rotors. My rear BC axles have a rather thick flange as well.

Maybe my track is the same (ie wider) front and rear because of the above.

Wouldn't a wider track increase stability not decrease it?
 
Top